Attributes of Agathymus aryxna
Arizona Giant-Skipper
Agathymus aryxna (Dyar, 1905)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Megathyminae
Identification: Upperside dark brown with both wings suffused with orange, especially at bases and postmedian bands of small orange-yellow spots separated by black veins. Spot bands are wider in the female. Underside of hindwing is gray with a vague lighter band.
Wing Span: 2 - 2 3/8 inches (5.0 - 6.1 cm).
Life History: Adults have a noisy, fast flight. From early morning to noon males perch near host plants to wait for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on the host and fall to the base of the plant. A young caterpillar crawls to a leaf tip and burrows inside where it eats pulp and then hibernates. In the spring the caterpillar makes a new burrow in a leaf base where it feeds on sap until becoming inactive for the summer. Before pupating, the caterpillar enlarges the opening of its burrow and makes a silk trap door from which the adult can emerge.
Flight: One flight from late August to mid-November.
Caterpillar Hosts: Palmer\'s agave (Agave palmeri).
Adult Food: Females never feed; males sip moisture from mud.
Habitat: Canyons with periodic water, open grassy woodland.
Range: Southeastern Arizona to southwestern New Mexico; south into northern Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G4G5- Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery OR Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Agathymus aryxna
Click on an image to view full size and to see additional details.
|
|
The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 400 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
Instructions: Click on the map and move your mouse to pan.
Zoom by using the plus [+] and minus [-] on the left side of the map.
To change which map layers are displayed, click on the plus sign [+] on the right side of the map.
The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
October 21, 2012 | John Saba | Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States | October 21, 2012 | Details |
 |
September 06, 2012 | Jeff Trahan | Cochise County, Arizona, United States | September 23, 2012 | Details |
| September 13, 1978 | legacy.reporter (Jim Brock) | Pima County, Arizona, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| September 16, 1978 | legacy.reporter (Jim Brock) | Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
 |
October 30, 2011 | Gary Jue | Pima County, Arizona, United States | November 19, 2011 | Details |
| October 03, 2000 | Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport) | Cochise County, Arizona, United States | January 01, 2011 | Details | |
| October 04, 2000 | Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport) | Cochise County, Arizona, United States | January 01, 2011 | Details | |
| October 06, 2000 | Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport) | Cochise County, Arizona, United States | January 01, 2011 | Details | |
| October 05, 2000 | Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport) | Pima County, Arizona, United States | January 01, 2011 | Details | |
| October 05, 2000 | Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport) | Pima County, Arizona, United States | January 01, 2011 | Details | |
| October 04, 1978 | Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport) | Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States | January 01, 2011 | Details | |
| October 13, 1967 | legacy.reporter (Fred T. Thorne) | Pima County, Arizona, United States | January 01, 2011 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter (Michael E. Toliver, Richard Holland, Steven J. Cary) | Grant County, New Mexico, United States | May 25, 2007 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter (Michael E. Toliver, Richard Holland, Steven J. Cary) | Hidalgo County, New Mexico, United States | May 25, 2007 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter (Michael E. Toliver, Richard Holland, Steven J. Cary) | Luna County, New Mexico, United States | May 25, 2007 | Details | |
| January 01, 1975 | legacy.reporter (K. Roever) | Gila County, Arizona, United States | May 11, 2007 | Details | |
| January 01, 1975 | legacy.reporter (K. Roever) | Graham County, Arizona, United States | May 11, 2007 | Details | |
| January 01, 1975 | legacy.reporter (K. Roever) | Greenlee County, Arizona, United States | May 11, 2007 | Details | |
| January 01, 1975 | legacy.reporter (K. Roever) | Pinal County, Arizona, United States | May 11, 2007 | Details | |
| January 01, 1975 | legacy.reporter (K. Roever) | Pima County, Arizona, United States | May 11, 2007 | Details | |
| January 01, 1975 | legacy.reporter (K. Roever) | Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States | May 11, 2007 | Details | |
| January 01, 1975 | legacy.reporter (K. Roever) | Cochise County, Arizona, United States | May 11, 2007 | Details | |
| January 01, 1975 | legacy.reporter (K. Roever) | Sonora, Mexico | May 11, 2007 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Pinal County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Pima County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Cochise County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Greenlee County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Graham County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Gila County, Arizona, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Sonora, Mexico | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Durango, Mexico | December 31, 2004 | Details |
