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 25 - 48 of 3445 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 08, 2023
Submitted by: rajanrao
Region: Alpine County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 15, 2023
Observation date: Aug 28, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Oct 12, 2023
Observation date: Sep 10, 2023
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 05, 2023
Observation date: Oct 01, 2023
Submitted by: davek
Region: Kent County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 05, 2023
Observation date: Sep 29, 2023
Submitted by: Kerry Turley
Region: Yakima County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 01, 2023
Observation date: Aug 20, 2017
Submitted by: butterflyusa@b....
Region: Box Elder County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 18, 2023
Observation date: Jul 28, 2018
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Tooele County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 18, 2023
Observation date: Aug 17, 2017
Submitted by: dingoqueen
Region: Davis County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 14, 2023
Observation date: Aug 28, 2019
Submitted by: Joey Bom
Region: Grand County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 12, 2023
Observation date: Aug 15, 2020
Submitted by: Robb Hannawacker
Region: San Juan County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 11, 2023
Observation date: Aug 26, 2023
Submitted by: Tuesday
Region: Asotin County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 10, 2023
Observation date: Sep 07, 2023
Submitted by: Don Atkinson-Adams
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 08, 2023
Observation date: Sep 02, 2023
Submitted by: baileyjt
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 06, 2023
Observation date: Sep 03, 2023
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 06, 2023
Observation date: Sep 03, 2023
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 04, 2023
Observation date: Jul 27, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Shasta County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 28, 2023
Observation date: Aug 24, 2023
Submitted by: ofdewdrops
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 24, 2023
Observation date: Aug 24, 2023
Submitted by: ofdewdrops
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 24, 2023
Observation date: Aug 18, 2023
Submitted by: terrymortier
Region: Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 20, 2023
Observation date: Aug 06, 2023
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 18, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 08, 2023
Observation date: May 06, 2023
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 04, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: parmruss
Region: Merced County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
Observation date: Jun 30, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 24, 2023
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