Family:Hesperiidae
Family
Description:
Range:
This species ranges from southern British Columbia, central Alberta and Saskatchewan,
and southern Manitoba, south through the Intermountain and Rocky Mountain states
to parts of Arizona and New Mexico, and extending into Mexico. It occurs through
much of Idaho, particularly the panhandle
region.
Habitat:
The preferred habitat is open, often moist sites, including
mountain meadows, fields, open woodlands, and prairies.
Diet:
Caterpillar:
Caterpillars feed on a variety of grasses (Poaceae), such as bluegrass (Poa
spp.) and blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis).
Adult: Butterflies drink flower nectar.
Ecology:
There is one generation of caterpillars each summer. Fourth
instar caterpillars
overwinter in a physiological state called diapause. Adults generally fly from June through
July.
Reproduction:
Males actively patrol
in search of receptive females. Females lay eggs singly on the leaves and stems
of host plants
.
Conservation:
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Global Rank: | G5
populations are widespread, abundant, and secure. |
Opler, P. A., H. Pavulaan, and R. E. Stanford. 1995. Butterflies of North America. Jamestown, North Dakota, USA: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Home Page. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/bflyusa.htm (Version 05Nov98).
Opler, P. A. and A. B.Wright. 1999. A Field Guide to the Western Butterflies. Second Edition. Peterson Field Guide Series. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, New York, USA, 540 pp.
Pyle, R. M. 1981. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York, New York, USA, 924 pp.
Scott, J. A. 1986. The Butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California, USA, 583 pp.
Stanford, R. E. and P. A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of Western U.S.A. Butterflies (Including Adjacent Parts of Canada and Mexico). Published by authors, Denver, Colorado, USA, 275 pp.