| Euphyes arpa | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Hesperiidae |
| Genus: | Euphyes |
| Species: | E. arpa |
| Binomial name | |
| Euphyes arpa (Boisduval & Le Conte, [1834])[1] |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
The Palmetto Skipper (Euphyes arpa) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found on Peninsular Florida, south-eastern Georgia and along the coasts of southern Alabama and southern Mississippi.[2]
The wingspan is 41-49 mm. The head and front of thorax are bright orange. The upperside of the forewings is reddish-yellow with black borders in males and mostly black with a few reddish-yellow patches in females. The underside of the hindwings is bright yellow-orange without markings in both males and females. They feed on the flower nectar of various plants, including Pontederia species.
The larvae feed on the fronds of Serenoa repens. They live in silken tubes at the frond base. The species overwinters in the larval stage.