Calpodes ethlius
Size:
Wingspan is 1 3/4 - 2 3/8 inches.
Similar Species:
None the same size.
Habitat:
Gardens, weedy fields, roadsides, pond edges and any places with cannas.
Range/Abundance:
Rare in the coastal plain and even
rarer in the piedmont and sandhills. A southern migrant with populations
which fluctuate greatly from year to year.
Flight Period:
A migrant that flies from late summer into late fall in the region.
Larval Host Plants:
Plants in the canna family Marantaceae.
Comments:
Most years this southern species is rarely seen any further north than
central SC. Some years like 2003 Brazilian Skipper showed up in all kinds
of places in SC, NC and likely VA.
The first Brazilian Skipper I saw in the region was in Wilmington, NC several years ago. It was flower-hopping about every 15-20 foot and was very hard to keep up with.
These photos were a first record in Mecklenburg Co, NC on September 13,
2003 and provided by Rob Van Epps.
