Orcus chequered skipper

Distribution

Oaxaca and Chiapas to Argentina, Trinidad to Dominica

Behavior

Both sexes bask on low herbage, bare ground or stones, with wings outspread. They have a rapid darting flight, always close to the ground. Males are territorial, using stones or small fallen branches as perches from which they dart up to intercept females or to challenge other males.

The butterflies visit a variety of low growing flowering plants for nectar, feeding with the wings held half open. At dusk they go to roost on dead flowers or on the terminal leaves of herbaceous plants growing in semi-open habitats such as grassy forest clearings, or along the edge of roadsides.

Habitat

This butterfly can be found in a wide variety of disturbed semi-open habitats including pastures, forest glades and clearings, roadsides, grassland / forest mosaics and farmland. It can be found at elevations up to at least 1800m.

Reproduction

The eggs are cream in colour and laid singly on the upperside of leaves. The caterpillar is yellowish green with darker blotches, a thin line along the back, and a black head. It feeds on the leaves of Malvastrum and Sida (Malvaceae). The pupa is greenish, or reddish-brown with a dark line along the back.