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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Skippers (Hesperiidae) » Giant Skippers (Megathyminae) » Megathymus » Yucca Giant-skipper - Hodges#4145 (Megathymus yuccae)

Species Megathymus yuccae - Yucca Giant-skipper - Hodges#4145

Classification · Hodges Number · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Yucca Giant-Skipper - Megathymus yuccae - male

Yucca Giant-Skipper ovipositing - Megathymus yuccae - female

Megathymus yuccae browni - Megathymus yuccae

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 Megathyminae (Giant Skippers)

Genus Megathymus

Species yuccae (Yucca Giant-skipper - Hodges#4145)

Hodges Number

4145

Other Common Names

Yucca Skipper

Explanation of Names

Megathymus yuccae (Boisduval & Le Conte, [1837])

Size

Wingspan 4.8-7.9 cm.

Identification

A very large and robust skipper. Variable, dark brown with frosty marking on wing margin.

Caterpillar is light tan with reddish brown head (1)

Range

mostly se & sc US to n. Mex. - MAP - MPG

Habitat

Dry areas with hostplant (Yucca). In eastern North America this is usually pine flats and coastal dunes.

Season

mostly: Mar-Jun (but records from Jan-Nov) - MPG

Life Cycle

Larvae feed on yucca.

Remarks

A spectacular species.

Print References

Brock, p. 358 (2)

Glassberg, p. 202, plate 71 (3)

Scott, p. 417, plate 57 (4)

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group - MPG

Butterflies of America - BOA

Works Cited

1.	Butterflies of Florida Field Guide (Our Nature Field Guides) Jaret C. Daniels. 2003. Adventure Publications.

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.

4.	The Butterflies of North America: A Natural History and Field Guide James A. Scott. 1992. Stanford University Press.

Contributed by Cotinis on 10 May, 2004 - 12:37pm
Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason, Mike Quinn
Last updated 3 January, 2018 - 3:17pm

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