Autochton cellus
Encyclopedia
The Golden Banded-Skipper (Autochton cellus) is a North
and Central America
n butterfly
in the family Hesperiidae. There are two populations, one in the eastern United States
and the other in the southwestern United States and Mexico
. The eastern population is rare and local and uses only one host plant, Hog Peanut (Amphicarpa bracteata). The southwestern population is uncommon to common and uses more than one host plant (see host plant list). In mid-morning and late afternoon is when the Golden Banded-Skipper is most active. Their flight is sluggish and low to the ground, compared to closely related species.
.
, and in the south west, from mid-June to early September in Arizona
.
on the underside of host plant leaves in clusters of two to nine in a row. The egg is yellow but turns tan just before hatching. The larva
makes a nest out of leaves, attaching them together with silk. It comes out of its nest at night to feed. The larva is pine green with small yellow spots and has a yellow lateral stripe. The black head has two facial orange spot and has a reddish collar. The pupa
is dark brown with a greenish hue. It overwinters as a pupa. The Golden Banded-Skipper has 1-3 brood
s per year.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
n butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
in the family Hesperiidae. There are two populations, one in the eastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the other in the southwestern United States and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The eastern population is rare and local and uses only one host plant, Hog Peanut (Amphicarpa bracteata). The southwestern population is uncommon to common and uses more than one host plant (see host plant list). In mid-morning and late afternoon is when the Golden Banded-Skipper is most active. Their flight is sluggish and low to the ground, compared to closely related species.
Description
The upper side of the wings are chocolate brown with a golden median band on the fore wing. The hind wing has a checkered fringe. The underside of the wings are very similar to the upper side. Its wingspan measures 1¼ to 1¾ inches.Similar Species
The Golden Banded-Skipper has many similar species in its range such as the Sonoran Banded-Skipper (Autochton pseudocellus), the Sierra Madre Banded-Skipper (Autochton siermadror), the Chisos Banded-Skipper (Autochton cincta), the Dark-fringed Banded-Skipper (Autochton vectolucis), the Spiky Banded-Skipper (Autochton neis), the Two-spotted Banded-Skipper (Autochton bipunctatus), the Sharp Banded-Skipper (Autochton zarex), and the Narrow Banded-Skipper (Autochton longipennis).Habitat
In the east this butterfly prefers moist, steep woodlands while in the south west, favors canyon riparian habitat. It appears to be declining in the east where it has lost habitat around Washington DC and around West VirginiaWest Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
.
Flight
The Golden Banded-Skipper flies in the east from June to August, from February to September in FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and in the south west, from mid-June to early September in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Life cycle
Golden Banded-Skippers have a strange mix of patrolling and perching in their courtship. Females lay their eggsEgg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
on the underside of host plant leaves in clusters of two to nine in a row. The egg is yellow but turns tan just before hatching. The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
makes a nest out of leaves, attaching them together with silk. It comes out of its nest at night to feed. The larva is pine green with small yellow spots and has a yellow lateral stripe. The black head has two facial orange spot and has a reddish collar. The pupa
Pupa
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in holometabolous insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago...
is dark brown with a greenish hue. It overwinters as a pupa. The Golden Banded-Skipper has 1-3 brood
Offspring
In biology, offspring is the product of reproduction, of a new organism produced by one or more parents.Collective offspring may be known as a brood or progeny in a more general way...
s per year.
Host Plants
Here is a list of host plants used by the Golden Banded-Skipper:- Hog Peanut, Amphicarpa bracteata (Used in the east.)
- New Mexican Locust, Robinia neomexicana (Used in the south west)
- Butterfly Pea, Clitoria mariana (Used in the south west)
- Desert Bean, Phaseolus filiformisPhaseolus filiformisPhaseolus filiformis is a species of wild bean native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Its common names include slimjim bean, slender-stem bean, and Wright's phaseolus. This plant resembles other beans in appearance, with leaves composed of lobed triangular leaflets and pink...
(=wrightii)(Used in the south west)