Grass skippers
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Grass skippers or banded skippers[1] are butterflies of the subfamily Hesperiinae, part of the skipper family, Hesperiidae. The subfamily was established by Pierre André Latreille in 1809.[2]
Description and distribution
With over 2,000 described species, this is the largest skipper butterfly subfamily and occurs worldwide except in New Zealand.[3] About 50 percent of grass skippers live in the Neotropics.[4] 137 species are native to North America. Around 38 species are native to Australia.[5] Genera Ochlodes and Hesperia exist exclusively in the Holarctic.[6]
They are usually orange, rust, or brown in colour and have pointed forewings.[1] Many species have dark markings or black stigmas on their forewings.[1] Most members of this subfamily have an oval antenna club with an apiculus on the tip, although Carterocephalus and Piruna do not.[7] The antennae generally has a sharp bend.
Hesperiinae larvae feed on many different types of grasses and sedges and palms, though some species are limited.[7][8]
Adults typically visit flowers and hold their wings together while feeding.[1] Hesperiinae are unique in that they hold their wings partially open while resting, with the forewings and hindwings held at different angles. This is known as the "jet-plane position".[9] Most male grass skippers perch to await females.[7]
Adults are strong fliers; they move quickly and usually in a linear direction. Some of the species, however, do flutter and these species patrol for females rather than perch.[7]
Conservation
The following grass skippers are considered at risk.[10]
| Species | Status | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Silver spotted skipper | Rare, Protected (UK) | Europe |
| Lulworth skipper | Protected (UK) | Europe |
| Orange grass-dart skipper | Rare | Australia |
| White-banded grass-dart skipper | Rare | Australia |
| Arogos skipper | Endangered (USA states IL, NJ, NY), Threatened (USA state MN), Species of Concern (USA state IA) | North America |
| Loammi skipper[11][12] | G2 Imperiled (Global), S2 Imperiled, Species of Greatest Conservation Need (USA state FL) | North America |
| Byssus skipper | Endangered (USA Federal listing) | North America |
| Carson wandering skipper | Endangered (USA Federal listing) | North America |
| Dukes' skipper | Threatened (US state (MI) | North America |
| Dakota skipper | Threatened (Canada), Endangered (Canada province MB), Federal Candidate (USA), Vulnerable (ICUN) | North America |
| Mardon skipper | Endangered (USA state WA & Federal Candidate USA) | North America |
| Otto skipper | Endangered (Canada), Threatened (Canada province MB), Threatened (USA states (IL, MI, MN) | North America |
| Pawnee montane skipper | Threatened (USA Federal listing) | North America |
| Poweshiek skipperling | Threatened (Canada), Endangered (USA state WI), Threatened (USA state IA, MI), Species of Concern (USA state MN) | North America |
| Rare skipper | Endangered (US state DE) | North America |
| Wandering skipper | Threatened (Mexico, USA) | North America |
References
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External links
Template:Sister project Template:Sister project
- Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms: Preliminary species list. Version of 6 April 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2007.
- Reference photographs: Skippers of North America Cirrus Digital Imaging
- TOL
- RMCA Template:Webarchive Images of types.
- Flickr