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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies (Papilionoidea) » Skippers (Hesperiidae)

Family Hesperiidae - Skippers

Classification · Identification · Print References · Works Cited
Duskywings Mating - Erynnis horatius - male - female Fiery skipper? - Hylephila phyleus Tawny-edged skipper, Polites themistocles - Polites themistocles - male Female Zabulon Skipper? - Poanes zabulon - female Hobomok Skipper - Poanes hobomok - female Anybody want to tackle a skipper? (I think it's an Umber.) - Poanes melane Hayhurst's Scallopwing For Illinois In July - Staphylus hayhurstii - male Skipper in Canaan Valley - Anatrytone logan
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies)
Family Hesperiidae (Skippers)
Identification
Generally small, mostly brown butterflies with short fat bodies, hooked antennae and rapid, skipping flight. Some species (chiefly Spreadwing Skippers, subfamily Pyrginae) hold their wings in a single flat plane, others hold hind wings flat and forewings at an angle.

Caterpillars have a large head, easily distinguished from most other caterpillars by a constriction at the back. Individual caterpillars create shelters for themselves by folding over a piece of leaf or tying a couple of leaves together, and are not generally seen out in the open.

Print References
Minno/Butler/Hall (1) p.123
Works Cited
1.Florida Butterfly Caterpillars And Their Host Plants
By Marc C. Minno, JERRY F. BUTLER, DONALD W. HALL
Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason
Last updated 26 June, 2006 - 8:27am

Probably need subfamilies
Skippers, like many large families, probably need to be divided up into subfamilies. Just an idea for when you get some time, of course!

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina
… Cotinis, 6 January, 2005 - 10:54am

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