The eastern and western populations probably represent different subspecies. The Dusted Skipper is distributed from Florida north to central New England, west to southeastern Saaskatchewan and south to northern New Mexico, and east to Georgia.
Dusted Skippers are seldom found where grassy groundcovers are thick. These lifestyle traits are one of the reasons that open, grassy areas that often include bare ground or rock are essential. Females fly low through grasses and deposit their eggs on host grass leaves and stems.
Male Dusted Skippers perch on or close to the ground. Small populations are particularly at risk of disappearing due to habitat loss. Periodic controlled burns are essential in some areas, but the use of airports and power-line cuts are also reported. Most populations depend on human management to maintain the necessary open, grassy habitat they require. However, when at rest, most skippers hold the first pair of wings. The head and small, stout body of the adult tend to resemble those of a moth. Skippers are considered an intermediate form between butterflies and moths. Sightings are usually scarce, and according to NatureServe, many colonies probably produce only a few dozen adults per year. This hairless green-gray caterpillar with a black head grows up to an inch long and will later transform into the brightly colored fiery skipper butterfly. skipper, (family Hesperiidae), any of the approximately 3,500 species of insects (order Lepidoptera) that occur worldwide and are named for their fast, darting flight. Caterpillars eat leaves of their host plant grasses, and live in tents of silked-together leaves.Ĭhrysalis: Fully-grown caterpillars hibernate and pupate in a sealed nest at the base of the host plant, generally 1-3" off the ground.ĭusted Skippers are almost always found in localized colonies that are near patches of their host grass. The body is pale lavender on the back but turns gray behind the head and along the sides. Laid singly on host grass blades.Ĭaterpillar: The caterpillar head is dark reddish purple. When initially deposited, it is pale yellow. A white line is present over the eye, which helps to distinguish it from the similiar-looking Clouded SkipperĮgg: Hemispherical in shape. Three white dots are near the tip of the forewing on the underside. There is a white dot on the underside and near the base of the hindwing. A dark skipper with blackish-brown wing coloration.The undersides of the hindwing is "dusted" with tiny white specks. The eggs hatch within 7-10 days depending on temperature.Butterfly: Wingspan: 1¼ - 1½ inches (3.2 - 3.9 cm). In gardens they are frequently recorded on garden fuchsias but have also been found feeding on other garden plants such as dahlias and lavender. The females lay eggs singly on the leaves of the caterpillars food plants of rosebay willowherb and bedstraws. Occasional small second generations have been recorded in the southern counties of the UK. The nocturnal adult moth flies mostly in a single generation at night between May and July when it is attracted to light. The two large ‘eye-like’ markings behind the head also suggest a much larger animal, appearing startling to predators. When retracted the caterpillars head recoils giving the impression of a much larger head. The species is named after the caterpillars resemblance to an elephants trunk. It is also the most frequently seen hawk-moth caterpillar, often found feeding and wandering in search for somewhere to pupate in gardens. The Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar grows to 85mm in length and is one of the largest and most distinctive caterpillars to be found in the British Isles. Migrant Hawkmoths include The Death’s-head Hawkmoth, The Convolvulus Hawkmoth, The Striped Hawkmoth and The Oleander Hawkmoth The Eyed Hawkmoth, The Poplar Hawkmoth and The Lime Hawkmoth. Other common Hawkmoths are The Privet Hawkmoth, The two species are not so frequently seen together in garden light traps due to the Small Elephant Hawk-moths preference for more open countryside. When not seen side by side another useful identifying feature is the broken pink stripe extending down the middle of the Elephant Hawk-moth’s abdomen, a feature lacking in the Small Elephant Hawk-moth. Only the smaller Small Elephant Hawk-moth shares the eye catching shades of pink, green and browns – although there are distinct differences in the shape and order of colour banding.īoth Elephant species are shown together with the larger Elephant Hawk-moth below the smaller Small Elephant Hawk-moth. The Elephant Hawk-moth is one of the most colourful and instantly recognisable moths in the British Isles.
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