Subfamily Heteropterinae, Intermediate Skippers

This group contains a few skippers from North America that do not have the narrow extension of the antenna club (known as the apiculus).  These skippers do not perch in the “airplaning” fashion.

Arctic Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon)

This group contains the largest skippers and the first look at one blasting from its perch and whizzing away at top speed will not soon be forgotten.  They also will perch in “airplane” fashion.  The larva eat plants in the yucca family.

Strecker’s Giant-Skipper, (Megathymus streckeri)

This group includes butterflies that do not “airplane” but instead sit with their wings flat or at a slight angle.  This group contains many similar species that are best ID’d by locality and emergence period.  Some may require scientific genitalia examination to positively identify.  The long-tailed skippers are in this group.

Silver-Spotted Skipper, (Epargyreus clarus)
Hoary Edge, (Achalarus lyciades)
Southern Cloudywing, (Thorybes bathyllus)
Northern Cloudywing, (Thorybes pylades)
Confused Cloudywing, (Thorybes confusis)
Short-Tailed Skipper, (Zestusa dorus)
Juvenal’s Duskywing, (Erynnis juvenalis)
Horace’s Duskywing, (Erynnis horatius)
Funereal Duskywing, (Erynnis funeralis)
Sleepy Duskywing, (Erynnis brizo)
Dreamy Duskywing, (Erynnis icelus)
Afranius Duskywing, (Erynnis afranius)
Mottled Duskywing, (Erynnis martialis)
Common Checkered-Skipper, (Pyrgus communis)
Hayhurst’s Scallopwing, (Staphylus hayhurstii)
Common Sootywing, (Pholisora catullus)
Orcus Checkered Skipper, (Pyrgus orcus)
Window-Winged Skipper, (Xenophanes tryxus)
Lenis Sootywing, (Staphylus lenis)
Plain Longtail, (Urbanus simplicius)
Unkown Longtail Skippers, (Urbanus sp.)
Skipper, (Gorgythion sp.)
Skipper, (Milanion hemes hemes)