![skipper caterpillar skipper caterpillar](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/70/54/35/7054357f5ad214088c4cc28dd09319d8.jpg)
In Hawaii, both these parasitoids were introduced to good effect. In Guam, Apanteles erionotae was introduced, but not Ooencyrtus erionotae, which was found to be present and probably came in with the introduction of its host. Heavy rains also bring about death of the young caterpillars, and wind reduces populations by shredding the banana leaves so that the caterpillars cannot make their protective rolls. Guam, Hawaii and Mauritius have introduced the egg parasite, Ooencyrtus erionotae, and the larval parasite Apanteles erionotae. There are several parasitic wasps and flies that attack the banana skipper. The banana skipper butterfly spreads as eggs on leaves of banana plants used as planting material, and, possibly, longer distances in vehicles, boats and planes. The moth is brown with three yellow spots on the forewings. The adult male has a wingspan of 70-75 mm, and the female about 80 mm (Photos 5&6).
![skipper caterpillar skipper caterpillar](https://naturebftb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Large-Skipper-larva-2019-Andy-Wyldes-1024.jpg)
The pupae, too, are covered in a white wax (Photo 4). Pupation occurs inside the leaf roll, and takes about 10 days. All except the first stage is covered in a white waxy powder this and the fact that older caterpillars close their rolls more securely than younger ones, allows them to survive heavy rains. There are five larval stages over 30 days. The caterpillars, which are pale green with a distinctive shiny black head (Photo 2), make their way to the edge of the leaf to feed and to make the characteristic rolls (Photo 3). If a caterpillar rolls the leaf near to the roll of another caterpillar it abandons the roll, and starts again on another part of the same leaf or makes its way to another leaf. The Dun skipper lives in moist areas that are close to woods, water areas such as small streams, bogs, meadows and swamps.The caterpillars do the damage by shredding the leaves and making numerous rolls of the leaf blade, up to 15 cm long, in order to feed safely inside them (Photo 1).Įggs, 2 mm diameter, are laid singly or in groups of up to 25, mostly on the underside of banana leaves. The Dun Skipper makes a leaf tent by sewing together leaves with silk threads. How does the Dun Skipper make a leaf tent?
Skipper caterpillar Patch#
The male Dun Skipper has a patch of scent on its wings that is called a stigma. What is the patch of scent that the male Dun Skipper uses to attract females? The adult Dun Skipper likes purple, pink and white flowers the most. The caterpillar of the Dun Skipper eats leaves from trees or grasses and the adult drinks nectar from plants. The Dun Skipper is a butterfly that is found in North America and Canada. The Dun Skipper caterpillar makes leaf tents by sewing together leaves with silk threads.The caterpillar of the Dun Skipper is silver and will turn brown and have oval spots later in life.
![skipper caterpillar skipper caterpillar](http://www.haysophill.com/butterflies-folder/images/long-tailed-skipper/Long-tailed%20Skipper%20caterpillar%20IMG_8368_g5i6.jpg)