Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Deva Skipper
Atrytonopsis deva (W.H. Edwards, 1877)


Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Fringe on forewing is brown; on hindwing it is whitish. Upperside of wing is reddish brown; forewing with a few pale spots; male forewing with a tiny stigma. Underside of hindwing is brown with gray overscaling and a faint dark bar across the middle of the wing.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 inches (3.2 - 4.5 cm).
Life History: Males patrol to find receptive females.
Flight: One brood from April-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Probably various grasses.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including ragwort (Senecio) and thistles (Cirsium).
Habitat: Mountain canyons and open desert woodland.
Range: Local colonies in Arizona, western New Mexico, and northern Mexico.
Conservation: Populations should be conserved wherever found.
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