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Species Detail
Cestus Skipper
Atrytonopsis cestus (W.H. Edwards, 1884)
Attributes of Atrytonopsis cestusFamily: Skippers (Hesperiidae) Subfamily: Grass Skippers (Hesperiinae) Identification: Fringes are checkered. Upperside is dark brown; forewing has large clear spots, hindwing has a short row of 4 spots that are not in line. Underside is lighter brown with upperside spots repeated. Life history: From early morning to around noon, males perch on south-facing slopes of gullies to wait for females. Flight: Several flights from April-May and August-October. Wing span: 1 3/8 - 1 1/2 inches (3.5 - 3.9 cm). Caterpillar hosts: Probably a variety of grasses. Adult food: Nectar from flowers including Baccharis and Opuntia. Habitat: Open woodland and grassy thorn forest. Range: Rare and local in south-central Arizona, west Texas, and northern Mexico. Conservation: All populations and their habitats should be conserved wherever found. NatureServe Global Status: G1 - Critically imperiled globally because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences, or very few remaining individuals), or because of some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable to extinction. (Critically endangered throughout its range). Management needs: None reported. | Documented Records for Atrytonopsis cestus
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