Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020
Hesperia comma
This record describes Hesperia comma (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Ventral, orange to brown with bold white spots.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Hesperiidae (Skippers)
- Subfamily
- Hesperiinae
- Tribe
- Hesperiini
- Genus
- Hesperia (Branded Skippers)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Open grassy areas.
Geographic Range
From northern New England across Canada to Alaska, west from California over to New Mexico.
Seasonal Activity
May to September depending on location and elevation. Peak flight is July to August.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Grasses
Life History
One brood, larva overwinters.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Hesperia comma. 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 Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Joel Kits; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , tom murray , John Pearson
Frequently Asked Questions About Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020
What is Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020?
Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020 (Hesperia comma) is a species in the family Hesperiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020?
25-28mm
How do you identify Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020?
Ventral, orange to brown with bold white spots.
Where is Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Open grassy areas. |
| Range | From northern New England across Canada to Alaska, west from California over to New Mexico. |
What does Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020 eat?
The diet of the Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020 includes Grasses.
When is Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020 active?
Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020: seasonal activity - May to September depending on location and elevation. Peak flight is July to August..
What is the life cycle of a Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020?
One brood, larva overwinters.