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LinkedInPosts Tagged: Hylephila phyleus
The Spider and the Skipper
This is a a story about a spider and a skipper. Technically, a banded garden spider (Argiope trifasciata) and a fiery skipper butterfly (Hylephila phyleus, family Hesperiida). The garden spider lies in wait, its head down, clinging to its real estate, an enormous sticky web. A male skipper...
A banded garden spider (Argiope trifasciata)--as identified by UC Davis distinguished professor Art Shapiro--waits for prey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The banded garden spider (Argiope trifasciata) wraps its meal, a male fiery skipper (Hylephila phyleus). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
While the garden spider wraps its prey, two fiery skippers (Hylephila phyleus) prepare to mate on a Tithonia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Courtship in the Lantana
The purple trailing lantana (Lantana montevidensis) is a butterfly magnet. In our yard, it draws gulf fritillaries, Western tiger swallowtails, cabbage whites, and fiery skippers. Lately, fiery skippers (Hylephila phyleus) are the main draw. It's a delight to see them fluttering over...
Courtship in the lantana: the female is on the left, and the male on the right. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Courtship in the lantana: second photo in a series of four. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Courtship in the lantana: third photo in a series of four. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Courtship in the lantana: fourth photo in a series of four. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Tongue in Cheek
Have you ever looked closely at a fiery skipper (Hylephila phyleus) and seen its proboscis, aka tongue or feeding tube?If you stay still and don't shadow it while it's nectaring, you'll see the proboscis darting in an out of a blossom.The late afternoon sun lit up its long black proboscis while it...
Proboscis or tongue of a fiery skipper dipped in nectar. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Colorful fiery skipper (Hylephila phyleus). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Skipping Along
In the big, beautiful butterfly world, the Fiery Skipper stands out as the most common urban butterfly in California.It may not be as showy as the Monarch, the Gulf Fritilliary and the Painted Lady, but the Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus) holds its own. Butterfly guru Art Shapiro, professor of...
Close-up of Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The male Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus) often head-butts the female's genitalia during courtship, says noted butterfly expert Art Shapiro of UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The Skipper Wasn't Skipping
The skipper wasn't skipping.In fact, it wasn't doing much of anything. The fiery skipper butterfly (Hylephila phyleus), tangled in a spider web, struggled furiously to free itself. Not going to happen. The sticky substance stuck to her like super glue.It's a scene you don't often see. This time,...
Fiery skipper struggles to free itself in a spider web. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Head of fiery skipper shows the tangled sticky strands of a spider web. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Released fiery skipper ready to flutter away. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
