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Poanes taxiles

(Taxiles Skipper)

Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Taxiles Skipper

Description

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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 .

Physical Description

Color:

Male narrow black borders ; underside of forewing with slightly darkened tip and outer margin ; underside of hindwing with darkened base and outer margin. Female: Upperside is dark orange-brown with pale orange patches on the forewing and central hindwing. Underside of hindwing is violet-brown with a pale band of spots and a patch of gray scales near the outer margin.

Size/Age/Growth

Wing span : 1 1/4 - 1 11/16 inches (3.2 - 4.3 cm).

Habitat

Woodland openings, stream valleys, forest meadows.

Biology

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Diet

Caterpillar hosts: Grasses including bluegrass (Poa), wheatgrass (Agropyron), orchardgrass (Dactylis), wildrye (Elymus), and bentgrass (Agrostis). Adult food: Flower nectar.

Reproduction

Males perch in sunlit openings on leaves about 3-5 feet above the ground . They appear to defend their territory and may keep a perch for as long as a week. Courtship usually occurs in the afternoon. Females lay eggs singly under the host leaves. Caterpillars feed on leaves and make shelters of silk-tied leaves.

Behavior

Flight: One brood from mid-June to August.

Taxonomy

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Unambiguous Synonyms

  1. Poanes taxiles (Edwards 1881)
  2. Poanes taxiles (Edwards)

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Poanes

There are approximately 38 species in this genus:

P. aaroni (Aaron's Skipper) · P. aaroni aaroni (Aaron's Skipper) · P. aaroni howardi (Howard's Skipper) · P. alfaratta · P. azin · P. baiva · P. benito · P. erratica · P. friedlei · P. hermocki · P. hobomok · P. hobomok hobomok (Hobomok Skipper) · P. hobomok wetona (Hobomok Skipper) · P. howardi · P. hughi · P. inimica · P. lupulina · P. massasoit · P. massasoit chermocki (Chermock's Mulberry Wing) · P. melane (Umber Skipper) · P. ogeechensis · P. pallida · P. piso · P. pocahontas · P. psaumis · P. quadaquina · P. richteri · P. ridingsii · P. rolla · P. suffusa · P. taxiles (Taxiles Skipper) · P. viator (Broad-Winged Skipper) · P. viator viator (Broad-Winged Skipper) · P. viator zizaniae (Broad-Winged Skipper) · P. yehl (Yehl Skipper) · P. zabulon (Zabulon Golden Skipper) · P. zachaeus · P. zizaniae

More Info

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 26, 2008:

Identifiers

Last Revised: 2008-11-04