The butterfly guide

by W. J. Holland

Subfamily MEGATHYMINÆ
(The Giant Skippers).

These curious insects have been by some writers placed among the Castniidæ, a family of day-flying moths, but as the author stated in 1898 in “The Butterfly Book,” they appear to have much more in common with the Hesperiidæ than the Castniidæ. The proposition to include them in the Hesperiidæ as a subfamily under the name given above has since that time been generally accepted by systematists. There are a number of species belonging to the genus Megathymus, several of which occur within our faunal limits, but we shall content ourselves with figuring only the one, which those readers of this book who live in Missouri and south and west of that state are likely to see.

Genus MEGATHYMUS Riley

PL. CL

(1) Megathymus yuccæ (Boisduval & Leconte), [Plate CL], ♀ (The Yucca Skipper).

The caterpillar of this species is a wood-borer, feeding in the pith and on the underground roots of different species of Yucca. The life history has been beautifully worked out by the late Prof. C. V. Riley, who published a full account of his observations in his “Eighth Annual Report of the State Entomologist of Missouri,” pp. 169 et seq., and in the “Transactions of the St. Louis Academy of Science,” Vol. III, pp. 323 et seq. The student will do well to refer to these interesting papers. The figure we give on the plate is that of a female specimen bred by Professor Riley in Missouri and presented by him to the late W. H. Edwards, whose collection is now the property of the writer.

