Natural History

The Mournful Duskywing is a small  (1 1/8 - 1 3/4 inch wingspan) skipper. Skippers are distinguished from true butterflies by their relatively large bodies compared to their angular wings. They get their name from their characteristic rapid darting flight. Though duskywings are in general rather difficult to distinguish from one another, the Mournful Duskywing has an overall dark coloration a white band on the hind wing and a mottled forewing with rows of darker wedge-shaped spots.
 

The Mournful Duskywing is found throughout much of Mexico and in the US in California, and southeastern Arizona to west Texas. In Arizona they typically fly between February or March through September. They mainly inhabit oak woodlands, oaks are also their major food plant.