''Megathymus yuccae'', the yucca giant-skipper, is a rare early season
butterfly
Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprise ...
that is widespread across the southern United States. It belongs in the family
Hesperiidae, subfamily
Megathyminae.
Description
The upper side of the wings are brown with the forewings having yellow spots. The under side is mainly mottled with black and gray. The wingspan is . Caterpillars feed on ''
Yucca
''Yucca'' is a genus of perennial plant, perennial shrubs and trees in the family (biology), family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40–50 species are notable for their Rosette (botany), rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped Leaf, ...
'' species such as ''
Y. filamentosa'', ''
Y. smalliana'', ''
Y. gloriosa'', ''
Y. elata'', ''
Y. arizonica'', and ''
Y. aloifolia''. Although adults do not feed, males will gather moisture
from mud.
Habitat
This butterfly may be seen in deserts, foothills, and woodlands where yucca plants, in which their eggs are laid,
occur.
References
External links
* http://www.jeffpippen.com/butterflies/yuccagiantskipper.htm Jeff's Nature Pages
* http://michaelbeohm.tripod.com/id100.html
* http://bugguide.net/node/view/177233/bgimage
Yucca giant-skipperon the
UF /
IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
Megathyminae
Butterflies described in 1837
Butterflies of North America
{{Hesperiidae-stub