Diet

• It belongs to the skipper subfamily Eudaminae, whose caterpillars are generally associated with broad-leaved woody plants, particularly members of the legume family.

• Adults visit flowers for nectar.

Range

• Telegonus alector is a Neotropical species occurring primarily in northern and western South America.

• Its range includes Colombia and Ecuador, with the species centred largely in the northwestern part of South America.

• Recent taxonomic studies recognise several closely related Telegonus species within what was previously considered a more broadly distributed species complex.

Habitat

• It inhabits tropical and subtropical forest, woodland edges, clearings and secondary vegetation.

• Adults are associated with sunny openings and forest margins where suitable flowering plants and larval host plants occur.

• They may be encountered perching on foliage, shrubs and low branches before making rapid flights through the surrounding vegetation.

Description

• A medium-sized, dark brown skipper with the compact, robust appearance typical of the genus Telegonus.

• The wings are predominantly dark brown to blackish brown, with contrasting pale, translucent spots forming a broken band across the forewings.

• The hindwings are generally darker and less prominently marked, with rounded margins and no long tails.

• The combination of dark wings, pale forewing markings and rapid flight is characteristic of Telegonus and helps distinguish it from many other tropical skippers.