Hesperiidae : Hesperiinae
Pyrrhocalles antiqua (Herrich-Schäffer, 1863)
Caribbean Skipper
Pyrrhocalles antiqua (Herrich-Schäffer, 1863)
Caribbean Skipper
Description and Similar Species: Wingspan 42-55mm. Sexes similar. Quite a large skipper with bright orange wings and a broad very dark brown wing tip and posterior edging.
Range: Found only in the West Indies on the islands of Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico.
Status: The subspecies orientis is endemic to Cuba. Uncommon, mainly near the coast but we have seen it (March 2015) at 950m in the Sierra Maestra.
Nectar Plants: Lantana, Tournefortia hirsutissima, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, Palicourea domingensis, Psychotria, involucrata, Ageratum conyzoides, Lippia alba, Morinda citrifolia.
Larval Foodplants: Larvae feed on the leaves of young palms including Veitchia merrillii and Roystonea regia. When fully fed the larva then moves to a new leaf and folds a leaf together with silk in which to pupate.
Range: Found only in the West Indies on the islands of Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico.
Status: The subspecies orientis is endemic to Cuba. Uncommon, mainly near the coast but we have seen it (March 2015) at 950m in the Sierra Maestra.
Nectar Plants: Lantana, Tournefortia hirsutissima, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, Palicourea domingensis, Psychotria, involucrata, Ageratum conyzoides, Lippia alba, Morinda citrifolia.
Larval Foodplants: Larvae feed on the leaves of young palms including Veitchia merrillii and Roystonea regia. When fully fed the larva then moves to a new leaf and folds a leaf together with silk in which to pupate.
Larva
Pupa
Foodplants and Habitat
