Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090
Amblyscirtes exoteria
This record describes Amblyscirtes exoteria (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: upperside brown with orange tint; forewing has line of 4 white spots running from center of wing toward apex, and the most distal spot comes closer to the apex than in almost all other species of Amblyscirtes ; male has long stigma; underside dark brown with gray overscales; forewing repeats upperside pattern but has larger spots; hindwing has many small white spots arranged in a specific pattern - 3 arranged in a triangle in basal half of wing, and 6 arranged in a loose arc just beyond middle of wing; fringe checkered on all wings Larva: body pale green, hairless; head black with broad white stripe near lateral margin, and thin white inverted V-shaped marking on its forehead (see live images at bottom of this page ) Status: Global Rank of G3 - very rare or local throughout its range, or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences); threatened throughout its range
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Hesperiidae (Skippers)
- Subfamily
- Hesperiinae
- Tribe
- Hesperiini
- Genus
- Amblyscirtes
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
open woodlands and oak canyons
Geographic Range
Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, south into Mexico
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from June to September
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae probably feed on Bullgrass ( Muhlenbergia emersleyi ) or other species of muhly ( Muhlenbergia spp.)
Life History
one generation per year
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Amblyscirtes exoteria. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz
Frequently Asked Questions About Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090
What is Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090?
Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090 (Amblyscirtes exoteria) is a species in the family Hesperiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090?
wingspan 32-38 mm
How do you identify Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090?
Adult: upperside brown with orange tint; forewing has line of 4 white spots running from center of wing toward apex, and the most distal spot comes closer to the apex than in almost all other species of Amblyscirtes ; male has long stigma; underside dark brown with gray overscales; forewing repeats upperside pattern but has larger spots; hindwing has many small white spots arranged in a specific pattern - 3 arranged in a triangle in basal half of wing, and 6 arranged in a loose arc just beyond middle of wing; fringe checkered on all wings Larva: body pale green, hairless; head black with broad white stripe near lateral margin, and thin white inverted V-shaped marking on its forehead (see live images at bottom of this page )
Where is Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | open woodlands and oak canyons |
| Range | Arizona and southwestern New Mexico, south into Mexico |
What does Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090 eat?
The diet of the Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090 includes larvae probably feed on Bullgrass ( Muhlenbergia emersleyi ) or other species of muhly ( Muhlenbergia spp.).
When is Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090 active?
Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090: seasonal activity - adults fly from June to September.
What is the life cycle of a Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090?
one generation per year