1. Rather small butterflies. Usually known as 'Skippers'. Rather dull coloured.
2. None in Sri Lanka are tailed. All have hooked antennae. Some members cannot be distinguished without studying complete life history and male genitalia.
3. All the six legs are perfect and fit for walking (Picture 01).
4. They skip from flower to flower or swift around, fly fast and come back to the previous resting position again or revisits the flowers time to time (Picture 03).
5. Most of the Hesperidae prefer to fly in the hottest sun shine; others only on the wing at dawn and dusk (some of these group can be seen active in dark forest habitats) and during the day they settle under leaves or among rocks.
6. Positioning of wings when rest as follows,
- Settle with wings quite flat - Flats and Awls (Picture 02)
- Wings laid along back one (forewing) on the other (hindwing) , typical moth type - Eg. Gomalia
- Forewing closed, hindwing open - rest of the majority
- Wings closed - almost all.
7. Egg Domed, smooth or ribbed, white or red.
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Picture 01.a - Domed, smooth, white egg |
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Picture 01. b - Domed, ribbed, red egg |
Family Hesperidae in Sri Lanka
There are 49 species in Sri Lanka with two endemic species
Table. Number of Species from each genus
| Genus |
Group |
Number of Species |
Endemic |
| Bibasis |
Awl/Awlet |
2 |
|
| Caprona |
Angle |
2 |
|
| Catloris |
Swift |
2 |
|
| Gangara |
Red Eye |
2 |
|
| Halpe |
Ace |
2 |
|
| Hasora |
Banded Awl |
3 |
|
| Notocrypta |
Demon |
2 |
|
| Pelopidas |
Swift |
2 |
|
| Potanthus |
Dart |
3 |
|
| Suastus |
Bob |
2 |
|
| Tagiades |
Snow Flat |
2 |
|
| Telicota |
Palm Dart |
2 |
|
| Other |
|
23 |
2 |
| Total |
|
49 |
2 |
Species Account
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