Gegenes pumilio
Encyclopedia
The Pigmy Skipper or Dark Hottentot (Gegenes pumilio), is a butterfly
of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea
through Anatolia
to the Himalaya and south in the whole of Africa
.
The length of the forewings is about 14 mm. Adults are on wing from April to October in multiple generations.
The larvae feed on various grasses, including Gramineae and Ehrharta erecta
.
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
through Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
to the Himalaya and south in the whole of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
The length of the forewings is about 14 mm. Adults are on wing from April to October in multiple generations.
The larvae feed on various grasses, including Gramineae and Ehrharta erecta
Ehrharta erecta
Ehrharta erecta is a species of grass also known as panic veldtgrass. The species is native to Southern Africa and Yemen. It is a documented invasive species in the United States, New Zealand, Australia, southern Europe, and China....
.
Subspecies
- Gegenes pumilio pumilio
- Gegenes pumilio gambica (Africa, Arabia to Lebanon, Turkey to northern Pakistan, Kashmir)
- Gegenes pumilio monochroa