Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Orange Giant-Skipper
Agathymus neumoegeni (W.H. Edwards, 1882)


Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Megathyminae
Identification: Upperside is orange to yellow-orange with black borders and black patches. Underside of hindwing is dark gray with a faint pale band.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 2 3/8 inches (4.5 - 6.1 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 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 brood from September-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Parry\'s agave (Agave parryi).
Adult Food: Females do not feed; males take moisture at mud or manure.
Habitat: Shrub-grassland or open woodland.
Range: Central Arizona to west-central New Mexico; southern New Mexico to west Texas.
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.
Comments: NULL
Get your BAMONA Gear!

Hoodies and t-shirts in two designs!


Advertise with us!

Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.