North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Nevada

Erichson's White-Skipper (Heliopetes domicella)
JPG -- species photo

Erichson's White-Skipper (Heliopetes domicella [Erichson])

Wing span: 1 1/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.9 - 3.5 cm).

Identification: Fringes are checkered. Upperside is slate gray with a wide white band on each wing; many small white spots on outer third of wings. Underside is dull yellowish brown with whitish spots.

Life history: Not reported, but almost certainly plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae) such as malva loca (Malvastrum).

Flight: April-December in South Texas, all year in the tropics.

Caterpillar hosts: Not reported.

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Scrub, thorn-scrub, weedy areas, and desert, usually near water.

Range: Northern Mexico south through Central America to Argentina. A regular stray north to southeastern California, southern Nevada, central Arizona, and central Texas.

Conservation: Not usually required.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management needs: None reported.

References:


Bailowitz, R. A., and J. P. Brock. 1991. Butterflies of southeastern Arizona.

     Sonoran Arthropod Studies, Inc., Tucson, Arizona. 342 pages.



Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern butterflies. Peterson 

     field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston. 396 pages, 48 color plates.



Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press, 

     Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.



Stanford, R. E. and P. A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of western USA butterflies including 

     adjacent parts of Canada and Mexico. Denver and Fort Collins, CO. 



Tilden, J. W. 1986. A field guide to western butterflies. Houghton-Mifflin Co., 

     Boston, Mass. 370 pages, 23 color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:


Emmel, T.C. Editor. 1998. Systematics of western North American butterflies.

     Mariposa Press, Gainesville, Florida.



Layberry, R.A., Hall, P.W. & Lafontaine, D.J., 1998.  The Butterflies of 

     Canada.  University of Toronto Press, Toronto, ON.  280 pp. 



Opler, Paul A. 1999. Peterson Field Guide to Western Butterflies, revised 

     edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.



Stanford, R.E. and P.A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of Western USA Butterflies. 

     Privately published, Denver, Colo.



Tilden, J.W. and A.C. Smith. 1986. A Field Guide to Western Butterflies. 

     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.

Erichson's White-Skipper (Heliopetes domicella)
distribution map
map legend

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