Research grade species #1210: Juvenal's Duskywing
Juvenal's Duskywing Erynnis juvenalis
Duskywings comprise 17 species of dark colored medium sized butterflies. The Juvenal's is a fairly early appearing butterfly, noted by 19th century naturalists in Massachusetts as being seen in the first days of March. This one was seen on May third 2021 during the city nature challenge. The group is considered one of the most difficult butterflies to identify in the field, but apparently even a bad photograph is good enough to narrow it down. The larval form of this insect is a pale green caterpillar with a weird large head, and it feeds on the leaves of young oak trees. It is thought that human-driven perturbation of the landscape was somewhat beneficial to the species, as the cutting of forests for agriculture meant the proliferation of young oak trees, whose leaves are preferred over those of mature trees. The species is found throughout eastern North America. Most duskywings, including this species, are named for Roman poets, because lepidopterists are a bunch of well-educated eccentrics and nerds.