Hesperia sassacus

Harris, 1862

Indian Skipper

Hesperia sassacus, commonly known as the Indian , is a small in the . It occurs in northeastern North America, with a wingspan of 25–30 mm. from late May to early July. The has three recognized , with feeding on various grasses.

Hesperia sassacus by Skye McDavid. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Hesperia sassacus: /hɛˈspɛriə ˈsæsəkəs/

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Images

Appearance

Wingspan 25–30 mm. A small with typical hesperiid : stocky body, large , and with hooked tips.

Distribution

Northeastern United States; southwestern New Brunswick, Canada; and a broad from the Eastern Townships of Quebec through southern Manitoba.

Seasonality

Late May to early July ( period).

Diet

feed on nodding fescue (Festuca obtusa), poverty grass (Danthonia spicata), panic grass (Panicum), Bouteloua, Andropogon, Aristida, and other Poaceae . diet not specified in sources.

Host Associations

Festuca obtusa - larval nodding fescue
Danthonia spicata - larval poverty grass
Panicum - larval panic grass
Bouteloua - larval
Andropogon - larval
Aristida - larval
Poaceae - larval grass

Similar Taxa

Other Hesperia speciesSimilar size, period, and preferences; identification requires examination of pattern details and .

More Details

Subspecies

Three recognized: H. s. sassacus (nominate), H. s. manitoboides (Fletcher, 1889), and H. s. nantahala Gatrelle & Grkovich, 2003.

Etymology

The epithet 'sassacus' honors Sassacus, the last chief of the Pequot Indians of the Connecticut Valley.