The butterfly guide

Fore wing generally provided with a costal fold, but never marked with a sexual brand or raised patch of scales on the disk. The hind wing may be provided with a lengthy tail or simply lobed at the anal angle. Antennæ terminating in a fine point, which in some genera is bent backward at right angles to the shaft.

Hind wings more or less produced at the anal angle in the form of a long tail. There are a number of species found in Central and South America.

(1) Eudamus proteus (Linnæus), Plate CXXIX, Fig. 2, ♀ (The Long-tailed Skipper). (See p. 199.)

The caterpillar feeds upon Wistaria and various leguminous plants. Common in Florida, the American tropics, and occasionally found as far north as New York.

(1) Epargyreus tityrus (Fabricius), Plate CXXX, Fig. 1, ♂; Fig. 2, ♀, under side (The Silver-spotted Skipper).

A very common and beautiful insect. Expanse 1.75-2.00 inches.

The caterpillar usually feeds upon Robinia and Wistaria. Has a wide range from Quebec to Vancouver Island and south to the Isthmus of Panama.

(1) Thorybes pylades Scudder, Plate CXXXI, Fig. 1, ♀ (The Northern Dusky-wing).

Below wings dark brown shading into gray outwardly; hind wings crossed by irregular brown bands; spots of upper side reappearing below. Expanse 1.60 inch.

Common in New England, thence westward and southward.

(2) Thorybes bathyllus (Smith & Abbot), Plate CXXXI, Fig. 2 (The Southern Dusky-wing).

Distinguished from preceding species by the larger spots on fore wing.

Ranges from Connecticut to Texas.

(1) Achalarus lycidas (Smith & Abbot), Plate CXXXII, Fig. 1, ♀ (The Hoary-edge).

Upper side strongly recalls E. tityrus but the hoary edge of the hind wings and the absence of the silvery spots found in tityrus at once separate the two. Expanse 1.65-1.95 inch.

Rare in southern New England, common in Southern States as far west as Texas.

(2) Achalarus cellus (Boisduval & Leconte), Plate CXXXII, Fig. 2, ♂ (The Golden-banded Skipper).

On upper side as shown in our figure; on under side hind wings banded as in E. proteus, no silver spots. Expanse 2.00 inches.

Found in the Virginias and southward to Arizona and Mexico.

(1) Hesperia tessellata Scudder, Plate CXXXIII, Fig. 1, ♂ (The Tessellated Skipper).

Paler on under side than on upper side, with spots enlarged. Expanse 1.00-1.35 inch.

Ranges from Canada to the Gulf and from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

(2) Hesperia centaureæ Rambur, Plate CXXXIII, Fig. 2, ♂ (The Grizzled Skipper).

Below darker than preceding species, white circle at end of cell surrounding black spot, thus forming an eye-like spot; hind wings below brown scaled with green, crossed by three bands of quadrate spots. Expanse 1.15 inch.

Found in northern Europe and Asia and from Alaska to Labrador; extending south on the high mountains both in the West and in the Carolinas.

(3) Hesperia xanthus Edwards, Plate CXXXIII, Fig. 3, ♂ (The Checkerling).

Resembling H. tessellata, but much smaller and darker at base of wings, spots more crowded. Expanse 1.00 inch.

Found in Colorado and Rocky Mountains to west and south.

(1) Pholisora catullus (Fabricius), Plate CXXXIV, Fig. 1, ♀ (The Common Sooty-wing).

Easily recognizable by means of our figure. Expanse 0.80-1.15 inch.

The caterpillar feeds on “lamb’s-quarter” ( Chenopodium).

Ranges over all temperate North America.

(2) Pholisora hayhursti (Edwards), Plate CXXXIV, Fig. 2, ♀ (Hayhurst’s Sooty-wing).

Easily distinguished from preceding by white color of under side of abdomen as well as by the different arrangement of spots on fore wing. Expanse 0.90-1.15 inch.

Ranges from Pennsylvania to the Gulf as far as the Rocky Mountains.

(3) Pholisora lybia Scudder, Plate CXXXIV, Fig. 3, ♂ (The Mohave Sooty-wing).

Distinguished from the two preceding by the white fringes of the wings and by the markings of the upper side. Expanse 0.80-1.40 inch.

Found from western Texas to Nevada and Arizona.

(4) Pholisora alpheus (Edwards), Plate CXXXIV, Fig. 4, ♂ (New Mexican Sooty-wing).

More checkered on the upper side than the other species, tip of fore wing white. Expanse 0.95-1.00 inch.

Ranges from New Mexico to Arizona.

(1) Thanaos brizo Boisduval & Leconte, Plate CXXXV, Fig. 1, ♀ (The Sleepy Dusky-wing).

The two rows of light yellow spots on the outer margin of the hind wings appear more distinctly on the under side. Expanse 1.25-1.60 inch.

Larva feeds on oaks and other plants. Ranges from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from New England to Florida and Arizona.

(2) Thanaos icelus Lintner, Plate CXXXV, Fig. 2, ♂ (The Dreamy Dusky-wing).

Under side paler than upper, marked with many small, indistinct yellow spots, not forming well-defined bands as in preceding species. Expanse 1.00-1.20 inch.

Caterpillar feeds on aspen, oaks, and witch-hazel. Ranges from Nova Scotia to Oregon, south to Florida and Arizona.

(3) Thanaos lucilius Lintner, Plate CXXXV, Fig. 3, ♂ (Lucilius’ Dusky-wing).

Closely related to preceding, but distinguished by more regularly checkered fringes of the fore wing and the different arrangement of the spots on the under side. Expanse 1.20-1.40 inch.

Larva feeds on columbine ( Aquilegia). Ranges from New England to Georgia, and westward through the valley of the Mississippi.

(4) Thanaos juvenalis (Fabricius), Plate CXXXVI, Fig. 1, ♀ (Juvenal’s Dusky-wing).

A large species with translucent spots arranged as an interrupted band beyond middle of wing. Expanse 1.35-1.60 inch.

Ranges from Quebec to Florida and westward to Arizona.

(5) Thanaos petronius Lintner, Plate CXXXVI, Fig. 2, ♂ (Petronius’ Dusky-wing).

Somewhat resembling the preceding, but translucent spots much fewer in number and upper side much darker. Under side uniformly dusky with few light spots. Expanse 1.50-1.75 inch.

Confined to Florida so far as known.

(6) Thanaos martialis Scudder, Plate CXXXVII, Fig. 1, ♂ (Martial’s Dusky-wing).

Upper side paler than in most species, with a purplish gray cast, all light spots of upper side repeated more distinctly on under side. Expanse 1.25-1.40 inch.

Ranges from Massachusetts to Georgia, westward to Missouri and New Mexico.

(7) Thanaos horatius Scudder, Plate CXXXVII, Fig. 2, ♂ (Horace’s Dusky-wing).

Smaller than T. juvenalis, which it resembles; paler above on both wings, below more profusely mottled on hind wings. Expanse 1.65 inch.

Ranges from Massachusetts to Texas.

(8) Thanaos funeralis Lintner, Plate CXXXVII, Fig. 3, ♂ (The Funereal Dusky-wing).

Hind wings very dark, partly fringed with pure white. Expanse 1.35 inch.

Found from western Texas to Mexico.