Hesperia metea
Encyclopedia
The Cobweb Skipper is a butterfly
of the Hesperiidae family. It has a scattered distribution from southern Maine
west to Wisconsin
, south to central Georgia
, the Gulf States and central Texas
.
The wingspan
is 29-35 mm. There is one generation with adults on wing from late March to early June.
The larvae feed on various grasses, including Andropogon scoparius and Andropogon gerardi. Adults feed on flower nectar from various low-growing plants, including Labrador tea, wild strawberry, blackberry, bird's-foot violet, winter cress, red clover, lilac, vervain, Carolina larkspur and wild hyacinth.
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...
of the Hesperiidae family. It has a scattered distribution from southern Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
west to Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, south to central Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, the Gulf States and central Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 29-35 mm. There is one generation with adults on wing from late March to early June.
The larvae feed on various grasses, including Andropogon scoparius and Andropogon gerardi. Adults feed on flower nectar from various low-growing plants, including Labrador tea, wild strawberry, blackberry, bird's-foot violet, winter cress, red clover, lilac, vervain, Carolina larkspur and wild hyacinth.
Subspecies
- Hesperia metea metea (Scudder, 1864)
- Hesperia metea intermedia (Gatrelle) - Southern Cobweb Skipper
- Hesperia metea licinus (Edwards, 1871) - Licinus Cobweb Skipper