Falcate Skipper - Hodges#3920
Spathilepia clonius
This record describes Spathilepia clonius (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Dark brown upperwings with a bold white diagonal band across the upper and lower surfaces of the forewing First U.S. Record: Pharr, Hidalgo Co., Texas - 1944 (Freeman, 1945)
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Hesperiidae (Skippers)
- Subfamily
- Eudaminae
- Genus
- Spathilepia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
s. TX (as a stray) to Argentina - Map (MPG, BOA)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Adults are nectar feeders. Caterpillars found on legumes of various genera.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Spathilepia clonius (Cramer, 1775)
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Spathilepia clonius. 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 Falcate Skipper - Hodges#3920 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Joshua Stuart Rose; Additional contributions by Steve Nanz , Mike Quinn
Frequently Asked Questions About Falcate Skipper - Hodges#3920
What is Falcate Skipper - Hodges#3920?
Falcate Skipper - Hodges#3920 (Spathilepia clonius) is a species in the family Hesperiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Falcate Skipper - Hodges#3920?
Dark brown upperwings with a bold white diagonal band across the upper and lower surfaces of the forewing
Where is Falcate Skipper - Hodges#3920 found?
Range: s. TX (as a stray) to Argentina - Map (MPG, BOA)
What does Falcate Skipper - Hodges#3920 eat?
The diet of the Falcate Skipper - Hodges#3920 includes Adults are nectar feeders. Caterpillars found on legumes of various genera..