Butterflies of North Carolina

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Scientific Name begins with:
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Once on a species account page, clicking on the "View PDF" link will show the flight data for that species, for each of the three regions of the state.
Other information, such as high counts and earliest/latest dates, can also been seen on the PDF page.

Related Species in HESPERIIDAE:
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Common Name

Common Sootywing by Dennis Burnette
[View PDF]

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Scientific Name

Pholisora catullus

Link to BAMONA species account.

Map

Click on a county for list of all database records for the species in that county.

Distribution

DISTRIBUTION: Essentially statewide, but relatively few records for the southern and the northwestern parts of the Coastal Plain, and in the southwestern Mountains; nonetheless, it probably occurs in all counties.

Abundance

ABUNDANCE: Uncommon in most places, but it may be locally fairly common to common. Despite it being common in much of the Eastern U.S., it is seemingly not a common species in NC, at least not away from civilization. However, its abundance may be overlooked, as relatively little field work takes place in cultivated fields, pastures, and their edges.

Flight

FLIGHT PERIOD: Apparently three broods in NC; a rather small brood from early April to mid-May downstate and to mid-June in the Mountains; seemingly two larger broods downstate from late May or early June to mid-September. One or two Mountain broods from late June into September.

Habitat

HABITAT: This species is the most urban or suburban butterfly in NC. It is mostly found in margins of cultivated fields and pastures, vacant lots, and other places among humans much more than it can be found along remote wooded borders or powerline clearings, though it can be found in the latter habitats. It can be at times found in open, sunny gardens. It can also occur in brackish marshes, presumably where one of its foodplants -- Saltmarsh Water-hemp (Amaranthus cannabinus) -- is found.

See also Habitat Account for General Fields, Gardens, and Ruderal Habitats

Plants

FOOD AND NECTAR PLANTS: The foodplants are mostly weedy species such as Lamb's-quarters (Chenopodium album) and amaranths (Amaranthus spp.), which are found in vacant lots, pastures, etc. The species nectars on garden flowers, such as butterfly-bushes (Buddleia spp.), as well as clovers (Trifolium spp.) and other weedy flowers.

Comments

COMMENTS: To look for the Common Sootywing, don't waste your time along wooded edges and powerlines, but look in gardens where there are flowering plants such as butterfly-bushes, or in weedy lots and margins of croplands or pastures where vervains (Verbena spp.), clovers, and other introduced plants are blooming. The weedy fields and roadsides north of Lake Phelps abound with this species, and over 200 have been tallied on the butterfly count there on several occasions.

State Rank

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Links to other butterfly galleries: [Cook] [Lynch] [Pippen] [Pugh]
	Photo by: Dennis M Forsythe Comment: July 20, 2018. Orangeburg Co., SC Common Sootywing - Click to enlarge	Photo by: Will Stuart Comment: July 6, 2018. Union County Common Sootywing - Click to enlarge
	Photo by: Will Stuart Comment: July 6, 2018. Union County Common Sootywing - Click to enlarge	Photo by: Rob Van Epps Comment: Aug 12, 2012. Mecklenburg Co. Common Sootywing - Click to enlarge
	Photo by: Doug Allen Comment: Common Sootywing - Click to enlarge	Photo by: Sven Halling Comment: May 16, 2013, Clemmons, Tanglewood Park, Forsyth County Common Sootywing - Click to enlarge
	Photo by: Sven Halling Comment: worn - May 16, 2013, Clemmons, Tanglewood Park, Forsyth County Common Sootywing - Click to enlarge	Photo by: Sven Halling Comment: Jun 16, 2014, Pfafftown, Forsyth County Common Sootywing - Click to enlarge
	Photo by: Tom Sanders Comment: Mecklenburg Co., 2011-Aug. Southern Lake Norman NABA count at Clark's Creek Nature Preserve Common Sootywing - Click to enlarge