Species Detail

Tropical Checkered-Skipper

Pyrgus oileus (Linnaeus, 1767)

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Attributes of Pyrgus oileus

Family: Skippers (Hesperiidae)

Subfamily: Spread-wing Skippers (Pyrginae)

Identification: Upperside is dark brown with pale markings; male forewing has a mat of long blue-gray hairs; hindwing of both sexes has marginal and submarginal bands made up of equal-sized spots. Underside of hindwing is pale, often with a strong brown overlay; not much contrast between bands and ground color.

Life history: Males perch and patrol for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on the uppersides of host plant leaves. Caterpillars feed and live in the shelter of a webbed leaf.

Flight: Four to five broods throughout the year in South Texas and Florida.

Wing span: 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches (3.2 - 3.8 cm).

Caterpillar hosts: Several plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae) including axocatzin (Sida rhombifolia), mallow (Malva), hollyhock (Althaea rosea), velvet-leaf (Abutilon), and malva loca (Malvastrum).

Adult food: Nectar from flowers of Sidas and small-flowered composites such as shepherd's needles.

Habitat: Open, sunny areas including pastures, brushy fields, wooded trails, thorn-scrub, and roadsides.

Range: Peninsular Florida, the Gulf Coast, and South Texas south through the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America to Argentina.

Conservation: Not usually required.

NatureServe Global Status: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management needs: None reported.