Taractrocera maevius

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Common Grass Dart
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Genus: Taractrocera
Species: T. maevius
Binomial name
Taractrocera maevius
(Fabricius, 1793)
Image:India till Southern China

Taractrocera maevius, commonly known as the Common Grass Dart, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae.

[edit] Field Characteristics

The Common Grass Dart is similar in size and markings to the Tamil Grass Dart Taractrocera ceramas Hewitson, but the spots on the fore wings is white. It shares its habits and habitat with the Tamil Grass Dart. However, it is also found away from the hills and is widespread in the plains of Indian peninsula.

[edit] Status, Distribution and Habitat

It is one of the commonest of the skippers in the grasslands of the Western Ghats and occurs from low elevations up to montane grasslands. It is also found in grassy clearings in the forests and in rice fields. It occurs in the monsoon and immediate post-monsoon months when the vegetation is green, but occasional specimens may appear in other seasons as well.

The caterpillar feed on various species of grasses, including Rice Oryza sativa