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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Skippers (Hesperiidae) » Grass Skippers (Hesperiinae) » Hesperiini » Moncina » Nastra » Swarthy Skipper - Hodges#3993 (Nastra lherminier)

Species Nastra lherminier - Swarthy Skipper - Hodges#3993

Classification · Hodges Number · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)

Family Hesperiidae (Skippers)

Subfamily Hesperiinae (Grass Skippers)

Tribe Hesperiini

Subtribe Moncina

Genus Nastra

Species lherminier (Swarthy Skipper - Hodges#3993)

Hodges Number

3993

Size

Wingspan 20-24mm

Identification

Swarthy Skippers are small very plain looking butterflies, without any distinct field marks.

Dorsal, Plain dark brown, and occasionally shows a faint pair of FW spots. Male and female look alike.

Ventral, Plain brown, fresh individuals show some veining, but that fades away with age.

Compare with Neamathla Skipper

Range

The eastern/southeastern half of the US. From Florida to Ct., and out to eastern Texas, and Mo.

Habitat

Mostly dry open grassy areas, but have been found in marshy grasslands also.

Season

Northern areas have 2 broods, late spring and late summer. Southern Florida may have 3 broods, starting in March.

Food

Little Bluestem Grass (Schizachyrium scoparius).

Life Cycle

Eggs are laid on Little Bluestem Grass, the caterpillars feed on the grass, and build a shelter in partially rolled grass. The late season caterpillars overwinter as pupa.

Print References

(1) (2) (3)

Internet References

Nearctica

Duke.edu

Works Cited

1.	Butterflies of the East Coast : An Observer's Guide Rick Cech, Guy Tudor. 2005. Princeton University Press.

2.	Butterflies of North America (Kaufman Focus Guides) Jim P. Brock, Kenn Kaufman. 2003. Houghton Mifflin Co.

3.	Butterflies Through Binoculars: The East Jeffrey Glassberg. 1999. Oxford University Press.

Contributed by Will Cook on 11 August, 2005 - 10:56pm
Additional contributions by Steve Nanz, tom murray
Last updated 2 July, 2017 - 7:49am

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