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Amblyscirtes alternata

(Dusky Roadside-Skipper)

Overview

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Threatened

Threat status

Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Dusky Roadside-Skipper

Description

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Family Hesperiidae

'The Hesperiidae are members of the Superfamily Hesperioidea. Worldwide in distribution, skippers are richest in the tropics. More than 3,500 species are described, with approximately 275 in North America, many of which are found only in Arizona and Texas. Most skippers are small to medium, usually orange, brown, black, white, or gray. A few have iridescent colors. Skippers have large eyes, short antennae (often with hooked clubs), stout bodies, and three pairs of walking legs . Their flight is often rapid, making wing movement appear blurred. Adults of most species have long probicscises and feed on floral nectar, but some also take up nutrients from bird droppings. Males have scent scales found in modified forewing patches. Males of most species locate mates by perching (grass and giant-skippers), though some patrol, especially in the open-winged skippers. Globular eggs are laid singly.

'[1]

Subfamily Hesperiinae

The grass skippers are members of the Family Hesperiidae. Distributed worldwide, they comprise more than 2,000 species, most of which are found in the American tropics. The small to medium-sized adults usually have abruptly angled antennae with an apiculus at the tip . Adults of many temperate species are predominantly orange, while brown is the most common color of the tropical species. Male forewings usually have a brand or stigma with specialized scales . Most species have long proboscises and are avid flower-visitors. Adults flight is rapid, and perching posture is unique: the hindwings are opened at a wider angle than the forewings. Males of most species perch while looking for mates. Caterpillars feed on monocotyledons (grasses and allied plants ) and live in silken leaf nests that sometimes extend underground. Grass skippers typically overwinter as caterpillars within their shelters .[2]

Physical Description

Species Amblyscirtes alternata

Fringes are white with small black checks; forewing is pointed . Upperside is black-brown; forewing has a faint row of pale spots. Underside of hindwing has a dusting of dull gray. (ref. 105127)

Color:

Fringes are white with small black checks; forewing is pointed . Upperside is black-brown; forewing has a faint row of pale spots. Underside of hindwing has a dusting of dull gray.

Size/Age/Growth

Wing span : 7/8 - 1 inch (2.2 - 2.5 cm).

Habitat

Open pine woods .

This skipper shows a strong affinity in NC to longleaf pine forests , both xeric places and wetlands. Habitats include dry longleaf pine/turkey oak sandhills , flatwoods, and drier savannas . As with other Amblyscirtes, it frequently perches on dirt or other bare ground . (ref. 104610)

Biome: Terrestrial

Biology

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Diet

The foodplants have apparently not been reported, but we can assume that various grasses, but not cane , are used; these species are also assumed to grow in longleaf pine associated places, at least in NC. The species nectars infrequently; it is more often seen on the ground than on flowers. (ref. 104610)

Caterpillar hosts: Not reported. (ref. 105127)

Adult food: Flower nectar. (ref. 105127)

Behavior

Flight: Two broods from March-August in most of the range ; perhaps three broods as late as November in Florida, the Gulf states, and Texas.

Flight period: Two, if not three, broods; in VA, dates range from April 26 to June 5, and July 15 to August 15 (Opler and Krizek 1984). Dates in NC span early April to mid-June, and early August to mid-September. More data are needed to clarify the broods, but it may be that there is a small brood in late May and June (rather than one "long" brood from early April to mid-June). (ref. 104610)

Taxonomy

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Similar Species

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Members of the genus Amblyscirtes

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 22 species and subspecies in this genus:

A. aenus (Bronze Roadside-Skipper) · A. aesculapius (Lace-Winged Roadside-Skipper) · A. alternata (Dusky Roadside-Skipper) · A. belli (Bell's Roadside-Skipper) · A. carolina (Carolina Roadside) · A. cassus (Cassus Roadside-Skipper) · A. celia (Celia's Roadside) · A. elissa (Elissa Roadside) · A. eos (Dotted Roadside-Skipper) · A. exoteria (Large Roadside) · A. fimbriata (Orange-Edged Roadside-Skipper) · A. hegon (Pepper and Salt Skipper) · A. linda (Linda's Roadside-Skipper) · A. nereus (Slaty Roadside-Skipper) · A. nysa (Nysa Roadside-Skipper) · A. oslari (Oslar's Roadside-Skipper) · A. phylace (Orange-Headed Roadside-Skipper) · A. reversa (Reversed Roadside) · A. simius (Simius Roadside-Skipper) · A. texanae (Texas Roadside-Skipper) · A. tolteca (Prenda Roadside-Skipper) · A. vialis (Common Roadside-Skipper)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy?f=19&sci=Hesperiidae&com=Skippers [back]
  2. http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Stinga&search=Search [back]
Last Revised: 7/16/2012