Yucca Giant-Skipper
Megathymus yuccae (Boisduval & Leconte, [1837])
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Megathyminae
Identification: Very large and robust. Forewing is long and pointed. Upperside is black; forewing with a yellow band near the lower outer margin and small white spots near the tip and costa; hindwing with a yellow band on the outer margin. Females may have orange-yellow to yellow spots on the hindwing. Underside of hindwing is gray with white spots on the costa.
Wing Span: 1 7/8 - 3 1/8 inches (4.8 - 7.9 cm).
Life History: Adults are very swift fliers. Males perch in the morning near the host plants to await females. Females glue eggs singly to leaves of small host plants. Young caterpillars feed near the tips of leaves and may web together small leaves to make a nest. Older caterpillars bore into the growing point of the plant and feed on the root, making a silk chimney or tent which projects from the growing point. Fully-grown caterpillars overwinter in their burrows and then pupate there in late winter or early spring. The chrysalids are able to move up and down in their burrows.
Flight: One brood from mid-February to mid-May.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various yuccas including bear grass (Yucca filamentosa), Small's yucca (Y. smalliana), Spanish dagger (Y. gloriosa), (Y. elata), and (Y. arizonica) and Spanish bayonet (Y. aloifolia).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed, but males take moisture at mud.
Habitat: Coastal dunes, open yucca flats, desert canyons, open woodland, grassland, and old fields.
Range: Western population east to Nebraska and east Texas, south to northern Mexico. Southeastern population: Southeast Virginia south to southern peninsular Florida, west to Arkansas and Louisiana.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Alternate Scientific Names:
Megathymus yucca
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 498 verified sightings
Observation date: May 01, 2022
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: San Juan County, Utah, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Apr 28, 2022
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: San Juan County, Utah, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Apr 22, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: San Juan County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Dec 12, 2022
Observation date: Apr 25, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: San Juan County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Dec 12, 2022
Observation date: Apr 14, 2022
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Quay County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 29, 2022
Observation date: Apr 14, 2022
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Quay County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 15, 2022
Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Douglas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Dec 05, 2021
Observation date: Apr 01, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 22, 2021
Observation date: Jun 04, 2014
Submitted by: Jonathan Batkin
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 15, 2021
Observation date: Apr 04, 2019
Submitted by: Rob Wu
Region: Sierra County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 24, 2021
Observation date: Mar 12, 2016
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 26, 2021
Observation date: Apr 04, 2021
Submitted by: otusasiotours
Region: Richmond County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 10, 2021
Observation date: Mar 15, 2020
Submitted by: DrBugs
Region: Juab County, Utah, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 05, 2021
Observation date: Mar 28, 2020
Submitted by: DrBugs
Region: Kane County, Utah, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 05, 2021
Observation date: Feb 15, 2020
Submitted by: DrBugs
Region: Juab County, Utah, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 05, 2021
Observation date: Apr 07, 2015
Submitted by: James Lofton
Region: Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 24, 2020
Observation date: Apr 21, 2019
Submitted by: schaarschmidt
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Jun 18, 2020
Observation date: Apr 26, 2020
Submitted by: Mike Hofmann
Region: Weld County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 30, 2020
Observation date: Mar 14, 2020
Submitted by: robert.emond
Region: Gadsden County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 20, 2020
Observation date: Apr 05, 2011
Submitted by: Jonathan Batkin
Region: Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 19, 2020
Observation date: Apr 21, 2011
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Mar 26, 2019
Observation date: Apr 13, 2018
Submitted by: John Demko
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 22, 2018
Observation date: Apr 09, 2018
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 11, 2018
Observation date: Apr 28, 2015
Submitted by: Tim Shortell
Region: Mesa County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jan 03, 2018
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