Achalarus lyciades
Size:
Wingspan is 1 3/4 - 1 15/16 inches.
Similar Species:
Silver-spotted Skipper
Habitat:
Open woodland and brushy areas, open fields, dry power line clearings
and along sand and dirt roads.
Range/Abundance:
Uncommon to common in most of the
lower elevations. Much rarer in the mountains. Widespread but hard
to find in parts of the region.
Flight Period:
Adults fly from mid April until late September in two broods with a small
gap between broods.
Larval Host Plants:
Beggar's Ticks Desmodium and Bush Clover Lespedeza and
other members of the pea family Fabaceae.
Comments:
This species can be mistaken for the slightly larger Silver-spotted
Skipper which has a bold white spot.
I find as many as 6-7 Hoary Edges hill topping along my gravel driveway
during most of the summer. They like much drier places than the Silver-spotted
Skipper.
The top photo was taken in Orange Co., NC on May 27, 2002. The center and bottom photos were taken in Orange Co., NC on May 16, 2002.
