Turk's-Cap White-Skipper - Hodges#3973
Heliopetes macaira
This record describes Heliopetes macaira (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
c. TX to C. Amer. - Map (MPG, BOA)
Seasonal Activity
Feb-Nov in s. TX (MPG)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae host on mallows
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Heliopetes macaira (Reakirt, [1867])
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Heliopetes macaira. 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 Turk's-Cap White-Skipper - Hodges#3973 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , Nick Block , David Ferguson
Frequently Asked Questions About Turk's-Cap White-Skipper - Hodges#3973
Where is Turk's-Cap White-Skipper - Hodges#3973 found?
Range: c. TX to C. Amer. - Map (MPG, BOA)
What does Turk's-Cap White-Skipper - Hodges#3973 eat?
The diet of the Turk's-Cap White-Skipper - Hodges#3973 includes larvae host on mallows.
When is Turk's-Cap White-Skipper - Hodges#3973 active?
Turk's-Cap White-Skipper - Hodges#3973: seasonal activity - Feb-Nov in s. TX (MPG).