Clouded Flat

The clouded flat (Tagiades litigiosa) is a skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae found across South and Southeast Asia, ranging from India and Sri Lanka through Myanmar, Thailand, and the Malay Peninsula to Indonesia and the Philippines. It is one of the distinctive 'flat' skippers that rest with wings spread completely flat, unlike the typical angled-wing posture of most skippers. The wings are white with variable dark clouded spots and patches, particularly along the margins of the hindwing, which bears distinctive white scaling that contrasts with darker costal and marginal areas. Adults inhabit forest margins, secondary woodland, scrub, and gardens in tropical and subtropical lowland to montane habitats. The larval foodplants are yam species (Dioscorea) and related monocots, with larvae concealing themselves in leaf rolls. The clouded flat is one of several Tagiades species that can be challenging to distinguish in the field, requiring careful examination of the hindwing pattern and underside markings. It is generally considered common within its range, though forest clearance reduces suitable habitat for populations dependent on intact forest margins.