Abantis bicolor, the bicoloured skipper,[4] is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae and the subfamily Pyrginae. Described in 1864[5] and endemic to South Africa, the bicoloured skipper is restricted to lowland forests from the Eastern Cape to the southern and northern coasts of KwaZulu-Natal.

Bicoloured skipper
Imago at Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hesperiidae
Genus: Abantis
Species:
A. bicolor
Binomial name
Abantis bicolor
(Trimen, 1864)[2]
range[3]
Synonyms
  • Leucochitonea bicolor Trimen, 1864

The wingspan is 36–41 mm for males and 35–45 mm for females. There are two generations per year, with a peak in spring from October to November and a stronger peak in autumn from March to June.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Woodhall, S.E. (2020). "Abantis bicolor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T161277582A168312437. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T161277582A168312437.en. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  2. ^ Abantis at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  3. ^ Williams, Mark C. (9 February 2021). Afrotropical Butterflies: Genus Abantis Hopffer, 1855 – Paradise Skippers (PDF). lepsocafrica.org. pp. 4–6. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  4. ^ "A flutter of excitement in Krantzkloof". Safari.com. April 24, 2019.
  5. ^ "Abantis bicolor (Trimen, 1864)". African Butterfly Database. April 4, 2018.
  6. ^ Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.