Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis (Grote, 1872)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside of male is blue-gray; female is black. Both sexes have large white spots which form median bands across both wings. Fringes of male checkered but black checks often reach only halfway to edge of fringe. Male has a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the upperside of the forewing. Underside is dull white with dark gray or olive bands. Spots of the hindwing marginal row are very small; spots of the submarginal row are larger. This species is separated from the white checkered skipper with confidence only by dissection and examination of the male genitalia.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males patrol in swales most actively in the afternoon, and mating takes place then. Females lay eggs singly on leaf buds and tops of leaves. Adults roost exposed on a tall plant beginning in late afternoon. Caterpillars make folded-leaf nests in which they live and feed, and fully-grown caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: February-October in the Deep South, March-September in the north.
Caterpillar Hosts: Several plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae) including globemallows (Sphaeralcea), mallow (Malva), hollyhock (Althaea), alkali mallows (Sida), velvet-leaf (Abutilon), and poppy mallow (Callirhoe).
Adult Food: Nectar from white-flowered composites including shepherd\'s needles, fleabane, and asters; also red clover, knapweed, beggar\'s ticks, and many others.
Habitat: Open, sunny places with low vegetation and some bare soil including prairies, meadows, fields, roadsides, landfills, yards, gardens, pastures, openings and trails in woods.
Range: Most of the temperate United States south to Gulf coast, w. Texas, se. Arizona, southern California, and mountains of northern Mexico. Colonizes as far north as central Alberta, southern Ontario, and southern New England. It cannot survive very cold winters and may not be a permanent resident north of the 40th parallel.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Taxonomy Notes: Formerly in the genus Pyrgus
Alternate Scientific Names:
Pyrgus communis
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 3478 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 20, 2024
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Adams County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Oct 28, 2024
Observation date: Oct 25, 2024
Submitted by: kristenej
Region: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 28, 2024
Observation date: Oct 19, 2024
Submitted by: vogelbild
Region: Kane County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 21, 2024
Observation date: Oct 16, 2024
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 17, 2024
Observation date: Sep 26, 2024
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Elkhart County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 13, 2024
Observation date: Oct 08, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
Observation date: Oct 03, 2024
Submitted by: ButtahflyEtn37354
Region: Monroe County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Oct 06, 2024
Observation date: Oct 03, 2024
Submitted by: ReginaS
Region: Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 04, 2024
Observation date: Aug 29, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 01, 2024
Observation date: Aug 29, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 01, 2024
Observation date: Aug 29, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 01, 2024
Observation date: Sep 05, 2024
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 24, 2024
Observation date: Sep 18, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 22, 2024
Observation date: Jun 26, 2021
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Lucas County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 15, 2024
Observation date: Aug 16, 2024
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 19, 2024
Observation date: Aug 06, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 06, 2024
Observation date: Aug 02, 2024
Submitted by: Lydiaak
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 03, 2024
Observation date: Aug 02, 2024
Submitted by: Lydiaak
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 03, 2024
Observation date: Jul 29, 2024
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 30, 2024
Observation date: Jul 26, 2024
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Pennington County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 29, 2024
Observation date: Jul 24, 2024
Submitted by: Jessica Howell
Region: Rosebud County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 25, 2024
Observation date: Jun 26, 2024
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Brule County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 08, 2024
Observation date: Jul 05, 2024
Submitted by: Benjamin Miller
Region: Knox County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 06, 2024
Observation date: May 20, 2024
Submitted by: mongoose
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 03, 2024
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