Lerodea eufala

Photo Life History: Lerodea eufala

Habitat:  Urban-Suburban (disturbed areas);  Agricultural Areas; Valley Wet Meadows; Desert Washes.

Host Plants:  Cynodon dactylon; Sorghum halepense

Suitable Lab Host Plants: Phalaris arundinacea, Bromus inermus,  (Any wide-bladed weedy grass works fine to feed this larva in the lab.)

Caring for Live Female Butterflies:  Nectaring techniques

Methods of Female Oviposition:  Portable Cages; Open Screen Cages. 

How to Find Eggs:  Look on grass blades of host plant.

How to Hatch Eggs:  Consolidate eggs into one container.

How to Find Caterpillars in the Field:  Finding fifth instar caterpillars is the most effective and practical strategy for rearing the eufala skipper.  Look for unique and conspicuous skipper nests; especially their unique zig zag chew marks.

Caterpillar setups:  Open terrariums; Open Bucket.  (Click here to watch a video demonstrating how to place a hatchling first instar Poanes caterpillar on the tip of wide bladed grasses.)

Larva to Pupa:  Fifth instar larva will silk the grass blade and pupate right on the leaf.  The greenish color of the pupa does make it conspicuous to a point.

How to Find Pupae in the Field: Again, fifth instar larva will silk the grass blade and pupate right on the leaf. 

Number of Broods per Year:  Multiple.

Overwintering Stage:   

Overwintering Strategies: 

Post-Hibernation Strategies:

Avoiding Diapause Techniques:  

Disease Prevention: Change out host plant and remove frass every four to five days. 

Emergence:  Emergence Container

Field Notes:   Larval shelters are conspicuous and easily found on Sorghum halepense growing in canals in Agricultural areas in Washington County, Utah (St. George) as well as in and near Mesquite, Clark County, Nevada.  Also found larvae along dry canals in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona as well as on smaller lawn grasses in Irving, Texas.