{{Short description|Subfamily of butterflies}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Silver-spotted skipper butterfly (Hesperia comma) female.jpg | image_caption = | image2 = Silver-spotted skipper butterfly (Hesperia comma) female underside.jpg | image2_caption = both ''Hesperia comma''<br>Oxfordshire | taxon = Hesperiinae | authority = Latreille, 1809 | subdivision_ranks = Tribes | subdivision_ref = <ref name="TOL" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Cong |first1=Qian |last2=Zhang |first2=Jing |last3=Shen |first3=Jinhui |last4=Grishin |first4=Nick |date=2019 |title=Fifty new genera of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera) |journal=Insecta Mundi |volume=0731 |pages=1–56}}</ref> | subdivision = *Aeromachini *Astictopterini *Baorini *Ceratrichiini *Erionotini *Gretnini *Hesperiini *Eetionini<ref name="Zhang">{{Cite journal |last1=Zhang |first1=Jing |last2=Cong |first2=Qian |last3=Shen |first3=Jinhui |last4=Grishin |first4=Nick |date=2022-03-14 |title=Taxonomic changes suggested by the genomic analysis of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera) |url=https://journals.flvc.org/mundi/article/view/130468 |journal=Insecta Mundi |volume=2022 |issue=921 |pmid=35370352 |pmc=8975183 |language=en}}</ref> *Ismini<ref name="Zhang" /> *Megathymini *Pericharini<ref name="Li-2019">{{cite journal |last1=Li |first1=Wenlin |last2=Cong |first2=Qian |last3=Shen |first3=Jinhui |last4=Zhang |first4=Jing |last5=Hallwachs |first5=Winnie |last6=Janzen |first6=Daniel H. |last7=Grishin |first7=Nick V. |title=Genomes of skipper butterflies reveal extensive convergence of wing patterns |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |date=26 March 2019 |volume=116 |issue=13 |doi=10.1073/pnas.1821304116 |pmid=30877254 |bibcode=2019PNAS..116.6232L |at=Supporting Information: Appendix pp.10–24 |doi-access=free |pmc=6442542 }}</ref> *Psolosini<ref name="Zhang" /> *Taractrocerini }}
'''Grass skippers''' or '''banded skippers'''<ref name="Daniels">{{cite book | last = Daniels | first = Jaret C. | title = Butterflies of the Carolinas | publisher = Adventure Publications, Inc | year = 2003 | location = Cambridge, MN | page = 9| isbn = 1-59193-007-3}}</ref> are butterflies of the subfamily '''Hesperiinae''', part of the skipper family, Hesperiidae. The subfamily was established by Pierre André Latreille in 1809.<ref name="TOL" />
==Description and distribution== With over 2,000 described species, this is the largest skipper butterfly subfamily and occurs worldwide except in New Zealand.<ref name="Boggs" /> About 50 percent of grass skippers live in the Neotropics.<ref name="Kükenthal" /> 137 species are native to North America. Around 38 species are native to Australia.<ref name="Kitching" /> Genera ''Ochlodes'' and ''Hesperia'' exist exclusively in the Holarctic.<ref name="Kristensen" />
They are usually orange, rust, or brown in colour and have pointed forewings.<ref name="Daniels"/> Many species have dark markings or black stigmas on their forewings.<ref name="Daniels"/> Most members of this subfamily have an oval antenna club with an apiculus on the tip, although ''Carterocephalus'' and ''Piruna'' do not.<ref name="Scott" /> The antennae generally has a sharp bend.
Hesperiinae larvae feed on many different types of grasses and sedges and palms, though some species are limited.<ref name="Scott" /><ref name="Minno" />
Adults typically visit flowers and hold their wings together while feeding.<ref name="Daniels"/> Hesperiinae are unique in that they hold their wings partially open while resting, with the forewings and hindwings held at different angles. This is known as the "jet-plane position".<ref name="Brock" /> Most male grass skippers perch to await females.<ref name="Scott" />
Adults are strong fliers; they move quickly and usually in a linear direction. Some of the species, however, do flutter and these species patrol for females rather than perch.<ref name="Scott" /> == Conservation == The following grass skippers are considered at risk.<ref name="Beyer" />
{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Species !! Status !! Location |- | Silver spotted skipper || Rare, Protected (UK) || Europe |- | Lulworth skipper || Protected (UK) || Europe |- | Orange grass-dart skipper || Rare || Australia |- | White-banded grass-dart skipper || Rare || Australia |- | Arogos skipper || Endangered (USA states IL, NJ, NY), Threatened (USA state MN), Species of Concern (USA state IA) || North America |- | Loammi skipper<ref>{{cite web | url=https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.110938/Atrytonopsis_loammi | title=NatureServe Explorer 2.0 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://indd.adobe.com/view/9502ec1c-89dc-4c07-82b1-f098ad600878 | title=Publish Online }}</ref> || G2 Imperiled (Global), S2 Imperiled, Species of Greatest Conservation Need (USA state FL) || North