Sunrise Skipper (Adopaeoides prittwitzi [Plötz])
Wing span: 7/8 - 1 inch (2.2 - 2.5 cm).
Identification: Upperside is orange, with dark borders and dark veins on both wings. Underside is yellow-orange; hindwing has a white stripe from the base to the outer margin.
Life history: To find females, males patrol with a weak flight over flowers and grasses at springs.
Flight: Two broods from May-October.
Caterpillar hosts: Knotgrass (Paspalum distichum) in the grass family (Poaceae).
Adult food: Nectar of watercress, Bidens, and other flowers.
Habitat: Native upland marshes and springs.
Range: Southern Arizona, southwest Texas, and Mexico.
Conservation: Populations should be conserved wherever found. Care should be taken not to drain springs or to change the integrity of the habitat.
The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G3 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout its range).
