Laviana White-Skipper - Hodges#3972
Heliopetes laviana
This record describes Heliopetes laviana (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Hesperiidae (Skippers)
- Subfamily
- Pyrginae
- Tribe
- Pyrgini
- Genus
- Heliopetes (White-Skippers)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
AZ, c. TX to S. Amer. - Map (MPG, BOA)
Seasonal Activity
yr round in so. TX (MPG, BG data)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae host on mallows
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Heliopetes laviana. 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 Laviana White-Skipper - Hodges#3972 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , Nick Block , David Ferguson
Frequently Asked Questions About Laviana White-Skipper - Hodges#3972
Where is Laviana White-Skipper - Hodges#3972 found?
Range: AZ, c. TX to S. Amer. - Map (MPG, BOA)
What does Laviana White-Skipper - Hodges#3972 eat?
The diet of the Laviana White-Skipper - Hodges#3972 includes larvae host on mallows.
When is Laviana White-Skipper - Hodges#3972 active?
Laviana White-Skipper - Hodges#3972: seasonal activity - yr round in so. TX (MPG, BG data).