Ephyriades brunnea

Description

Ephyriades brunnea, the Florida duskywing skipper, is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It was first described by Gottlieb August Wilhelm Herrich-Schäffer in 1865. The larvae feed on Barbados cherry (Malpighia emarginata), while wild coffee (Psychotria ligustrifolia) has been noted as an important adult nectar source, along with Bidens alba, Croton granduosus, and Lantana involucrata. The larvae are known to be parasitized by two species of parasitic wasp. It is found in South Florida, inhabiting pine rockland habitats. In recent years, populations of the butterfly have noticeably declined. By virtue of its specialized habitat requirement, and location in habitats that face threats from sea level rise, the butterfly is considered threatened by climate change.