Southern Cloudywing Thorybes bathyllus

There are three cloudywings in the east. This is often the most common locally if you find yourself in a good cloudywing eruption. The combination of the very prominent white spot row, white face and white fringes separates this from the Northern Cloudywing. The butterfly in the ointment is the Confused Cloudywing which is the rarest of the trio. It supposedly can mimic this level of white spotting but I have never seen one this bright. It often has very pale outer wing edges. The Northern Cloudywing has a dark face and in my experience never has such white fringing on the hindwing. All are large as skippers go. The western US is just sick with other cloudywing species so be wary and keep guides in hand when you wander that way.

Less frosting but still very fine.

The upper surface is much more marked and less darkened than the Northern. The white markings often forming a jagged line medially.