Nysa Roadside-Skipper
Amblyscirtes nysa W.H. Edwards, 1877
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Fringes are checkered black and white. Upperside is black with 3-5 small white spots on the forewing tip. Underside of hindwing is patterned with patches of brown, gray, and black.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 1 3/16 inches (1.9 - 3 cm).
Life History: Adults fly very close to the ground and often rest on bare spots. Males perch at the bottom of gulches to await receptive females. Females lay eggs randomly on the host plants, usually in the late afternoon. Caterpillars eat leaves and make shelters of rolled and tied leaves, then pupate in a silk-lined leaf case in litter at the base of a grass clump.
Flight: Three broods from March-October; several broods throughout the year in South Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various grasses including St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), crab grass (Digitaria sanguinalis), bristlegrass (Setaria glauca), barnyard grass (Echinochloa pungens), and green spangletop (Leptochloa dubia).
Adult Food: Nectar from low-growing flowers including blue spiraea, marigold, lima bean, and cantaloupe.
Habitat: Open areas including dry rocky ravines, woodland edges, desert grasslands, yards, and gardens.
Range: Southeastern Nebraska, Kansas, and western Missouri; south through Oklahoma and Texas to northern Mexico; west to southeast Colorado, southern New Mexico, and southern Arizona.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 264 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 21, 2024
Submitted by: Greg Sievert
Region: Harper County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 26, 2024
Observation date: Feb 25, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 11, 2024
Observation date: May 24, 2024
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 24, 2024
Observation date: Apr 26, 2023
Submitted by: pauhana
Region: Brewster County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 07, 2023
Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Sep 02, 2022
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 03, 2022
Observation date: Mar 31, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Crosby County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
Observation date: Sep 08, 2021
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harvey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 29, 2019
Submitted by: EastKansas
Region: Douglas County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 19, 2018
Submitted by: malcolmgold
Region:
Verified by: azukoff
Verified date: May 02, 2022
Observation date: Sep 16, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Eddy County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 13, 2022
Observation date: Sep 15, 2021
Submitted by: Jonathan Batkin
Region: De Baca County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 20, 2021
Observation date: Apr 03, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Brewster County, Texas, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Sep 07, 2021
Observation date: Aug 14, 2017
Submitted by: Rob Wu
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 24, 2021
Observation date: Jul 25, 2020
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 28, 2020
Observation date: Mar 27, 1997
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Brewster County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 25, 2020
Observation date: May 09, 1987
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Briscoe County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 25, 2020
Observation date: Aug 01, 1992
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Hidalgo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 24, 2020
Observation date: Jul 19, 1992
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 24, 2020
Observation date: Apr 15, 2007
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Eddy County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 04, 2020
Observation date: Mar 08, 2018
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 27, 2019
Observation date: Mar 09, 2019
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Texas, Starr County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 27, 2019
Observation date: Jul 17, 2019
Submitted by: dolores.gladtid...
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 19, 2019
Observation date: Jul 11, 2018
Submitted by: Janeal W. Thompson
Region: Prowers County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Mar 27, 2019
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