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
BAMONA Shop
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 145 - 168 of 512 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 11, 1993
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 07, 2009
Observation date: Apr 24, 2009
Submitted by: Ken Childs (Ken Childs)
Region: Chester County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: stephen stedman (Stephen J. Stedman)
Verified date: May 21, 2009
Observation date: Apr 04, 2009
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Region: Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Verified date: May 18, 2009
Observation date: Mar 21, 2009
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Rachel Cass)
Region: Muscogee County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap (Mike Chapman)
Verified date: May 04, 2009
Observation date: Sep 06, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Nelson, John M. & Harp, Chcuk & Fisher, John)
Region: Cimarron County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Harp, Chuck E.)
Verified date: Apr 03, 2009
Observation date: Apr 16, 2008
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Heck, Berlin)
Region: Le Flore County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Nelson, John M.)
Verified date: Apr 03, 2009
Observation date: Mar 14, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Mark Walker)
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (The Lepidopterists' Society Season Summary)
Verified date: Jan 28, 2009
Observation date: May 10, 2008
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Stephen W. Johnson, Jeff Basham)
Region: Polk County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: stephen stedman (Stephen J. Stedman)
Verified date: May 28, 2008
Observation date: Mar 28, 2008
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Rose Payne)
Region: Jones County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap (Mike Chapman)
Verified date: Apr 22, 2008
Observation date: Mar 23, 2008
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Rose Payne)
Region: Monroe County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap (Mike Chapman)
Verified date: Apr 22, 2008
Observation date: Mar 25, 2007
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Chanry)
Region: Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Chanry)
Verified date: Dec 28, 2007
Observation date: Apr 16, 2006
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Chanry)
Region: Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Chanry)
Verified date: Dec 14, 2007
Observation date: Apr 02, 2006
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Chanry)
Region: Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Chanry)
Verified date: Dec 14, 2007
Observation date: Apr 16, 2005
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Region: Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Verified date: Dec 14, 2007
Observation date: Mar 28, 2004
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Region: Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Verified date: Dec 12, 2007
Observation date: Apr 13, 2003
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Region: Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Verified date: Dec 11, 2007
Observation date: Mar 23, 2003
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Region: Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Verified date: Dec 11, 2007
Observation date: Jan 01, 1970
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Richard B. Dominick Moth and Butterfly Collection)
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Dr. F. Lance Wallace of The Citadel, Charleston SC)
Verified date: Dec 10, 2007
Observation date: Apr 07, 2001
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Region: Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Verified date: Dec 07, 2007
Observation date: May 12, 2001
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Region: Jackson County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Verified date: Dec 07, 2007
Observation date: Apr 12, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Michael Beohm)
Region: Meriwether County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: nick.grishin (Nick Grishin)
Verified date: Aug 31, 2007
Observation date: Apr 01, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Michael Beohm)
Region: Georgia, Upson County, United States
Verified by: nick.grishin (Nick Grishin)
Verified date: Aug 31, 2007
Observation date: Apr 06, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Michael Beohm)
Region: Georgia, Talbot County, United States
Verified by: nick.grishin (Nick Grishin)
Verified date: Aug 31, 2007
Observation date: Mar 21, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Pierre Howard)
Region: Georgia, Talbot County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap (Mike Chapman)
Verified date: Aug 30, 2007
- ‹ previous
- 7 of 22
- next ›