Mojave Giant-Skipper
Agathymus alliae (D. Stallings & Turner, 1957)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Megathyminae
Identification: Large and robust. Upperside is black with reddish orange at the wing bases and costa. Orange-yellow forewing spots are widely separated in males but in females are separated only by veins, forming an almost continuous band. Underside of hindwing is mottled gray with bands of yellow-orange spots.
Wing Span: 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 inches (5.7 - 6.4 cm).
Life History: From early morning to noon males perch near host plants to wait for receptive females. Females lay eggs singly on the host and fall to the base of the plant. A young caterpillar crawls to a leaf tip and burrows inside where it eats pulp and then hibernates. In the spring the caterpillar makes a new burrow in a leaf base where it feeds on sap until becoming inactive for the summer. Before pupating, the caterpillar enlarges the opening of its burrow and makes a silk trap door from which the adult can emerge.
Flight: One brood from August-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Utah agave (Agave utahensis).
Adult Food: Females do not feed; males sip moisture from mud.
Habitat: Desert and open pine-woodland canyons.
Range: East-central California, southern Nevada, southern Utah, and northwestern Arizona.
Conservation: Populations and their habitats should be conserved wherever found.
NCGR: G3 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout its range).
Management Needs: Preserve habitat and discourage overgrazing.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 37 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 29, 2021
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 10, 2021
Observation date: Sep 29, 2021
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 10, 2021
Observation date: Oct 15, 2020
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 29, 2020
Observation date: Oct 15, 2020
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 23, 2020
Observation date: Aug 31, 1988
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Pat Savage)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Oct 10, 1978
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Sep 28, 1978
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Nov 02, 1977
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Sep 30, 1979
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Oct 11, 1978
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Oct 10, 1992
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Oct 08, 1993
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Oct 11, 1992
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Oct 07, 1993
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Oct 03, 1953
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Stallings & Turner)
Region: Coconino County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2011
Observation date: Sep 16, 1954
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Stallings & Turner)
Region: Coconino County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2011
Observation date: Sep 05, 1991
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (unknown)
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (Nick Grishin)
Region:
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Oakley Shields)
Region: Inyo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 07, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Kilian Roever)
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 07, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Kilian Roever)
Region: Inyo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 07, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Kilian Roever)
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 07, 2010
Observation date: Sep 08, 1973
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (John F. Emmel)
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 06, 2010
Observation date: Sep 12, 1969
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Bruce Griffin)
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 07, 2009
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