Cobweb Skipper, Hesperia metea, is an early season grass skipper (subfamily Hesperiinae) found in the eastern United States. Its distribution is widespread but local in barrens, glades and grasslands. Throughout its range this species is single brooded.
The hindwing below is brown with a crescent of irregular white patches with the white sometimes extending along the veins. The forewing above is brown with a few yellowish patches which are more extensive in the male. The leading edge of the forewing is whitish. The male has a dark stigma. The subspecies licinus found in Texas and Arkansas is very dark both above and below.
Nectar sources include hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens), wild strawberry (Frageria virginiana), blackberry (Rubus spp.), and bird's-foot violet (Viola pedata).
Larval foodplants of this species are big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi) and little bluestem (Schizachrium scoparium). Final instar caterpillars overwinter
- Opler, Paul A., Kelly Lotts, and Thomas Naberhaus, coordinators. 2012. Butterflies and Moths of North America. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/
- Brock, J. P., and K. Kaufman, 2003. Butterflies of North America. Kaufman Focus Field Guides, Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY 284 pp.
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Howell Curtis commented on an older version of Brief Summary:
@Cyndy Parr: Thanks Cyndy, I think I got everything fixed except perhaps the ref for Butterflies of North America. Checking on that.
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Howell Curtis commented on an older version of Brief Summary:
@Bob Corrigan: OK, think I got everything fixed except perhaps the ref for Butterflies of North America. I'm checking on that.
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Cyndy Parr commented on an older version of Cobweb Skipper Overview:
Yes, thanks for adding this! I have just two comments -- you can leave out the title, as we'll automatically call it a brief summary. Also, please add your references (have to do at least as well as Wikipedia!)
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Cyndy Parr commented on an older version of Cobweb Skipper Overview:
Yes, thanks for adding this! I have just two comments -- you can leave out the title, as we'll automatically call it a brief summary. Also, please add your references (have to do at least as well as Wikipedia!)
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Bob Corrigan commented on an older version of Cobweb Skipper Overview:
Well done - reading your work I'm reminded why we (EOL) need to offer a rich text editor, as those species names look much better italicized, but it's a pain to add the HTML markup every time.
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Hesperia metea Scudder 1863
