California Giant-Skipper
Agathymus stephensi (Skinner, 1912)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Megathyminae
Identification: Fringes are distinctly checkered. Upperside is brown-black with yellowish scales at the wing bases and cream-colored spots. Hindwing spot band is curved and there is usually a spot in the cell. Underside of hindwing is mottled gray with irregular bands of cream-colored spots.
Wing Span: 2 - 2 1/4 inches (5.1 - 5.7 cm).
Life History: The adults roost on bushes, the males usually in canyon bottoms. From early morning to noon males perch near host plants to wait for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on the host and fall to the base of the plant. A young caterpillar crawls to a leaf tip and burrows inside where it eats pulp and then hibernates. In the spring the caterpillar make a new burrow in a leaf base where it feeds on sap until ceasing activity for the summer. Before pupating, the caterpillar enlarges the opening of its burrow and makes a silk trap door from which the adult can emerge.
Flight: One brood from September-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Desert agave (Agave deserti).
Adult Food: Females do not feed; males sip moisture from mud.
Habitat: Sonoran desert.
Range: The Colorado Desert in Riverside and San Diego counties, California; Baja California Norte.
Conservation: Populations and their habitats should be conserved wherever found.
NCGR: G2 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 to 20 occurrences), or because of other factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range. (Endangered throughout its range).
Management Needs: Conserve habitat and discourage overgrazing.
Comments: NULL
Get your BAMONA Gear!
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 38 of 38 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 17, 1976
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Oakley Shields)
Region: Imperial County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 07, 2010
Observation date: Sep 23, 1973
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. Emmel, R. Highton)
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 06, 2010
Observation date: Sep 19, 1993
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Jeffrey Glassberg)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 05, 2010
Observation date: Oct 10, 1922
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George Field)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (J. A. Comstock)
Verified date: Jan 05, 2010
Observation date: Oct 20, 1956
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (H. Avery Freeman)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (William H. Howe)
Verified date: Dec 17, 2009
Observation date: Oct 18, 1965
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. W. Tilden)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Oct 16, 2009
Observation date: Sep 30, 1934
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Not given)
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 07, 2009
Observation date: Oct 16, 1936
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (John A. Comstock)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (John Emmel)
Verified date: Aug 07, 2009
Observation date: Oct 04, 1986
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 07, 2009
Observation date: Oct 04, 1986
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 07, 2009
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Imperial County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Baja California Norte, Mexico
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
- ‹ previous
- 2 of 2