Obscure Skipper - Hodges#4117
Panoquina panoquinoides
This record describes Panoquina panoquinoides (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Our smallest long-winged grass skippers. Dorsal, brown with several FW light spots that are variable from bold to absent. HW plain brown. Ventral, plain brown with light veining. Postmedian HW with 3 spots that can vary from bold to not present, with two small ones close together. Compare with Salt Marsh Skipper
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Hesperiidae (Skippers)
- Subfamily
- Hesperiinae
- Tribe
- Hesperiini
- Genus
- Panoquina
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Salt marshes, beachside scrub, coastal prairies, and nectar sources in open areas.
Geographic Range
Coastal peninsular Florida, and coastal La to California, south to S. America.
Seasonal Activity
All year in southern locations, inactive during winter in northern areas, where it overwinters as a caterpillar.
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Saltgrass. Caterpillars feed at night, and stay in a rolled leaf shelter during the day.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Panoquina panoquinoides. 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 Obscure Skipper - Hodges#4117 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz
Frequently Asked Questions About Obscure Skipper - Hodges#4117
What is Obscure Skipper - Hodges#4117?
Obscure Skipper - Hodges#4117 (Panoquina panoquinoides) is a species in the family Hesperiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Obscure Skipper - Hodges#4117?
29-32mm wingspan
How do you identify Obscure Skipper - Hodges#4117?
Our smallest long-winged grass skippers. Dorsal, brown with several FW light spots that are variable from bold to absent. HW plain brown. Ventral, plain brown with light veining. Postmedian HW with 3 spots that can vary from bold to not present, with two small ones close together. Compare with Salt Marsh Skipper
Where is Obscure Skipper - Hodges#4117 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Salt marshes, beachside scrub, coastal prairies, and nectar sources in open areas. |
| Range | Coastal peninsular Florida, and coastal La to California, south to S. America. |
What does Obscure Skipper - Hodges#4117 eat?
The diet of the Obscure Skipper - Hodges#4117 includes Saltgrass. Caterpillars feed at night, and stay in a rolled leaf shelter during the day..
When is Obscure Skipper - Hodges#4117 active?
Obscure Skipper - Hodges#4117: seasonal activity - All year in southern locations, inactive during winter in northern areas, where it overwinters as a caterpillar..