| Taractrocera maevius | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Hesperiidae |
| Genus: | Taractrocera |
| Species: | T. maevius |
| Binomial name | |
| Taractrocera maevius (Fabricius, 1793) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Taractrocera maevius, the common grass dart, [1] is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found in India, [1] Sri Lanka and Myanmar. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Male. Upperside olive-brown, with yellowish-white markings. Forewing with a short streak on the median vein in the middle of the cell, another above it at the upper end, with two short small streaks between it and the costa, sometimes connected together; a series of spots in two parts across the disc, three conjoined from the costa near the apex, and four commencing at the base of the second median interspace, divided from each other by the veins, all the spots somewhat quadrate and excavated on their outward sides, two small quadrate spots nearer the margin in the fifth and sixth interspaces. Hindwing with a series of small spots in almost a straight line in the middle of the disc. Cilia of both wings grey with white tips. Underside with the colour similar, almost as dark as on the upperside, markings similar, but on the hindwing there is a bar across the end of the cell, and two small sub-apical spots outside it. Antennse black with white bands, the club with a white basal patch on the underside; palpi above grey with some white hairs, pure white on the underside; head and body concolorous with the wings, abdomen with white segmental bands. Female. Upperside like the male, but somewhat paler, the spots larger and more prominent. Underside with the markings as on the upperside. Forewing with the costal and apical portions whitish, the veins below the costa and at the apex white, a narrow, white outer marginal band and a black marginal line. Hindwing entirely suffused with white, all the veins pure white.
The common grass dart is similar in size and markings to the Tamil grass dart Taractrocera ceramas Hewitson, but the spots on the forewings is white. It shares its habits and habitat with the Tamil grass dart. However, it is also found away from the hills and is widespread in the plains of Indian peninsula. In flight, it can resemble the grass blues (Zizeeria spp.).
It is one of the most common of the skippers in the grasslands of the Western Ghats and occurs from low elevations up to montane grasslands. It is also found in grassy clearings in the forests and in rice fields. It occurs in the monsoon and immediate post-monsoon months when the vegetation is green, but occasional specimens may appear in other seasons as well.
The caterpillars feed on various species of grasses, including rice, Oryza sativa . [6]
Bibasis gomata, commonly known as the pale green awlet, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Northeast India, the Western Ghats and parts of Southeast Asia. The butterfly was reassigned to genus Burara by Vane-Wright and de Jong (2003) and is considered by them to be Burara gomata.
Hasora badra, the common awl, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae, which is found in India.
Aeromachus dubius, the dingy scrub-hopper, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It ranges from India to China, including Malaya, Assam, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Hainan and Yunnan.
Aeromachus pygmaeus, the pygmy scrub-hopper is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. The species range is from India to Burma and Thailand.
Caltoris canaraica, the Kanara swift, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae.
Halpe homolea, the Indian ace or Ceylon ace, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae.
Halpe porus, commonly known as Moore's ace, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae, found in India.
Pelopidas conjuncta, the conjoined swift, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae found in India.
Quedara basiflava, the yellow-base flitter or golden flitter, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae and is endemic to India's Western Ghats.
Taractrocera ceramas, commonly known as the Tamil grass dart, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found from the Western Ghats to Mumbai, in the hills of southern India, in northeast India to northern Burma and in south-eastern China.
Telicota colon, commonly known as the pale palm dart or common palm dart, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found from India to Australia.
Thoressa astigmata, the southern spotted ace, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. The species was first described by Charles Swinhoe in 1890. It is endemic to the Western Ghats of India and is found in the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Celaenorrhinus ruficornis, commonly known as the Tamil spotted flat, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae which is found in India, Java, and the Sulawesi Region.
Gerosis bhagava, also known as the common yellow-breast flat, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae.
Spialia galba, the Indian grizzled skipper, is a hesperiid butterfly which is found in South Asia and parts of Southeast Asia.
Luthrodes pandava also called the Plains Cupid or cycad blue, is a species of lycaenid butterfly found in South Asia, Myanmar, United Arab Emirates, Indochina, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Java, Sumatra and the Philippines. They are among the few butterflies that breed on cycads, known for their leaves being toxic to most vertebrates.
Colotis fausta, the large salmon Arab, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is found in Israel, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, India, Arabia, Chad, Somalia and United Arab Emirates.
Appias libythea, the striped albatross, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is found in south and southeast Asia.
Byblia ilithyia, the spotted joker or joker, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in parts of Africa and Asia.
Arhopala amantes, the large oakblue, is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in Asia.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : Swinhoe, Charles (1912–1913). Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. X. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. p. 115.  | This Hesperiinae-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |