Attributes of Thymelicus lineola
European Skipper
Thymelicus lineola (Ochsenheimer, 1808)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Wings are brassy burnt orange; upperside of both wings with black borders and black on the outer portions of the veins. The male forewing has a narrow black stigma. A pale form (pallida) is very rare.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/8 inches (2.5 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: To find receptive females, males patrol grassy areas with a low meandering flight. Females lay eggs in strings on the host plant stem; the eggs overwinter and hatch the following spring. Caterpillars eat leaves and live in shelters of leaves tied together with silk. Adult skippers roost at night on grass stalks and in the morning bask with their wings at a 70 degree angle.
Flight: One brood from mid-May to mid-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Timothy (Phleum pratense) and other grasses.
Adult Food: Nectar from low-growing flowers including orange hawkweed, thistles, ox-eye daisy, fleabane, white clover, red clover, selfheal, Deptford pink, common milkweed, and swamp milkweed.
Habitat: Open grassy places including meadows, hayfields, pastures, abandoned homesteads, grassy road edges.
Range: This skipper was introduced accidently to North America in 1910 through London, Ontario. Eastern population: Newfoundland west to eastern North Dakota, south to southern Illinois and western South Carolina. Western population: western Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia. The range is still expanding, perhaps due to the relocation of eggs in hay shipments.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Caterpillars of the European skipper can be pests on timothy grass.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Thymelicus lineola
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The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 400 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
Instructions: Click on the map and move your mouse to pan.
Zoom by using the plus [+] and minus [-] on the left side of the map.
To change which map layers are displayed, click on the plus sign [+] on the right side of the map.
The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
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July 02, 2012 | JohnF | Penobscot County, Maine, United States | March 11, 2013 | Details |
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July 22, 2012 | J_Martineau | Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States | February 09, 2013 | Details |
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May 27, 2012 | richardhsmith (Rick Cheicante) | Washington County, Maryland, United States | January 08, 2013 | Details |
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June 09, 2012 | LinRandolph | Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States | January 07, 2013 | Details |
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July 05, 2008 | dpgbfly1 | Aitkin County, Minnesota, United States | January 01, 2013 | Details |
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June 21, 2011 | mrcnaturally | Rockland County, New York, United States | October 07, 2012 | Details |
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June 10, 2012 | dan.in.crystal.lake | McHenry County, Illinois, United States | September 17, 2012 | Details |
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June 28, 2012 | Monnie Kay | Quebec, Canada | August 28, 2012 | Details |
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June 25, 2003 | cheins | Washburn County, Wisconsin, United States | August 14, 2012 | Details |
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June 04, 2010 | highvirginiaoutdoors | Randolph County, West Virginia, United States | August 13, 2012 | Details |
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June 15, 2012 | Ron Rardin | Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States | August 09, 2012 | Details |
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June 03, 2012 | dan.in.crystal.lake | McHenry County, Illinois, United States | July 18, 2012 | Details |
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June 27, 2012 | janet tubb | Ontario, Canada | July 16, 2012 | Details |
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June 27, 2012 | janet tubb | Ontario, Canada | July 16, 2012 | Details |
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July 07, 2012 | plex1ppus | Kootenai County, Idaho, United States | July 08, 2012 | Details |
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July 01, 2012 | BeaLaporte | Ontario, Canada | July 06, 2012 | Details |
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June 18, 2012 | G Meyer | Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States | June 26, 2012 | Details |
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June 18, 2012 | Linda Beek | Dakota County, Minnesota, United States | June 26, 2012 | Details |
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June 17, 2012 | Kari | Price County, Wisconsin, United States | June 26, 2012 | Details |
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June 20, 2012 | Kyle Jones | Windsor County, Vermont, United States | June 26, 2012 | Details |
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June 23, 2012 | janet tubb | Ontario, Canada | June 26, 2012 | Details |
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June 23, 2012 | janet tubb | Ontario, Canada | June 26, 2012 | Details |
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June 17, 2012 | G Meyer | Calumet County, Wisconsin, United States | June 25, 2012 | Details |
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June 16, 2012 | Carmel Mothersill | Ontario, Canada | June 21, 2012 | Details |
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June 18, 2012 | BeaLaporte | Ontario, Canada | June 21, 2012 | Details |
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June 16, 2012 | BeaLaporte | Ontario, Canada | June 21, 2012 | Details |
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June 18, 2012 | BeaLaporte | Ontario, Canada | June 21, 2012 | Details |
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June 10, 2012 | Chip Krilowicz | Sussex County, New Jersey, United States | June 11, 2012 | Details |
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June 18, 2011 | Rick Henle | Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States | May 30, 2012 | Details |
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May 27, 2012 | Cheryl Jennings | Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States | May 29, 2012 | Details |
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May 27, 2012 | Cheryl Jennings | Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States | May 27, 2012 | Details |
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May 27, 2012 | Cheryl Jennings | Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States | May 27, 2012 | Details |
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May 27, 2012 | Cheryl Jennings | Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States | May 27, 2012 | Details |
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May 27, 2012 | Cheryl Jennings | Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States | May 27, 2012 | Details |
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May 18, 2012 | Cheryl Jennings | Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States | May 23, 2012 | Details |
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June 10, 2011 | Shane Patterson | Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States | April 25, 2012 | Details |
| June 12, 1999 | legacy.reporter (Alison Robb) | Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| June 15, 1994 | legacy.reporter (Tor Hansen) | Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| July 13, 1998 | legacy.reporter (Alison Robb) | Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| July 23, 1998 | legacy.reporter (Alison Robb) | Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| August 14, 1998 | legacy.reporter (Alison Robb) | Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| June 20, 1998 | legacy.reporter (Alison Robb) | Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| June 28, 1994 | legacy.reporter (Tor Hansen) | Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| July 01, 1994 | legacy.reporter (Tor Hansen) | Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| July 12, 1997 | legacy.reporter (Jackie Sones) | Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| July 12, 1998 | legacy.reporter (Jackie Sones) | Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| June 26, 1993 | legacy.reporter (Tom Dodd) | Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| July 13, 1994 | legacy.reporter (Diane Potter) | Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| June 07, 1999 | legacy.reporter (Pam Weatherbee) | Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details | |
| June 22, 1994 | legacy.reporter (Tom Dodd) | Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States | January 01, 2012 | Details |
