| Orcus Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus orcus (Stoll, 1780)) |
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Scientific name: Pyrgus orcus (Stoll, 1780) Common name: Orcus Checkered-Skipper French name: Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Rhopalocera Family: Hesperiidae Subfamily: Pyrginae Wingspan: 25-28 mm. Biotope: Clearings, semi-open habitats, grasslands, cultivated areas, road sides. Geographic area: Central America, South America, from Mexico to Argentina. Flight time: Number of generations : Caterpillar: Yellowish green and covered with dense short hairs. The head is black like the neck which is interrupted by a small pale spot. The body bears dark blotches and a thin dark green dorsal line. Host plant: Malvastrum sp. and Sida sp. of the Malvaceae family. |
This small butterfly shows wings with a white and brown grid pattern. There is a strong sexual dimorphism. Males are mainly white while females are mainly brown. The thorax and the base of the wings bear long bluish grey hairs on males. The under side of the wings reproduces the grid pattern but with paler colours. Pyrgus orcus is often observed landed on the ground, or on low growing vegetation, with its wings wide open. There is one similar species, Pyrgus oileus which is found in North America and in Central America. Its range does not extend south of Costa Rica. |
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I have shot this picture at Iracoubo, on the side of the RN1 road. This was during a short stop while we were driving northwards to Mana. The pale colour and the dense bluish hairs indicate one male. |
André Bon February 2014