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Golden Banded-Skipper

Autochton cellus
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Autochton cellus
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Summary

Autochton cellus, the golden banded-skipper, is a North and Central American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. There are two populations, one in the eastern United States and the other in the southwestern United States and Mexico. The eastern population is rare and local and uses only one host plant, the thicket bean (Phaseolus polystachios). The southwestern population is uncommon to common and uses more than one host plant (see host plant list). The golden banded-skipper is most active mid-morning and late afternoon. Their flight is sluggish and low to the ground, compared to closely related species.

Golden Banded-Skipper

Autochton cellus
Local Pest Control

Tags

harmful
bite
tree pest
garden pest
crop pest
pest

Scientific classification

kingdom: Animalia
phylum: Arthropoda
class: Insecta
order: Lepidoptera
family: Hesperiidae
genus: Autochton

People often ask

Where does golden banded-skipper usually live?
What is the host plant for the golden banded-skipper?
When does golden banded-skipper fly?
Where does golden banded-skipper lay eggs?
How fast does golden banded-skipper spread?
How does golden banded-skipper overwinter?

Description

The upperside of the wings are chocolate brown with a golden median band on the forewing. The hindwing has a checkered fringe. The underside of the wings are very similar to the upperside. Its wingspan measures 1.25 to 1.75 in.

Similar species

The golden banded-skipper has many similar species in its range such as the Sonoran banded-skipper (Autochton pseudocellus), the Sierra Madre banded-skipper (Autochton siermadror), the Chisos banded-skipper (Autochton cincta), the dark-fringed banded-skipper (Autochton vectolucis), the spiky banded-skipper (Autochton neis), the two-spotted banded-skipper (Autochton bipunctatus), the sharp banded-skipper (Autochton zarex), and the narrow banded-skipper (Autochton longipennis).

Flight

The golden banded-skipper flies in the east from June to August, from February to September in Florida, and in the southwest, from mid-June to early September in Arizona.

Life cycle

Golden banded-skippers have a strange mix of patrolling and perching in their courtship. Females lay their eggs on the underside of host plant leaves in clusters of two to nine in a row. The egg is yellow but turns tan just before hatching. The larva makes a nest out of leaves, attaching them together with silk. It comes out of its nest at night to feed. The larva is pine green with small yellow spots and has a yellow lateral stripe. The black head has two facial orange spots and a reddish collar. The pupa is dark brown with a greenish hue. It overwinters as a pupa. The golden banded-skipper has one to three broods per year.

Host plants

- Thicket bean (Phaseolus polystachios) – in the east - New Mexican locust (Robinia neomexicana) – in the southwest - Butterfly pea (Clitoria mariana) – in the southwest - Desert bean (Phaseolus filiformis) – in the southwest