Hesperia sassacus
Species of butterfly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hesperia sassacus, the Indian skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae.
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| Indian skipper | |
|---|---|
| |
| On Canada hawkweed | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Hesperiidae |
| Genus: | Hesperia |
| Species: | H. sassacus |
| Binomial name | |
| Hesperia sassacus Harris, 1862 | |
Taxonomy
The following subspecies are recognised:[2]
- Hesperia sassacus sassacus Harris, 1862
- Hesperia sassacus manitoboides (Fletcher, 1889)
- Hesperia sassacus nantahala Gatrelle & Grkovich, 2003
Description
Distribution and habitat
It is found from northeastern U.S., and in Canada in southwestern New Brunswick and in a broad band from the Eastern Townships of Quebec through to southern Manitoba.[3]
Ecology and behaviour
The larvae feed on nodding fescue (Festuca obtusa), poverty grass (Danthonia spicata), and panic grass (Panicum), Bouteloua, Andropogon, Aristida, and Poaceae species.[3][4]