Alabama Butterfly Atlas

Butterfly: Wingspan: 2 to 2½ inches (5 - 6.3 cm) UPPER SURFACE (dorsal) Brown; yellow spots near forewing tip; yellow forewing band broadens into wide patch. Hindwing with golden border; female with row of golden hindwing spots. UNDER SURFACE (ventral) Dark brown; extensive purplish white frosting. One small dot (male) or two small dots (female) on forewing edge.  Very heavy body.

Egg: White, turning amber with time. Large. Laid singly on leaves of host.

Caterpillar: Light reddish brown. Head brownish black. Dark collar. First three pairs of legs (thoracic) dark. Posterior end dark. The overwintering stage.

Chrysalis: Pinkish yellow; wing cases pinkish brown. Head gray black; collar black. Short, bristly cremaster on abdomen tip.

 

This skipper should be looked for in the northeastern parts of Alabama as it is known only from a single specimen from DeKalb County. It should be looked for in areas where Adams's Neede (Yucca filamentosa) plants are growing, expecially during the months when it emergees from its tent-like enclosures (May and August).

Distribution and Abundance

A dot on the county map indicates that there is at least one documented record of the species within that county. In some cases, a species may be common throughout the county, in others it may be found in only a specific habitat. The High Count information shows the highest numbers recorded for this species as well as when and where they occurred.

The sightings bar graphs depict the timing of flight(s) within each of three geographic regions. Place your cursor on a bar within the graph to see the number of individuals recorded during that period.

The abundance calendar displays the total number of individuals recorded within each week of the month. Both the graphs and the calendar are on based data collection that began in 2000.

The records analyzed here are only a beginning. As more data is collected, these maps and graphs will paint a more accurate picture of distribution and abundance in Alabama. Submit your sightings to albutterflyatlas@gmail.com.

Sightings in the following counties: DeKalb

  • Map Symbol for Recent Sightings Sightings in the past 5 years
  • Map Symbol for Semi-Recent Sightings Sightings in the past 5 - 10 years
  • Map Symbol for Old Sightings Sightings more than 10 years ago

High count(s):

  • 1 - DeKalb - 6/2/1994
County Distribution Map

View county names by moving the mouse over a county or view a map with county names

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
1

Habitat

This skipper is found in habitats where Adam's Needle (Yucca filamentosa) grows, such as open bottom woodlands, old fields, hardwood hammocks, pine flatwoods, coastal dunes, rock outcrops, etc.

Cofaqui Giant-Skipper
Cofaqui Giant-Skipper (Megathymus cofaqui)
Georgia
© Nick V. Grishin 8/8/2010

Host Plants

No host has been documented in Alabama.

Reported host plants are Adam's Needle (Yucca filamentosa) and the exotic Spanish Bayonet (Yucca alnifolia)

 

Cofaqui Giant-Skipper
Cofaqui Giant-Skipper (Megathymus cofaqui)
Georgia
© Nick V. Grishin 8/7/2010