America |- | Byssus skipper || Endangered (USA Federal listing) || North America |- | Carson wandering skipper || Endangered (USA Federal listing) || North America |- | Dukes' skipper || Threatened (US state (MI) || North America |- | Dakota skipper || Threatened (Canada), Endangered (Canada province MB), Federal Candidate (USA), Vulnerable (ICUN) || North America |- | Mardon skipper || Endangered (USA state WA & Federal Candidate USA) || North America |- | Otto skipper || Endangered (Canada), Threatened (Canada province MB), Threatened (USA states (IL, MI, MN) || North America |- | Pawnee montane skipper || Threatened (USA Federal listing) || North America |- | Poweshiek skipperling || Threatened (Canada), Endangered (USA state WI), Threatened (USA state IA, MI), Species of Concern (USA state MN) || North America |- | Rare skipper || Endangered (US state DE) || North America |- | Wandering skipper || Threatened (Mexico, USA) || North America |}
== References == {{Reflist |refs= <ref name="Scott">{{cite book | last=Scott | first=James A. | title=The Butterflies of North America A Natural History and Field Guide | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Oa5m8gZcGjMC | publisher=Stanford University Press | year=1986 | isbn=0-8047-2013-4 | page=424-425 }} </ref> <ref name="Minno">{{cite thesis |last=Minno |first=Marc C. |date=1994 |title=Immature stages of the skipper butterflies (Lepidoptera: hesperiidae) of the United States : biology, morphology, and descriptions |degree=PhD |type=PhD |publisher=University of Florida |url=http://uf.catalog.fcla.edu/permalink.jsp?20UF032523587 |access-date=2018-09-11 |pages=18 }} </ref> <ref name="Beyer">{{cite thesis |last=Beyer |first=Loni Jean |date=2009 |title=Oviposition Selection by a Rare Grass Skipper, Polites mardon, in Montane Habitats: Advancing Ecological Understanding for Developing Conservation Strategies |degree=PhD |type=PhD |publisher=Washington State University Vancouver |url=https://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/documents/inventories/inv-rpt-iile-poma-loni-beyer-thesis-wsu-2009-05.pdf |access-date=2018-09-16 |pages=40–41 }} </ref> <ref name="Kitching">{{cite book |editor1-last=Kitching |editor1-first=R.L. |editor2-last=Scheermeyer |editor2-first=E. |editor3-last=Jones |editor3-first=R.E. |editor4-last=Pierce |editor4-first=N.E. |title=Biology of Australian Butterflies |date=1999 |publisher=CSIRO Publishing |location=Collingwood, Victoria, Australia |isbn=0-6430-5027-2 |page=71}} </ref> <ref name="Boggs">{{cite book |editor1-last=Boggs |editor1-first=Carol L. |editor2-last=Watt |editor2-first=Ward B. |editor3-last=Ehrlich |editor3-first=Paul R. |title=Butterflies Ecology and Evolution Taking Flight |date=2003 |publisher=The University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago and London |isbn=0-226-06317-8 |page=480}} </ref> <ref name="Kükenthal">{{cite book |last=Kükenthal |first=Willy |editor1-last=Schmidt-Rhaesa |editor1-first=Andreas |editor2-last=Kristensen |editor2-first=Niels P. |title=VOLUME 1: EVOLUTION, SYSTEMATICS, AND BIOGEOGRAPHY |date=1999 |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |location=Berlin and New York |isbn=9-783-11015-704-8 |page=274}} </ref> <ref name="Brock">{{cite book |last1=Brock |first1=Jim P. |last2=Kaufman |first2=Kenn |title=Kaufman Focus Guides Butterflies of North America |date=2003 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Company |location=New York |isbn=0618254005 |page=302}} </ref> <ref name="Kristensen">{{cite book |last1=Kristensen |first1=Niels P. |title=Lepidoptera, moths, and butterflies |date=1999 |publisher=De Gruyter |location=Berlin |isbn=9783110157048 |page=274 |volume=4 |issue=36}} </ref> <ref name="TOL">{{cite web |last1=Brower |first1=Andrew V.Z. |last2=Warren |first2=Andrew |title=Hesperiinae Latreille 1809 |url=http://www.tolweb.org/Hesperiinae/12155 |website=The Tree of Life Web Project |access-date=5 October 2018}} </ref>
}}
==External links== {{Wikispecies|Hesperiinae}} {{commons category|Hesperiinae}} * [http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/hesperioidea/hesperiidae/hesperiinae/index.html Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms]: Preliminary species list. Version of 6 April 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2007. *[http://www.cirrusimage.com/skipper_photos.htm Reference photographs: Skippers of North America] Cirrus Digital Imaging *[http://www.tolweb.org/Hesperiinae/12155 TOL] *[http://www.metafro.be/lepidoptera/browse?family=Hesperiinae RMCA] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211155837/http://www.metafro.be/lepidoptera/browse?family=Hesperiinae |date=2012-02-11 }} Images of types. *[https://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/hesperiinae/ Flickr]
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Category:Grass skippers Category:Taxa named by Pierre André Latreille