The Butterflies of the World Foundation

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Arogos Skipper

Atrytone arogos, Boisduval & Le Conte, (1837)

Subfamily Hesperiinae

Tribe Hesperiini

Taxonomy

The family Hesperiidae includes all butterflies that are collectively called skippers because of their fast skipping flight.  This family is the sole member of the Superfamily Hesperioidea.  Whereas, the other five families of butterflies belong to the Superfamily Papilionoidea.  So, skippers are considered butterflies, but they have a few traits different than the species of “True” butterflies found in the Superfamily Papilionoidea.  Some of these traits include large eyes, short antennae (often with hooked clubs) and stout bodies.  Most also have a very rapid flight with a fast, almost blurred, wing beat.  There are about 3,500 species of skippers and they’re further divided into seven subfamilies.  They occur worldwide with more found in the tropics. Most species are brown or tan, but some tropical members can be quite colorful.

Atrytone arogos, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 26 May 2006                                                                                    Ref #:  I-351-18

Atrytone arogos, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 5 August 2010                                                                               Ref #:  I-450-4.3

Atrytone arogos, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 22 August 2008                                                                              Ref #:  I-401-18.3

Atrytone arogos, Pontotoc Ridge Preserve, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, 14 June 2008

                                                                                                 Ref #:  I-389-14

Atrytone arogos, near Welda Preserve, Anderson County, Kansas, 15 June 2009

                                                                                              Ref #:  I-423-16.1

Atrytone arogos, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 11 June 2009

                                                      Ref #:  I-420-11.3

Atrytone arogos, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 3 June 2006                                                                                    Ref #:  I-354-11

Atrytone arogos, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 2 June 2010

                                                         Ref #:  I-439-6

Atrytone arogos, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 2 June 2010

                                                       Ref #:  I-439-4.5

Atrytone arogos, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 2 June 2010

                                                          Ref #:  I-439-5

Atrytone arogos, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 5 August 2010                                                                               Ref #:  I-451-3.2

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Atrytone arogos, captured by robber fly, Efferia sp., Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge, Comanche County, Oklahoma, 10 June 2006

                                                      Ref #:  I-356-11.5

Atrytone arogos, captured by crab spider, Pontotoc Ridge Preserve, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, 14 June 2008                                                                Ref #:  SP-184-4

Atrytone arogos, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 26 May 2006                                                                                   Ref #:  I-352-8.1

Atrytone arogos, Four Canyon Preserve, Ellis County, Oklahoma, 28 May 2011

                                                                                               Ref #:  I-484-5.3

Atrytone arogos, right, Ottoe Skipper, Hesperia ottoe, left, Crossline Skipper, Polites origenes, center, Four Canyon Preserve, Ellis County, Oklahoma, 28 May 2011

                                                                                               Ref #:  I-484-5.3

General Information:

Atrytone arogos belongs to the subfamily Hesperiinae.  This rare and endangered species is found in isolated colonies in Georgia, peninsular Florida, the Gulf Coast, southeast North Dakota and central Minnesota south to South Texas and the Colorado front range.  It strays to west Virginia, northern Arkansas and Illinois.  Its preferred habitat includes relatively undisturbed grasslands, prairies, sand prairies and serpentine barrens.

Lifecycle:

The larval food source includes big bluestem, Andropogon gerardi, and probably other native grasses.  To wait for receptive females, males perch on low vegetation near host plants in the afternoon.  Females deposit eggs singly under host plant leaves.  Caterpillars feed on leaves and live in tents of two leaves silked together.  Fourth instar caterpillars hibernate, complete their feeding the next spring, and pupate in a leaf cocoon in vegetation about 3 feet above the ground.

Atrytone arogos, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 22 August 2008                                                                                Ref #:  I-401-19