Coahuila Giant-Skipper Agathymus remingtoni (D. Stallings & Turner, 1958)

Family: Hesperiidae

Subfamily: Megathyminae

Identification: Upperside is black; both wings with cream-colored spots in males, larger orange-yellow spots in females. Underside of hindwing is black with gray overscales and a band of whitish spots.

Wing Span: Not reported.

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 ceasing activity 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: Two broods from March-April and August-October.

Caterpillar Hosts: Lechuguilla (Agave lechuguilla).

Adult Food: Females do not feed; males sip moisture from mud.

Habitat: Thorn forest and desert hills.

Range: South-central Texas south to central Mexico.

Conservation: Populations and their habitats should be conserved wherever found.

NCGR:

Management Needs: Conserve habitat and discourage overgrazing.

Comments: NULL

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