INDEX OF ENGLISH OR TRIVIAL NAMES, AND COMMON TERMS

• Aaron’s Skipper, [220]
• Abdomen of butterfly, [22]
• Acadian Hair-streak, The, [153]
• Admiral, Lorquin’s, [113];
• Red, [99], [100];
• White, [110]
• Alpines, The;
• Common, [133];
• Red-streaked, [133]
• American Copper, The, [161]
• Angle-wings, The, [92];
• Currant, [96]
• Antennæ, [13]
• Aphrodite, [75]
• Araxes Skipper, The, [199]
• Arctics, The, [140];
• Katahdin, [141];
• Macoun’s, [142]
• Arctic Skipper, The, [209]
• Arizona Blackamoor, The, [134];
• Checker-spot, [85]
• Bag-veins, The, [105];
• Texas, [106]
• Baltimore, The, [83]
• Banded Elfin, The, [156]
• Banded Hair-streak, The, [153]
• Banded Purple, The, [112]
• Banded Reds, The, [117]
• Bates’ Crescent-spot, [88]
• Beauty, Karwinsky’s, [118]
• Behr’s Hair-streak, [158]
• Blackamoors, The, [133];
• Arizona, [134]
• Blues, The, [58], [147], [162];
• Aster, [163];
• Common, [165];
• Cowper’s, [163];
• Dwarf, [167];
• Eastern-tailed, [166];
• Indian River, [168];
• Orange-margined, [164];
• Marine, [169];
• Pygmy, [167];
• Red-margined, [168];
• Scudder’s, [164];
• Silvery, [169];
• Varied, [169];
• Western-tailed, [166];
• West Indian, [167]
• Blue-spots, The, [147];
• Florida, [148]
• Boisduval’s Hair-streak, [152]
• Brazilian Skipper, [216]
• Broad-winged Skipper, [219]
• Bronze Copper, The, [161]
• Brown Elfin, The, [155]
• Brown-margined Hair-streak, [155]
• Brown, The Gemmed, [128]
• Brush-footed, The, [15], [16], [58], [59]
• Buckeye, The, [103]
• Buff Emperor, The, [117]
• Butterflies, anatomy of, [14];
• how to breed, [54];
• caterpillars of, [29];
• chrysalids of, [34];
• how to collect, [40];
• eggs of, [27];
• habits of, [13];
• life-history of, [27];
• how to mount, [47];
• how to preserve, [56]
• Butterfly, Papaw, [187];
• Reef, [197]
• Cabbage Butterfly, The, [173]
• Cadmium Orange, The, [185]
• Calicoes, The, [122];
• White-skirted, [123]
• Californian Sister, The, [114]
• Callippe, [79]
• Camberwell Beauty, The, [97]
• Camillus Crescent-spot, The, [88]
• Canadian Skipper, The, [211]
• Carbonate of ammonia, [43]
• Carbon bisulphide, [46]
• Carolinian Satyr, The, [129]
• Caterpillars of butterflies, [29]
• Chalcedon, [84]
• Checkerling, The, [203]
• Checker-spots, The, [83];
• Arizona, [85];
• Harris’s, [85];
• Least, [86];
• Macglashan’s, [84]
• Chloroform, [45]
• Chrysalids, [34]
• Clouded Wood-nymph, The, [137]
• Clytie Hair-streak, [159]
• Cobweb Skipper, The, [212]
• Colorado Hair-streak, The, [150]
• Colorado Parnassian, The, [186]
• Comma Butterfly, The, [93]
• Common, Alpine, [133];
• Blue, [165];
• Hair-streak, [151];
• Snout-butterfly, [143];
• Sulphur, [180];
• White, [172];
• Wood-nymph, [136]
• Compton Tortoise, The, [98]
• Coppers, The, [58], [147], [160];
• American, [161];
• Bronze, [161];
• Great, [160];
• Least, [161];
• Purplish, [162]
• Coral Hair-streak, [158]
• Cork for lining boxes, [45], [57]
• Couper’s Blue, [163]
• Creole, The, [126]
• Crescent-spots, The, [86];
• Bates, [88];
• Camillus, [88];
• Meadow, [88];
• Painted, [89];
• Pearl, [87];
• Poey’s, [90];
• Texan, [90]
• Crimson-patch, The, [91]
• Currant Angle-wing, The, [96]
• Cyanide of potash, [42]
• Dagger-wings, The, [107]
• Dark Wood-nymph, The, [138]
• Dash-wing, The, [119]
• Delila, [69]
