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Piruna microstictus

(Small-Spotted Skipperling)

Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Small-Spotted Skipperling

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 Piruna microstictus

Upperside is deep chestnut brown; forewing with small white spots, hindwing with 3-4 spots. Underside is chestnut brown and has small scattered white spots with black outlines. (ref. 104997)

Color:

Upperside is deep chestnut brown; forewing with small white spots, hindwing with 3-4 spots. Underside is chestnut brown and has small scattered white spots with black outlines.

Size/Age/Growth

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

Habitat

Arid subtropical chaparral and open woodland.

Biome: Terrestrial

Biology

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Diet

Caterpillar hosts: Not reported; probably grasses, sedges, or rushes. (ref. 104997)

Adult food: Flower nectar. (ref. 104997)

Reproduction

Adults rest with their wings closed , but bask with hindwings open wide and forewings open to about 45 degrees . Males patrol to find receptive females. Caterpillars live and feed within nests of webbed leaves. Fully-grown caterpillars hibernate.

Behavior

Flight: One brood; October in South Texas, June-August in Mexico.

Taxonomy

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Synonyms

Piruna microsticta (Godman 1900)

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Piruna

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 6 species and subspecies in this genus:

P. aea (Many-Spotted Skipperling) · P. haferniki (Chisos Skipperling) · P. microstictus (Small-Spotted Skipperling) · P. penaea (Skipperling) · P. pirus (Russet Skipperling) · P. polingii (Four-Spotted Skipperling)

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