Yucca Giant-Skipper
Megathymus yuccae (Boisduval & Leconte, [1837])
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Tribe: Megathymini
Identification: Very large and robust. Forewing is long and pointed. Upperside is black; forewing with a yellow band near the lower outer margin and small white spots near the tip and costa; hindwing with a yellow band on the outer margin. Females may have orange-yellow to yellow spots on the hindwing. Underside of hindwing is gray with white spots on the costa.
Wing Span: 1 7/8 - 3 1/8 inches (4.8 - 7.9 cm).
Life History: Adults are very swift fliers. Males perch in the morning near the host plants to await females. Females glue eggs singly to leaves of small host plants. Young caterpillars feed near the tips of leaves and may web together small leaves to make a nest. Older caterpillars bore into the growing point of the plant and feed on the root, making a silk chimney or tent which projects from the growing point. Fully-grown caterpillars overwinter in their burrows and then pupate there in late winter or early spring. The chrysalids are able to move up and down in their burrows.
Flight: One brood from mid-February to mid-May.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various yuccas including bear grass (Yucca filamentosa), Small's yucca (Y. smalliana), Spanish dagger (Y. gloriosa), (Y. elata), and (Y. arizonica) and Spanish bayonet (Y. aloifolia).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed, but males take moisture at mud.
Habitat: Coastal dunes, open yucca flats, desert canyons, open woodland, grassland, and old fields.
Range: Western population east to Nebraska and east Texas, south to northern Mexico. Southeastern population: Southeast Virginia south to southern peninsular Florida, west to Arkansas and Louisiana.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Taxonomy Notes: Previously, Megathymus was in subfamily Megathyminae but has been moved to tribe Megathymini in subfamily Hesperiinae.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Megathymus yucca
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 511 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 15, 1966
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Killian Roever)
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2011
Observation date: Mar 24, 1964
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (unknown)
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Apr 30, 1964
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Robert L. Langston)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Mar 16, 1963
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (unknown)
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Apr 30, 1964
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Robert L. Langston)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Feb 07, 1964
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (unknown)
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Apr 30, 1964
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Robert L. Langston)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (Stephen W. Johnson)
Region: Polk County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (Stephen W. Johnson)
Region: Polk County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (F.R. Hedges)
Region: United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: MaryAnn Friedman (MaryAnn Friedman)
Region: Alachua County, Florida, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (David Campbell)
Region: Catawba County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: harrylegrand (Harry LeGrand)
Verified date: Aug 03, 2010
Observation date: Apr 18, 1982
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. Emmel, C. Hageman, S. Mattoon)
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Mar 09, 2010
Observation date: Mar 20, 1971
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Richard Breedlove)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Mar 09, 2010
Observation date: Mar 12, 1963
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (William Hedges)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Mar 09, 2010
Observation date: Apr 05, 1953
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (F. T. Thorne)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Mar 09, 2010
Observation date: Feb 02, 1972
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Fred Thorne)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Mar 09, 2010
Observation date: Feb 02, 1972
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Fred Thorne)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 25, 2010
Observation date: Mar 20, 1971
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Richard Breedlove)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 25, 2010
Observation date: Mar 12, 1963
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (William Hedges)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 25, 2010
Observation date: Apr 05, 1953
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (F. T. Thorne)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 25, 2010
Observation date: Apr 09, 1974
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. C. Wiseman)
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 07, 2010
Observation date: Apr 13, 1974
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. Emmel & E. Perkins)
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 07, 2010
Observation date: Mar 24, 1974
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. Emmel, R. Highton)
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 07, 2010
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