Attributes of Agathymus mariae
Mary's Giant-Skipper
Agathymus mariae (Barnes & Benjamin, 1924)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Megathyminae
Identification: Upperside is black-brown with olive scales at the wing bases. Both wings have bands of yellow spots separated by black veins; spot bands of the female are wider. Underside of hindwing is gray with faint dark markings and a sometimes vague light-colored band.
Wing Span: 1 5/8 - 1 7/8 inches (4.2 - 4.8 cm).
Life History: 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 in 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 brood from September-November.
Caterpillar Hosts: Lechuguilla (Agave lechuguilla).
Adult Food: Females do not feed; males sip moisture from mud.
Habitat: Thorn forest and desert hills.
Range: Southern New Mexico, west Texas, and northern Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: 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.
Taxonomy Notes:
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.
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The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Chihuahua, Mexico | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Coahuila De Zaragoza, Mexico | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Dona Ana County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Otero County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Eddy County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Chaves County, New Mexico, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | El Paso County, Texas, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Hudspeth County, Texas, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Culberson County, Texas, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Texas, Reeves County, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Texas, Presidio County, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Brewster County, Texas, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Texas, Pecos County, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Texas, Terrell County, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Texas, United States, Val Verde County | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Texas, Kinney County, United States | December 31, 2004 | Details | |
| January 01, 1950 | legacy.reporter | Texas, United States, Uvalde County | December 31, 2004 | Details |


