photo.moments: Butterflies of Burnihat, Assam (part-2)

In this part I will try to cover a butterfly group called skippers which are found here. Skippers are small butterflies belongs to Family Hesperiidae and in India around 320 species are found. They sometimes mistaken for moths and they differ from true butterflies in body morphology and small angular wings. They are rapid fighters, hence the name skippers. Most of them are active during early and late hours of the day. They can be seen on Lantana and other bushes during early morning and on cloudy days. Not all of them are very attractive as other butterflies. Most of the skippers are difficult to identify by just one side view, and some can be identified up to species level only from capturing and doing close observation. Here in Burnihat I able to document around 20 species till now.

The data on wingspan and status of these species I derived from the book 'The Book of Indian Butterflies' by Mr. Isaac Kehimkar. Status of a species described as common, locally common, not common, not rare and rare.

1. Grass Demon (Udaspes folus)

I found this one in the campus in rainy season several times. Can be seen on Lantana flowers or perching on some bush.
Wingspan : 40-48mm

Status : Not Uncommon

2. Indian Skipper (Spialia galba)

A small skipper, mainly found on grasses and herbs. May be common, but due to its small size I found only couple of times here.

Wingspan : 20-27mm

Status : Common

3. Common Redeye (Matapa aria)
Medium sized brown skipper with dashing red eye. Saw only once roadside on Lantana. Known to remain hidden among bamboo thickets during daytime and can be seen along road or paths in early morning and dusk. But I found this one stayed on that Lantana bush almost for entire day, may be due to heavy cloudy conditions prevailing on that day.

Wingspan : 40-55mm

Status : Common

4. Redeye spp (Matapa spp)
This is another Red eye spp. spotted here only for a while among thick bushes on hilly side of the campus. Species yet to be confirmed.
wingspan: n/a
status: n/a

5. Common Snow Flat (Tagiades japetus)
Flats, unlike other skippers hod their wings spread flat open. They are rapid fliers. This one is the largest among other flats found here.
Wingspan : 45-50mm
Status : Not Rare

6. Water Snow Flat (Tagiades litigiosa)
Spotted only few times here in hilly side of the campus.
Wingspan : 37-44mm
Status : Not Rare

7. Common Small Flat (Sarangesa dasahara)
Smallest one among other flats found here. Spotted fairly good number of times.
Wingspan : 26-35mm
Status : Common

8. Fulvous Pied Flat (Pseudocoladenia dan)
Common among flats found here. Can be seen on Lantana and other shrubs roadside. In first week of November this year seeing them in very large number. Almost 18-20 of them found on roadside bushes when walked distance about half an kilometre.
Wingspan : 40-46mm
Status : Common

9. Chestnut Bob (Iambrix salsala)
Common skipper in the campus. Can be seen on roadside bushes early morning.
wingspan: 26-30mm
status: Common

10. Indian Palm Bob (Suastus gremius)
wingspan: 32-45mm
status: Common

11. Dark Palm Dart (Telicota bambusae)
wingspan: 33-36mm
status: Common

12. Bush Hopper (Ampittia dioscorides)
Another common skipper in the campus. Can be seen on grasses very early in the morning. Once saw egg laying on ferns which were plenty around the pond.
wingspan: 22-28mm
status: Locally Common

13. Tiger Hopper (Ochus subvittatus)
A rare skipper to spot. Only once spotted in hilly side of the campus.
wingspan: 22-25mm
status: Not rare

14. Pigmy Scrub Hopper (Aeromachus pygmaeus)
A small skipper seen on grasses in open field.
wingspan: 20-22mm
status: Common

15. Moore's Ace (Halpe porus)

Seen few times in the campus. Can be seen on roadside bushes basking with open wings early morning.
wingspan: 32mm
status: Not rare

16. Forest Hopper (Astictopterus jama)
A large blackish colored skipper seen few times just after rainy season in hilly side of the campus.
wingspan: around
status: N/A