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Subfamily of butterflies From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Grass skippers or banded skippers[5] are butterflies of the subfamily Hesperiinae, part of the skipper family, Hesperiidae. The subfamily was established by Pierre André Latreille in 1809.[1]
Grass skippers | |
---|---|
both Hesperia comma Oxfordshire | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Hesperiidae |
Subfamily: | Hesperiinae Latreille, 1809 |
Tribes[1][2] | |
|
With over 2,000 described species, this is the largest skipper butterfly subfamily and occurs worldwide except in New Zealand.[6] About 50 percent of grass skippers live in the Neotropics.[7] 137 species are native to North America. Around 38 species are native to Australia.[8] Genera Ochlodes and Hesperia exist exclusively in the Holarctic.[9]
They are usually orange, rust, or brown in colour and have pointed forewings.[5] Many species have dark markings or black stigmas on their forewings.[5] Most members of this subfamily have an oval antenna club with an apiculus on the tip, although Carterocephalus and Piruna do not.[10] The antennae generally has a sharp bend.
Hesperiinae larvae feed on many different types of grasses and sedges and palms, though some species are limited.[10][11]
Adults typically visit flowers and hold their wings together while feeding.[5] Hesperiinae are unique in that they hold their wings partially open while resting, with the forewings and hindwings held at different angles. This is known as the "jet-plane position".[12] Most male grass skippers perch to await females.[10]
Adults are strong fliers; they move quickly and usually in a linear direction. Some of the species, however, do flutter and these species patrol for females rather than perch.[10]
The following grass skippers are considered at risk.[13]
Species | Status | Location |
---|---|---|
Silver spotted skipper | Rare, Protected (UK) | Europe |
Lulworth skipper | Protected (UK) | Europe |
Orange grass-dart skipper | Rare | Australia |
White-banded grass-dart skipper | Rare | Australia |
Arogos skipper | Endangered (USA states IL, NJ, NY), Threatened (USA state MN), Species of Concern (USA state IA) | North America |
Loammi skipper[14][15] | G2 Imperiled (Global), S2 Imperiled, Species of Greatest Conservation Need (USA state FL) | North America |
Byssus skipper | Endangered (USA Federal listing) | North America |
Carson wandering skipper | Endangered (USA Federal listing) | North America |
Dukes' skipper | Threatened (US state (MI) | North America |
Dakota skipper | Threatened (Canada), Endangered (Canada province MB), Federal Candidate (USA), Vulnerable (ICUN) | North America |
Mardon skipper | Endangered (USA state WA & Federal Candidate USA) | North America |
Otto skipper | Endangered (Canada), Threatened (Canada province MB), Threatened (USA states (IL, MI, MN) | North America |
Pawnee montane skipper | Threatened (USA Federal listing) | North America |
Poweshiek skipperling | Threatened (Canada), Endangered (USA state WI), Threatened (USA state IA, MI), Species of Concern (USA state MN) | North America |
Rare skipper | Endangered (US state DE) | North America |
Wandering skipper | Threatened (Mexico, USA) | North America |
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