Resident?
Very Uncommon

Conservation Status
Vermont SU
Global G5

North American Range
Most of the eastern United States from southern Maine west across the Great Lake States to Minnesota, Nebraska, southeastern Colorado, and northern New Mexico; south to central Florida, the Gulf Coast, and Texas.

Males perch on vegetation, usually on hilltops, seeking females. Some males appear to use the same perch throughout their lives (~ 2 weeks). Females lay eggs singly on the underside of a host plant leaflet. Caterpillars feed on leaves and live in shelters of rolled or tied leaves. Fully-grown caterpillars overwinter.

Identification

Slightly smaller than Northern Cloudywing. Hindwing is elongated. Upperside is dark brown; forewing has a wide band composed of aligned transparent spots. The Southern Cloudywing differs from the Northern Cloudywing by its more prominently angular white spots on the forewing, the largest of which is hourglass-shaped, and its silvery-gray palpi (dark brown in Northern Cloudywing). Male lacks a costal fold.

Flight

Only two known records: 10 June 2004 (J. Burkert) in Bellows Falls – 2 survey block and 16 June 2006 (K. Kluge and T. Rosenmeier) in Wallingford-1.

Distribution and Habitat

This species has extended its range eastward and northward since Scudder‘s time. In Massachusetts Forbes (1960) reported it “much commoner in recent years than in the early 1900s.” Larvae feed on various plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) including beggar’s ticks (Desmodium), bush clover (Lespedeza), clover (Trifolium), milkvetch (Astragalus), fuzzybean (Strophostyles), and wild bean (Glycine).

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