Zigzag Banded Dart

Description:

Hesperiidae; Hesperiinae; Potanthus mingo mingo W.H.Edwards, 1866. This little Skipper would not give me an open wing view which I thought would have made the identification much easier. However, I found out (when I was cropping the pictures for this spotting) that the two photos I did manage actually gave me all the information I needed. The first photo gives a just a glimpse of the upper surface of the right forewing, but shows clearly the identifying colours and pattern. Then the second photo gives a good underside view of both the left forewing and rear wing. That view was the one which (in this species) makes the ID unmistakable. I had been needlessly concerned, the identification turned out to be nice and easy.

Habitat:

This Zigzag Banded Dart was in the backyard of the rice mill, sitting on the leaf of an Unidentified Solanaceae. There is a huge variety of plants of this type in our area, and I can usually manage an identification as there are some very good internet sources for Solanaceae and similar plants, but this one has defeated me, I just can't pin it down to a species. However, I think it is from the Genus Physalis. So, for now, I will call it Physalis sp. and hopefully, I will come across the exact species later.