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Hoary Edge - Achalarus lyciades

 

Classification

 Kingdom: Animalia
 Phylum: Arthropoda
 Class: Insecta
 Order: Lepidoptera
 Family: Hesperiidae
 Genus: Achalarus

Description

Hoary EdgeThe hoary edge has a wingspan of 1.5 to 2 inches. It has triangular forewings that are dark brown on the upperside. It has a yellow to orange-gold band of spots in the center of its forewing on both sides. The undersides of its hindwings are brownish black with blackish brown spots in the center and a frosty-white band around the edges.  

Range

mapThe hoary edge is found from Minnesota east to New Hampshire and south to Texas and Florida.

Habitat

The hoary edge is found in open woodlands and brushy areas with oak and pine trees and sandy soil. It is also found in meadows, gardens, and on roadsides.

Diet

Hoary EdgeThe hoary edge caterpillar eats plants in the legume or Fabaceae family, especially bush clover, false indigo, and tick trefoil. The adult eats nectar from a variety of flowers including milkweed, dogbane, buttonbush, and Japanese honeysuckle.

Life Cycle

The male hoary edge selects a spot on a tree or shrub 3-6 feet above the ground, perches, and waits for a female. He defends his spot from other males and gives chase if one gets too close! The female lays one egg at a time on the underside of a leaf. In the northern part of its range, the hoary edge produces one brood a year. In the southern part of its range, it produces two broods a year. The larvae have a black head and a green body with yellowish-orange dots.