• Diana, [74]
• Dingy Purple-wing, The, [105]
• Dog-face Butterflies, The, [179];
• Southern, [179]
• Dreamy Dusky-wing, The, [205]
• Dun, Iowa, [210];
• Little, [209]
• Dun Skipper, The, [218]
• Dusky-wings, The, [201];
• Dreamy, [205];
• Funereal, [207];
• Horace’s, [207];
• Juvenal’s, [206];
• Lucilius’, [205];
• Martial’s, [207];
• Northern, [201];
• Petronius, [206];
• Sleepy, [205];
• Southern, [201]
• Dusted Skipper, [222]
• Dwarf, Yellow, [175];
• Blue, [167]
• Early Hair-streak, The, [157]
• Eastern Swallow-tail, The, [193]
• Eastern-tailed Blue, [166]
• Edwards’ Hair-streak, [152];
• Marble-wing, [177]
• Eggs of butterflies, [27]
• Elfin, Banded, [156];
• Brown, [155];
• Hoary, [156]
• Emperor Butterflies, The, [114];
• Buff, [117];
• Red, [116];
• Tawny, [116]
• Envelopes for holding butterflies, [45]
• Eufala Skipper, [216]
• Eye, The pearly, [126]
• Eyed Nymphs, The, [125]
• Fairy Yellow, The, [184]
• Falcate Orange-tip, The, [176]
• Faun, The, [93]
• Fawn-edged Skipper, [217]
• Feet of butterflies, [16]
• Fiery Skipper, [215]
• Florida Blue-spot, The, [148]
• Florida White, The, [171];
• Yellow, [183]
• Fritillary, The Great-Spangled, [75];
• Gulf, [70];
• Little, [80];
• Meadow, [82];
• Mexican, [72];
• Regal, [73];
• Silver-bordered, [81];
• White Mountain, [81];
• Variegated, [71]
• Funereal Dusky-wing, [207]
• Gemmed Brown, The, [128]
• Georgian Satyr, The, [128]
• Giant Skippers, The, [222]
• Giant Swallow-tail, The, [192]
• Goat-weed Butterfly, The, [121];
• Morrison’s, [121]
• Godart’s Sulphur, [178]
• Golden-banded Skipper, The, [202]
• Golden Skipper, The, [211]
• Grass-nymph, The, [126], [127]
• Great, Copper, [160];
• Purple Hair-streak, [149];
• Southern
• White, [172]
• Green White-spotted Hair-streak, [158]
• Grimy Skipper, [222]
• Grizzled Skipper, [203]
• Gulf Yellow, The, [183]
• Hackberry Butterfly, The, [115]
• Hair-streaks, The, [22], [58], [147], [148];
• Acadian, [153];
• Banded, [153];
• Bahr’s, [158];
• Boisduval, [152];
• Brown-Margined, [155];
• Clytie, [159];
• Colorado, [150];
• Coral, [158];
• Common, [151];
• Early, [157];
• Edwards’, [152];
• Great Purple, [149];
• Green White-spotted, [158];
• Henry’s, [157];
• Olive, [154];
• Southern, [150];
• Striped, [154];
• Texas, [151];
• White-M, [149];
• Wittfeld’s, [151]
• Harris’ Checker-spot, [85]
• Harvester, The, [34], [159]
• Hayhurst’s Sooty-wing, [204]
• Head of butterfly, [14]
• Heliconians, The, [61], [67]
• Henry’s Hair-streak, [157]
• Hesperids, The, [199]
• Hoary-edge, The, [201]
• Hoary Elfin, The, [156]
• Hobomok Skipper, [221]
• Horace’s Dusky-wing, [207]
• Hunter’s Butterfly, [100]
• Indian Skipper, The, [212]
• Indian River Blue, [168]
• Iowa Dun, The, [210]
• Iowa Skipper, [220]
• Ithomiids, [22], [61], [64]
• Jars for poisoning insects, [42]
• Julia, [69]
• Juvenal’s Dusky-wing, [206]
• Karwinsky’s Beauty, [118]
• Katahdin Arctic, The, [141]
• Klug’s Dircenna, [66]
• Least, Checker-spot, [86];
• Copper, [161];
• Skipper, [210];
• Wood-nymph, [139]
• Legs of butterflies, [15]
• Leonard’s Skipper, [213]
• Leopard-spots, The, [106]
• Leto, [74]
• Little Dun, The, [209]
• Little Metal-mark, The, [145]
• Little Sulphur, The, [183]
• Little Wood-satyr, The, [129]
• Long-dash, The, [214]
