Leonard's Skipper - Hodges#4023
Hesperia leonardus
This record describes Hesperia leonardus (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
The nominate subspecies is easily recognized by the reddish hindwing underside with a white spot band. The Pawnee subspecies has a yellow-orange hindwing underside with a reduced to lacking yellow spot-band. The Pawnee Montane subspecies has the underside brown with cream spots, and occurs only in a small area of Colorado (USGS). The subspecies H. l. montana is listed by the USFWS as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
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
Pawnee Skipper is found in dry prairie, while the nominate subspecies can be found in open fields and openings and edges in forests. (Layberry et al.)
Geographic Range
The species as a whole occurs in southern Canada and most of the eastern United States. The nominate subspecies occurs from Nova Scotia south to North Carolina and Louisiana, and west to Saskatchewan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Missouri. At the western edge of its range it intergrades with the Pawnee Skipper, which extends further west to Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. The Pawnee Montane Skipper occurs only in the South Platte River drainage in Colorado. (USGS and CBIF)
Seasonal Activity
Flies late in the season, a single brood in late August and September (Layberry et al.)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Caterpillars feed on perennial grasses. Adults nectar on flowering plants. (Layberry et al.)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Hesperia leonardus. 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 Leonard's Skipper - Hodges#4023 (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Joel Kits; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Robin McLeod , marcie oconnor
Frequently Asked Questions About Leonard's Skipper - Hodges#4023
What is Leonard's Skipper - Hodges#4023?
Leonard's Skipper - Hodges#4023 (Hesperia leonardus) is a species in the family Hesperiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Leonard's Skipper - Hodges#4023?
Wingspan 28-34 mm (Layberry et al.)
How do you identify Leonard's Skipper - Hodges#4023?
The nominate subspecies is easily recognized by the reddish hindwing underside with a white spot band. The Pawnee subspecies has a yellow-orange hindwing underside with a reduced to lacking yellow spot-band. The Pawnee Montane subspecies has the underside brown with cream spots, and occurs only in a small area of Colorado (USGS).
Where is Leonard's Skipper - Hodges#4023 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Pawnee Skipper is found in dry prairie, while the nominate subspecies can be found in open fields and openings and edges in forests. (Layberry et al.) |
| Range | The species as a whole occurs in southern Canada and most of the eastern United States. The nominate subspecies occurs from Nova Scotia south to North Carolina and Louisiana, and west to Saskatchewan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Missouri. At the western edge of its range it intergrades with the Pawnee Skipper, which extends further west to Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. The Pawnee Montane Skipper occurs only in the South Platte River drainage in Colorado. (USGS and CBIF) |
What does Leonard's Skipper - Hodges#4023 eat?
The diet of the Leonard's Skipper - Hodges#4023 includes Caterpillars feed on perennial grasses. Adults nectar on flowering plants. (Layberry et al.).
When is Leonard's Skipper - Hodges#4023 active?
Leonard's Skipper - Hodges#4023: seasonal activity - Flies late in the season, a single brood in late August and September (Layberry et al.).