North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Texas Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes texanae)
JPG -- species photo

Texas Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes texanae Bell)

Wing span: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm).

Identification: Tan fringe is checkered with brown. Upperside of forewing is dark brown with small yellowish spots; hindwing is brown, either unmarked or with a faint row of spots. Underside is dark brown; forewing spots are repeated from the upperside, hindwing has gray frosting and faint powdery light spots.

Life history: Males perch all day on rocks in gullies to wait for receptive females.

Flight: One brood in Arizona from July-September, several broods in the rest of the range from April-September.

Caterpillar hosts: Probably grasses, including bulb panicgrass (Panicum bulbosum).

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Open woodland, prairie gulches, and rocky washes; usually in areas of limestone soil.

Range: Southern Arizona, New Mexico, and west Texas.

Conservation: Not usually required.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G3 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout its range).

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.



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

Texas Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes texanae)
distribution map
map legend

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