About Thorybes mexicana (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869)
Thorybes mexicana, commonly called the Mexican cloudywing, mountain cloudy wing, or Nevada cloudy wing, is a butterfly species belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found in high elevation mountains of the western United States, with its range extending south into Mexico.
The subspecies Thorybes mexicana confusis is often classified as a separate species under the name Thorybes confusis, commonly known as the confused cloudywing or eastern cloudywing. This subspecies occurs from southeastern Pennsylvania west to Missouri, and south along the Atlantic Coastal plain to central Florida, the Gulf Coast, and Texas. Stray individuals can be found as far north as southeastern Kansas, southern Illinois, and New Jersey.
The wingspan of Thorybes mexicana ranges from 29 to 35 millimetres, which is 1.1 to 1.4 inches. Adults are active from June to August, and there is one generation per year. The larvae feed on species from the genera Trifolium, Vicia, and Lathyrus. Adult butterflies feed on flower nectar.
