Redundant Skipper (Corticea corticea [Plötz])
Wing span: 7/8 - 1 inch (2.2 - 2.5 cm).
Identification: Upperside is brown with a pale orangish band on the forewing. Underside of the hindwing is orange-brown with no dark striations. Fringes are yellow.
Life history: Adults fly swiftly, most often in the afternoon. Adults rest with their wings closed, but bask with hindwings open wide and forewings open to about 45 degrees. Males perch to find receptive females. Caterpillars live in shelters of silked leaves.
Flight: September-December in South Texas.
Caterpillar hosts: Not reported; probably grasses, rushes, or sedges.
Adult food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Subtropical.
Range: Southern Brazil north through Central America to Mexico. A rare stray north to South Texas.
Conservation: Not required for a rare 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. 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.
Author: Jane M. Struttmann