Diet

• It belongs to the skipper subfamily Pyrginae, whose caterpillars generally feed on broad-leaved plants rather than grasses.

• Adults visit flowers for nectar and may also obtain nutrients from damp ground and other moist surfaces.

Range

• Timochares trifasciata is a Neotropical skipper occurring from Mexico through Central America and into parts of northern South America.

• It occurs along the Pacific side of Mexico, including Guerrero, and is present in the Zihua region.

• Its distribution is centred on tropical and subtropical regions of Mexico and Central America.

Habitat

• It inhabits tropical dry forest, thorn scrub, woodland edges, clearings and secondary vegetation.

• In the Zihua region, suitable habitat includes dry forest, coastal scrub and disturbed vegetation in the lowlands.

• Adults are generally encountered close to the ground, perching on shrubs and low vegetation or visiting flowers.

Description

• A small to medium-sized skipper with the compact, robust appearance typical of the genus Timochares.

• The wings are dark brown to blackish brown, with three prominent pale transverse bands or rows of markings crossing the wings.

• The forewings are relatively broad, while the hindwings are rounded and lack tails.

• The contrasting pale bands are particularly distinctive and give Timochares trifasciata its characteristic three-banded appearance.