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Invasive Chinese and Japanese wisteria, Wisteria sinensis and Wisteria floribunda, grow throughout North Louisiana's disturbed ground, roadsides, and fence rows and provide abundant Zarucco host plant across the region's open edges. Native American wisteria, Wisteria frutescens, grows in moist, open habitats in the bottomland parishes and provides native host plant in those settings. The ubiquity of invasive wisteria at North Louisiana disturbed edges means Zarucco duskywing host plant occurs throughout the region wherever wisteria has colonized open to semi-open ground, which in North…
If This Animal Could Talk...
"Watch closely, respect my space, and let my habitat explain the rest of the story."
When the duskywing at a North Louisiana old field perch site turns out to be feeding caterpillars on black locust or wisteria rather than oaks, the identification shifts from Horace's or Juvenal's to Zarucco. Erynnis zarucco flies at open-habitat sites with legume host plants from late spring through fall, concentrates in the southern parishes where its primary host plants reach highest density, and adds a third dimension to North Louisiana duskywing identification by occupying a different habitat niche than the oak-woodland duskywings. Zarucco duskywing uses wisteria species, black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia, and other woody legumes as larval host plants. That host plant base overlaps with some silver-spotted skipper resources but describes a species that breeds in open habitats with legume dominance rather than the woodland edge oak situations that Horace's and Juvenal's prefer.
A Few More Facts
How they hunt and forage: Adults nectar at native thistles, native composites, and legume flowers. The open-habitat distribution concentrates adult nectaring at roadside flower patches and old-field nectar resources rather than the woodland edge and forest road flowers that Horace's uses. Males perch on low vegetation and bare ground in open sunny areas, launching to investigate passing insects and returning to perch sites in the same territorial pattern as other Erynnis species.
Live birth or eggs? no
When young are born: Zarucco duskywing adults emerge in late May, just after peak wisteria bloom, and find both the mature host plant foliage for oviposition and the adjacent open composites and native clovers for nectaring at the sites they colonize.
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Accessibility
Accessibility
Zarucco duskywing at open-habitat perch sites holds the wings-spread posture on sunlit vegetation or bare ground in the same manner as other Erynnis species. Adult nectaring at native thistles and roadside composites in open habitats places the species at accessible flower stands reachable from maintained road shoulders. The open-habitat distribution, away from the woodland interior that other duskywings prefer, makes the species findable from roadside vantage points without trail access.
Every suitable site in the region delivers this species every warm season, year after year, whether or not any observer records it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does Zarucco Duskywing live in North Louisiana?
Yes. When the duskywing at a North Louisiana old field perch site turns out to be feeding caterpillars on black locust or wisteria rather than oaks, the identification shifts from Horace's or Juvenal's to Zarucco. Erynnis zarucco flies at open-habitat sites with legume host plants from late spring through fall, concentrates in the southern parishes where its primary host plants reach highest density, and adds a third dimension to North Louisiana duskywing identification by occupying a different habitat niche than the oak-woodland duskywings.
Invasive Chinese and Japanese wisteria, Wisteria sinensis and Wisteria floribunda, grow throughout North Louisiana's disturbed ground, roadsides, and fence rows and provide abundant Zarucco host plant across the region's open edges.
How do you identify Zarucco Duskywing?
Adults span one to one and a half inches. The forewing upperside shows dark brown with pale hyaline spots, similar to Horace's duskywing in overall appearance. Zarucco tends to show more complex and variable pale forewing scaling than Horace's, with pale tan scaling distributed more broadly across the forewing rather than concentrated in the hyaline spot rows. The pale scaling gives fresh Zarucco individuals a slightly more mottled forewing appearance that differs from the cleaner dark ground color of fresh Horace's. The hindwing upperside shows dark brown. Neither upperside nor underside provides a clean single-feature separation from Horace's without considering habitat context and host plant association. Both species require examination of forewing scaling pattern, combined with habitat and season, for confident species-level identification. Open and semi-open habitats with woody legumes throughout the region, with concentration in the southern and central parishes. Wisteria species grow throughout the region at woodland edges, fence rows, and disturbed ground, providing host plant in open-edge situations that neither Juvenal's nor Horace's consistently uses. Black locust in open to semi-open situations provides additional host plant. The species avoids the closed-canopy woodland interior habitats that Horace's and Juvenal's use for breeding. Adults appear at open-habitat nectar sources including native thistles, native composites, and legume flowers in open, sunny situations. Males establish perch territories at open woodland edge clearings and sunny disturbed ground near legume host plants.
What does Zarucco Duskywing eat?
What Zarucco Duskywing Eats
Adults nectar at native thistles, native composites, and legume flowers. The open-habitat distribution concentrates adult nectaring at roadside flower patches and old-field nectar resources rather than the woodland edge and forest road flowers that Horace's uses. Males perch on low vegetation and bare ground in open sunny areas, launching to investigate passing insects and returning to perch sites in the same territorial pattern as other Erynnis species.
Is Zarucco Duskywing dangerous to people?
No. This species is not dangerous to people when it is observed without handling or disturbance
