Mexican Sootywing

As is typical in the skipper family, Mexican sootywings, Pholisora mejicanus, commonly are seen "skipping" fast from one spot to another. Their rapid, darting flight is right for their stout bodies, which are small to medium-size relative to other butterfly species. Their heads are relatively broad, with widely separated eyes and antennae. Their antennae are distinctively hooked or recurved at their tips. Many skipper species, including the Mexican sootywing, rest with their wings held at different angles, which is unlike moths, who rest with their wings spread flat; also it's unlike most resting butterflies who fold their wings directly above their bodies. In the field, when seen from above, Mexican sootywings are black skippers with white dots arranged in a specific pattern. Seen from the side, the hindwing's underside is blue-gray with contrasting black veins. To distinguish Mexican sootywings from other Pholisora species, the pattern of dots on the wings' tops is less useful than noting the Mexican sootywing's blue-gray hindwing's underside, with those contrasting black veins.

Mexican sootywings like open areas such as disturbed roadsides and along railways, as well as mountainous gulches and canyons.