Bright Shield-skipper
Common NameBright Shield-skipper
Scientific NameAmblyscirtes aenus
FamilyHesperiidae
SubfamilyHesperiinae
Wingspan (mm)28
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsbrown, orange, olive
HabitatDry grasslands, rocky hillsides, open woodlands, and arid scrublands.
Geographic RangeSouthwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas) and northern Mexico.
Host Plantsgrama grasses (Bouteloua spp.), other grasses
Flight PeriodMay to October
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on host grasses. Larvae feed on the grasses, and pupation occurs in a loose cocoon near the ground. This species typically has two or more broods per year.
Identification TipsLook for the greenish-olive body, the dark, rectangular stigma on the male forewing, and the relatively plain dark brown hindwings. The stigma's shape and the overall coloration help distinguish it from similar *Amblyscirtes* species.
Description
A small, dark brown skipper with a distinctive greenish-olive body. The forewings are orange-brown with a prominent dark, rectangular stigma in males and a few small, pale spots.
