Hesperia sassacus

Hesperia sassacus, the Indian skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae.

Indian skipper
On Canada hawkweed
Conservation status
Secure  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Hesperiidae
Genus:	Hesperia
Species:	H. sassacus
Binomial name
Hesperia sassacus Harris, 1862

Taxonomy

The following subspecies are recognised:^[2]

• Hesperia sassacus sassacus Harris, 1862
• Hesperia sassacus manitoboides (Fletcher, 1889)
• Hesperia sassacus nantahala Gatrelle & Grkovich, 2003

Description

The wingspan is 25–30 mm. The flight period is late May to early July.^[3]

Museum specimen

Distribution and habitat

It is found from northeastern U.S., and in Canada in southwestern New Brunswick and in a broad band from the Eastern Townships of Quebec through to southern Manitoba.^[3]

Ecology and behaviour

The larvae feed on nodding fescue (Festuca obtusa), poverty grass (Danthonia spicata), and panic grass (Panicum), Bouteloua, Andropogon, Aristida, and Poaceae species.^[3][4]