The Brazilian Skipper: A Butterfly's Life on Canna

The Brazilian Skipper is 100% butterfly, though often mistaken for a moth. Its quick, skipping flight from flower to flower gives the group its name. They sip nectar by day, never at night like moths. As caterpillars, they're not well-regarded—some might call them the underdogs of the caterpillar world. But what if they just need a proper introduction and a bit more understanding? Let's start fresh.

(Editor's Note: This article was originally published on December 3, 2007.)

Allow me to introduce the Brazilian Skipper (Calpodes ethlius). They haven't always been U.S. residents, but they'll stay as long as we grow Canna in southern gardens. These spectacular tropical plants, native to northern South America, the Indies, and Mexico, are the skipper's primary larval host. Canna is also a standout in southern gardens. North of zone 7, they're grown in pots (up to zones 2–4) or planted deeper (zones 5–6). Other names for this butterfly include Canna Skipper, Arrowroot Butterfly, and Large Leaf Roller. While other larvae feed on cannas, the Brazilian Skipper is the only one with a prominent place in lepidoptera.

Ushered to the Garden

My journey to knowing these plants began with the creatures that rely on them for food and shelter. I was drawn to the perfection of their symbiosis—ushered into an unadulterated circle of life and how my life relates to their metamorphosis. Butterflies instinctively knew their needs long before ornamental planting existed. Many beautiful butterflies never take flight because humans don't recognize or appreciate their larval stage.

Guided by these tiny ambassadors, I learned to grow what they need. Most gardeners do the reverse: grow the plant, then discover something eating it. Too often, special butterflies end up as "squashed bug" trophies—explaining the 2% survival rate. I urge gardeners to use the Bug and Insect Identification Forum before acting, then share successes on the Hummingbird and Butterfly Forum for a cheerful response.

Distribution

Skippers establish wherever their hosts grow and habitat sustains them. Reports from northern U.S. states are likely summer strays. They're more prevalent in southern zones. Without a diapause (hibernation), winter survival in the Midwest and Deep South is unlikely; some may migrate south before hard freezes. Heaviest U.S. concentrations are in California, South Texas, and Florida, especially where Canna grows as a perennial.

A Little Relative History

Agricultural history shows Canna imported to the U.S. and Europe by 1500s explorers. Skippers likely hitched rides as eggs or larvae in Spanish ship cargos. By land, cannas moved northward yard by yard via neighborly sharing. Subsequent adult migrations simply followed the plantings essential for their offspring.

Life Cycles

The female lays eggs singly on Canna leaves, sometimes in clusters. Upon hatching, caterpillars silk themselves into the mid-growth of the host to eat and grow. On mature leaves, later instars create a silken pad 1–1.5 inches from the leaf edge; as silk dries, the leaf rolls around the caterpillar, forming a cylindrical nest. Caterpillars move around the plant this way as they mature. At night, several caterpillars munch audibly (Ajilvsgi 1990). They progress through five instars in successive nests over 3–4 weeks, depending on season and temperature. The pupal stage lasts about 8 days.

Our Firsthand Experience

We handled Brazilian Skippers last summer, collecting pupae rolled in Canna leaves from my daughter's garden. Holding the cylindrical leaves, I felt an unexpected, audible vibration—the same mechanism that ejects feces from the nest. Called "fecal firing," it's facilitated by the larva's anal comb and hemostatic pressure buildup (Caveney 1998). This may reduce discovery by parasites and predators that use frass odor and sight as cues. The motion continues in the chrysalis to deter larger predators like birds and reptiles.

To conserve skippers, leave them in the garden—their natural defenses keep them safer than cages. Witnessing eclosure without disturbing larvae is delightful. Collect pupae after chrysalis formation; the cast becomes clear (no longer green) shortly before emergence.

About half an hour after eclosing, the butterfly is ready for the garden. My son held one; it kept crawling back onto him until placed on a sturdy Zinnia. It basked for an hour. First flight prioritizes coupling over food—nectar sustains reproduction, but larval host made them what they are.

Even after raising hundreds of butterflies, seeing this one to completion was a summer highlight. We watched them shimmy from scrolled leaves, wings expanding. Their proportionally large eyes take in surroundings anew. Colors become surprisingly rich for a "little brown butterfly"—diamond-shaped gray and white markings stand out like pearly inlaid jewels against smooth, chocolaty fur.

A New Perspective

Now, when I see landscapes with Canna, I think of the flying flowers relying on them as a major food source. They were brought here without choice—from a skipper's view, maybe catnapping; from mine, it's only fair to give them a garden place.

Footnotes:
1. Powdery Thalia is also a larval host.
2. Quoted from University of Florida IFAS Extension.

Browse Canna in Plant Files (580 listings, 265 with pictures) and visit the Canna Forum. For southern growing info, see Mitch Fitzgerald's "Tropical Dreams - How To Grow Cannas" (Nov 7, 2007).

Websites: North American Butterfly Association, University of Florida IFAS Extension, Butterflies and Moths of North America.

Reference Books: "Butterfly Gardening for the South" (Geyata Ajilvsgi, 1990); "The Ultimate Guide To Backyard Bugs" (Whitney Cranshaw, 2004); "Kaufman Focus Guide, Butterflies of North America" (Jim P. Brock & Kenn Kaufman, 2003).

Special Thanks to TexasPuddyPrint, Sheila_FW, Critterologist, Melody, and all Daily Butterfly thread friends for photos and support.

For friendly skipper management on your Cannas, view this Journal page.