Skippers are a family of the Lepidoptera named the Hesperiidae. Being diurnal, they are generally called butterflies. They were previously placed in a separate superfamily, Hesperioidea; however, the most recent taxonomy places the family in the superfamily Papilionoidea, the butterflies. They are named for their quick, darting flight habits. Most have their antenna tips modified into narrow, hook-like projections. Moreover, skippers mostly have an absence of wing-coupling structure available in most moths. More than 3500 species of skippers are recognized, and they occur worldwide, but with the greatest diversity in the Neotropical regions of Central and South America.
The Astictopterini are a tribe in the Hesperiinae subfamily of skipper butterflies. As most Hesperiinae have not yet been assigned to tribes, more genera may be placed here eventually.
Kedestes is a genus of skippers in the family Hesperiidae, commonly known as rangers. The genus is restricted to the Afrotropical realm, where it occurs mostly in the East and South. The larvae of several species feed on grasses. It is thought to be related to Ampittia.
Trida sarahae, or Sarah's ranger, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is only known from the Cederberg mountains in the Western Cape.
Kedestes niveostriga, the dark ranger or dark skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is only known from the Cederberg mountains in the Western Cape.
Metisella aegipan, the mountain sylph or Shaka's ranger, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in the mountains of the Cape in South Africa and in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Lesotho. The habitat consists of wetlands, marshy places, and grassy gullies in montane grassland.
Nervia mohozutza, the fulvous ranger or harlequin skipper, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found from South Africa to Kenya, Zaire and Uganda.
Nervia nerva, the scarce ranger or scarce skipper, is a species of butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Angola and north-western Zambia.
Nervia chaca, commonly known as Shaka's ranger or Shaka's skipper, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in South Africa, from the southern and eastern slopes of the Drakensberg foothills in the eastern Cape through the Kokstad area into KwaZulu-Natal.
Dotta callicles, the pale ranger, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in South Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Ampittia capenas, the riverine ranger or African bush hopper, is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae.
Nervia heathi is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Zambia.
Kedestes lema, the Lema ranger, is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The habitat consists of Brachystegia woodland.
Kedestes marshalli, Marshall's ranger, is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Zimbabwe.
Nervia michaeli, or Michael's ranger, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Zambia and Zimbabwe. The habitat consists of damp, grassy hollows in montane grassland.
Nervia nancy is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Kenya.
Nervia protensa, the West African ranger, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, northern Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, southern Sudan, Uganda, western Tanzania, Zambia and Angola. The habitat consists of Guinea savanna and open montane areas.
Nervia pinheyi is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in north-western Zambia.
Kedestes sublineata, the black-veined ranger, is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Namibia. The habitat consists of dry savanna.
Gorgyra johnstoni, Johnston's ranger or Johnston's skipper, is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found along the coast of Kenya and in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Shaba), Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and eastern Zimbabwe. The habitat consists of forests, riverine forests, forest margins, Brachystegia woodland and woodland.
