Wild Indigo Dusky Wing - Erynnis baptisiae

Habitat

The wild indigo duskywing is found in open woods, railroad beds, and on the sides of highways.

Diet

The wild indigo duskywing caterpillar eats wild indigo and crown vetch. The adult eats nectar from the flowers of blackberry, clover, black-eyed Susan, wild strawberry, and dogbane.

Life Cycle

The male wild indigo duskywing perches on low shrubs and waits for a female. The female lays one egg at a time on the leaves of a host plant. The wild indigo duskywing produces 1-2 broods a year. The caterpillars from the second brood overwinter in piles of leaves.