Euphyes bimacula, the two-spotted skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in North America, from northeast Colorado and western Nebraska; eastern Nebraska east to southern Quebec; southern Maine south to central Virginia; coastal plain south to Georgia; and the Gulf Coast.[3]

Euphyes bimacula

Apparently Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hesperiidae
Genus: Euphyes
Species:
E. bimacula
Binomial name
Euphyes bimacula
(Grote & Robinson, 1867)
Synonyms[2]
  • Hesperia bimacula Grote & Robinson, 1867
  • Atrytone contradicta Leussler, 1933
  • Hesperia acanootus Scudder, 1868
  • Hesperia illinois Doge, 1872

The wingspan is 25–30 mm. They are dark brown on the upperside and pale tawny orange beneath.[4]

The larvae feed on Carex trichocarpa.[5] Adults feed on nectar from flowers including pickerelweed, sweet pepperbush, blue flag, common milkweed, and spiraea.[6]

The species is listed as endangered in Connecticut by state authorities.[7]

Subspecies

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There are three subspecies of E. bimacula:[8]

  • E. b. arbotsti Gatrelle, 1999
  • E. b. bimacula (Grote & Robinson, 1867)
  • E. b. arbotsti (Dodge, 1872)

References

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  1. ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0 Euphyes bimacula Two-spotted Skipper". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Euphyes bimacula". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  3. ^ Two-spotted Skipper, Butterflies and Moths of North America
  4. ^ Two-spotted Skipper, Butterflies of Canada
  5. ^ Euphyes, Site of Markku Savela
  6. ^ "Two-spotted Skipper Euphyes bimacula (Grote & Robinson, 1867) | Butterflies and Moths of North America".
  7. ^ "Department of Energy and Environmental Protection" (PDF).
  8. ^ "Euphyes bimacula". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 1 January 2014.