• Long-tailed Skipper, The, [200]
• Lorquin’s Admiral, [113]
• Lucilius’ Dusky-wing, [205]
• Lycaste Butterfly, [65]
• Macglashan’s Checker-spot, [84]
• Macoun’s Arctic, [142]
• Magnolia Swallow-tail, The, [193]
• Malachites, The, [123];
• Pearly, [124]
• Many-spot, The, [146]
• Marble-wings, The, [177];
• Edwards’, [177];
• Rosy, [177]
• Marine Blue, [169]
• Martial’s Dusky-wing, [207]
• Meadow, Crescent-spot, The, [88];
• Fritillary, [82]
• Mead’s Satyr, [138]
• Metal-marks, The, [16], [58], [144];
• Little, [145];
• Northern, [145]
• Mexican Yellow, The, [183]
• Milbert’s Tortoise-shell, [98]
• Milkweed Butterfly, [36]
• Mimic, The, [109]
• Mohave Sooty-wing, The, [204]
• Monarch, The, [63]
• Mormons, The, [145];
• Palmer’s, [145]
• Morrison’s Goat-weed Butterfly, [121]
• Mountain Silver-spot, The, [78];
• Swallow-tail, [196]
• Mourning Cloak, The, [97]
• Mulberry-wing, The, [219]
• Mustard White, The, [173]
• Nets, for taking butterflies, [40]
• Newfoundland Swallow-tail, The, [195]
• New Mexican Sooty-wing, The, [204]
• Northern Dusky-wing, The, [201]
• Northern Metal-Mark, The, [145]
• Nova Scotian, The, [141]
• Ochre Ringlet, The, [131]
• Ocola Skipper, [216]
• Olive Hair-streak, [154]
• Orange-banded Red, The, [118]
• Orange-margined Blue, The, [164]
• Orange, Cadmium, [185]
• Orange, Small, [182]
• Orange Sulphur, The, [181]
• Orange-tips, The, [175];
• Falcate, [176];
• Lucas, [177];
• Western, [176]
• Pacific Tiger, [191]
• Painted Crescent-spot, The, [89]
• Painted Lady, The, [99], [102]
• Palatka Skipper, [218]
• Palmer’s Mormon, [145]
• Pamphilids, The, [208]
• Papaw Butterfly, The, [187]
• Parnassians, The, [185]
• Parnassian, Colorado, [186]
• Patch-spots, The, [91]
• Peacock Butterflies, [102]
• Peacock, The White, [104]
• Pearl Crescent, The, [87]
• Pearly Eye, The, [126]
• Pearly Malachite, The, [124]
• Peck’s Skipper, [215]
• Pepper-and-salt Skipper, [209]
• Petronius’ Dusky-wing, [206]
• Pinching butterflies to disable them, [43]
• Pins, insect, [47]
• Pipe-vine Swallow-tail, The, [197]
• Plain Ringlet, The, [131]
• Poey’s Crescent-spot, [90]
• Pontiac’s Skipper, [217]
• Proboscis of butterflies, [14]
• Purple, The Banded, [112]
• Purple, The Red-spotted, [111]
• Purple-wing, The Dingy, [105]
• Purplish Copper, The, [162]
• Pygmy Blue, [167]
• Queen, The, [64]
• Question-sign, The, [93]
• Reakirt’s Satyr, [139]
• Red Admiral, The, [99], [100]
• Red Emperor, The, [116]
• Red-margined Blue, [168]
• Red, The Orange-banded, [118]
• Red Satyr, The, [130]
• Red-spotted Purple, The, [111]
• Red-streaked Alpine, The, [133]
• Reds, The Banded, [117]
• Reef Butterfly, The, [197]
• Relaxing dried butterflies, [52]
• Rhodope, [80]
• Ridings’ Satyr, [134]
• Ringlets, The, [130]
• Ringlet, The Ochre, [131];
• The Plain, [131]
• Roadside Skipper, The, [208]
• Rosy Marble-wing, The, [117]
• Sachem, The, [214]
• Satyrs, The, [61], [124];
• Carolinian, [129];
• Georgian, [128];
• Mead’s, [138];
• Reakirt’s, [139];
• Red, [130];
• Ridings’, [134];
• Scudder’s, [135]
• Scales on wings of butterflies, [10]
• Scudder’s, Blue, [164];
• Satyr, [135]
• Setting blocks, [47]
• Silver-spot, The Mountain, [78]
• Sisters, The, [114];
• Californian, [114]
• Skippers, The, [22], [58], [198];
• Aaron’s, [220];
• Araxes, [199];
