North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Texas

Glassy-winged Skipper (Xenophanes tryxus (=trixus))

Glassy-winged Skipper (Xenophanes tryxus [Stoll])

Wing span: 1 1/8 - 1 5/16 inches (2.9 - 3.3 cm).

Identification: Forewing has an irregular outer margin; hindwing is slightly scalloped. Upperside is gray-black with irregular transparent patches.

Life history: Not reported.

Flight: Three broods from February-December in South Texas; many flights in Mexico.

Caterpillar hosts: Malvaviscus and Malachra in the mallow family (Malvaceae).

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Subtropical open areas.

Range: Argentina north through tropical America to northern Mexico. A periodic resident in the lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, and a rare stray to southwest New Mexico.

Conservation: Not necessary for periodic stray.

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:


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.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:


Neck, R.W. 1996. A Field Guide to Butterflies of Texas. Gulf Publishing Co., 

     Houston, Texas.



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.

     

Tveten, J. and Tveten, G.  1996.  Butterflies of Houston & Southeast Texas.

     Univ. of Texas Press, Austin, TX.  292 pp.

     

Glassy-winged Skipper (Xenophanes tryxus (=trixus))
distribution map
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