Erichson's White-skipper - Hodges#3970
Heliopyrgus domicella
This record describes Heliopyrgus domicella (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Underwings are brownish with a broad dark margin and off-white median band. Upperwings have a continuous white median band across both wings, extending to the leading edge of the forewing; dark wing bases, and dark margins with many white spots. more common in AZ, first TX record: Pharr, Hidalgo Co., TX - 1944 (Freeman, 1949)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Hesperiidae (Skippers)
- Subfamily
- Pyrginae
- Tribe
- Pyrgini
- Genus
- Heliopyrgus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Open or scrubby arid habitats, usually near water
Geographic Range
s. CA to s. TX to Venezuela - Map (MPG, BOA)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larval hosts unknown but strongly suspected to be in family Malvaceae.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Heliopyrgus domicella (Erichson, [1849])
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Heliopyrgus domicella. 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 Erichson's White-skipper - Hodges#3970 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Lynette Elliott; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Joshua Stuart Rose , Chuck Entz , Mike Quinn , Nick Block
Frequently Asked Questions About Erichson's White-skipper - Hodges#3970
What is Erichson's White-skipper - Hodges#3970?
Erichson's White-skipper - Hodges#3970 (Heliopyrgus domicella) is a species in the family Hesperiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Erichson's White-skipper - Hodges#3970?
Underwings are brownish with a broad dark margin and off-white median band. Upperwings have a continuous white median band across both wings, extending to the leading edge of the forewing; dark wing bases, and dark margins with many white spots.
Where is Erichson's White-skipper - Hodges#3970 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Open or scrubby arid habitats, usually near water |
| Range | s. CA to s. TX to Venezuela - Map (MPG, BOA) |
What does Erichson's White-skipper - Hodges#3970 eat?
The diet of the Erichson's White-skipper - Hodges#3970 includes larval hosts unknown but strongly suspected to be in family Malvaceae..