About Borbo borbonica (Boisduval, 1833)
Borbo borbonica, commonly known as the borbo skipper, Zeller's skipper, or olive haired swift, is a butterfly species belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It can be found along the southern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, including southwestern Spain, and is mainly distributed across Syria, Arabia, Africa, Mauritius, and Réunion. The forewings of this species measure 14–15 mm in length. On the upper surface of the dull brown forewings, the discal spots are translucent, while the spot in space Cu2-A is yellowish. The underside of the forewings is brown, and the underside of the hindwings is yellowish brown. The palpi are leather-colored. Females have a similar appearance to males but are slightly paler, and have three small, pale but distinct postdiscal spots on the underside of their hindwings. On the underside of the hindwing, there is a postmedian row of 4–5 small white spots located in a diffuse blackish area, referred to as P. zelleri Led. Adult butterflies are active from September to October. In North Africa, Leersia oryzoides and Sorghum halepense have been recorded as larval food plants. On Mauritius, larvae feed on various grasses including Panicum. In South Africa, recorded larval food plants are Ehrharta erecta, Oryza, Pennisetum, and Zea mays. This species inhabits dry-hot, rocky coastal canyons and sand dunes with sparse vegetation.
