Funeral Duskywing (Erynnis funerals)
Funeral Duskywing Overview
The Funeral Duskywing is a butterfly that is found in most states of the United States as well as parts of Mexico and Central America. These butterflies can be found in deserts, and lowlands that are warm, as well alongside roads. At first glance, these butterflies look like moths but are in fact not as they don’t have the key characteristics of a moth.
In general, moths like to leave their wings open when resting whereas butterflies will keep their wings closed unless basking in the sun. Another key thing to look out for when trying to tell these two insects apart is to look at their antennae. A moth’s antennae will be feathery while butterfly antennae tend to be more wiry and slender. Lastly, moths and butterflies have wings that function in different ways. A butterfly is able to move its wings independently of one another whereas a moth’s wings are flapped together. There are a few other differences between the two insects, these are just the easiest to spot.
Learn more about Butterflies and Moths in the Southwest.
Small Funereal Duskywing butterfly on yellow Asclepias tuberosa bloom
Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Family: Hesperiidae
- Genus: Erynnis
- Species: E. funeralis
Size and Body Description
Funeral Duskywing butterflies are small in size with two sets of wings. The forewing, which is located closest to their head, is narrow in shape while the hindwing is more triangular in shape with white fringes along its edges. These butterflies are usually brown, dark brown in color with hints of black on their wings. The forewing has lighter-colored dots and waves towards the outside of the wing whereas the hindwing is usually more plain and one color. Light speckling or spots can be seen on the hindwings of some butterflies.
Length
Funeral Duskywing butterflies will grow to have a wingspan of around 1.3 to 1.75 inches in length.
Diet
Funeral Duskywing butterflies have a diet that consists of various flower nectars. As caterpillars, they will eat the leaves of deer weed, alfalfa, indigo, legumes, and rattle bush.
Reproduction
Mating season for the Funeral Duskywing butterfly occurs from March to December and happens in three waves.
Range
Funeral Duskywing butterflies are found in a wide variety of states except those in the northwest and far northeast.
On the west coast, you won’t find these butterflies in Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and both of the Dakotas.
For the east coast, tend to stay away from states north of Pennsylvania as well as Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey.
Protection
Funeral Duskywing butterflies have a population that is considered to be stable which means there are no federal protections to help with its population.