• Arctic, [209];
• Brazilian, [216];
• Broad-winged, [219];
• Canadian, [211];
• Cobweb, [212];
• Dun, [218];
• Dusted, [222];
• Eufala, [216];
• Fawn-edged, [217];
• Fiery, [215];
• Giant, [222];
• Golden, [211];
• Golden-banded, [202];
• Grimy, [222];
• Grizzled, [203];
• Hoary-edge, [201];
• Hobomok, [221];
• Indian, [212];
• Iowa, [220];
• Least, [210];
• Leonard’s, [213];
• Long-tailed, [200];
• Ocola, [216];
• Palatka, [218];
• Peck’s, [215];
• Pepper-and-salt, [209];
• Pontiac’s, [217];
• Red-tailed, [199];
• Roadside, [208];
• Silver-spotted, [200];
• Tessellated, [202];
• Uncas’, [213];
• Vernal, [218];
• Wisconsin, [212];
• Woven-winged, [209];
• Wright’s, [211];
• Yucca, [223];
• Zabulon, [221]
• Sleepy Dusky-wing, [205]
• Small, Orange, The, [182];
• Wood-nymph, [137]
• Snout-butterflies, The, [61], [142], [143];
• Common, [143]
• Sooty-wings, The, [203];
• Catullus’, [203];
• Common, [203];
• Hayhurst’s, [204];
• Mohave, [204];
• New Mexican, [204]
• Southern, Dog-face, [179];
• Dusky-wing, [201];
• Hair-streak, [150];
• Wood-nymph, [136]
• Spangled-Nymphs, The, [127]
• Spice-bush Swallow-tail, The, [193]
• Striped Hair-streak, The, [154]
• Sulphurs, The, [179];
• Common, [180];
• Cloudless, [178];
• Godart’s, [178];
• Little, [183];
• Great, [177];
• Orange, [181]
• Swallow-tails, The, [58], [170], [186];
• Eastern, [193];
• Giant, [192];
• Magnolia, [193];
• Mountain, [196];
• Newfoundland, [195];
• Pipe-vine, [197];
• Pacific Tiger, [191];
• Spice-bush, [193];
• Three-tailed, [192];
• Tiger, [188];
• Two-tailed, [191];
• Western, [196];
• White-striped
• Tiger, [191]
• Tawny Emperor, The, [116]
• Tessellated Skipper, The, [202]
• Texan Crescent-spot, The, [90]
• Texas, Bag-vein, The, [106];
• Hair-streak, [151]
• Thistle-butterfly, The, [102]
• Thorax of butterfly, [15]
• Three-tailed Swallow-tail, [192]
• Tiger, Pacific, [191]
• Tiger Swallow-tail, The, [191]
• Toper, The, [95]
• Tortoise-shells, The, [96];
• Compton, [98];
• Milbert’s, [98]
• Tropic Queens, The, [108]
• Two-tailed Swallow-tail, [191]
• Uncas’ Skipper, [213]
• Varied Blue, [169]
• Vernal Skipper, [218]
• Viceroy, The, [103]
• Violet-wings, The, [104]
• Waiter, The, [108]
• Western, Swallow-tail, The, [196];
• Tailed Blue, [166];
• Orange-tip, [176]
• West Indian Blue, [167]
• Whirlabout, The, [213]
• Whites, The, [171];
• Cabbage, [173];
• Common, [172];
• Florida, [171];
• Great Southern, [172];
• Mustard, [173]
• White Admirals, The, [110]
• White-M Hair-streak, The, [149]
• White Mountain Butterfly, The, [141]
• White Mountain Fritillary, The, [81]
• White Peacock, The, [104]
• White-skirted Calico, The, [123]
• White-striped Tiger Swallow-tail, [191]
• Wings of butterflies, [16]
• Wisconsin Skipper, The, [212]
• Wittfeld’s Hair-streak, [151]
• Wood-nymphs, The, [135];
• Clouded, [137];
• Common, [136];
• Dark, [138];
• Least, [139];
• Small, [137];
• Southern, [136]
• Wood-satyr, The Little, [129]
• Woven-winged Skipper, [209]
• Wright’s Skipper, [211]
• Yellows, The, [181];
• Dwarf, [175];
• Fairy, [184];
• Florida, [183];
• Gulf, [183];
• Mexican, [183]
• Yucca Skipper, [223]
• Zabulon Skipper, [221]
• Zebra, The, [67]

INDEX OF FAMILIES, SUBFAMILIES, GENERA, AND SPECIES, ACCORDING TO THEIR SCIENTIFIC OR LATIN NAMES