Common Roadside-Skipper
Amblyscirtes vialis (W.H. Edwards, 1862)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside is black with a few small white spots at the tip of the forewing. Underside is dark brown with violet-gray at the forewing tip and the outer half of the hindwing.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/4 inches (2.2 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: To await receptive females, males perch on the ground or low plants in forest openings or edges, waving their antennae in small circles. Females deposit eggs singly on the host plants; caterpillars eat leaves, and make shelters of rolled and tied leaves. Caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: One brood from March-July; a partial second brood up to September in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various grasses including wild oats (Avena), bent grass (Agrostis), bluegrass (Poa), Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), and Indian woodoats grass (Chasmanthium latifolia).
Adult Food: These skippers prefer nectar from low-growing blue flowers including verbena and selfheal.
Habitat: Open areas in or near woodland, often close to streams.
Range: The Roadside Skipper is the most widespread skipper in North America. It occurs from British Columbia east across southern Canada to Maine and Nova Scotia; south to central California, northern New Mexico, Texas, the Gulf states, and northern Florida.
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.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 1307 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 29, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 05, 2022
Observation date: Aug 16, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Kent County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 05, 2022
Observation date: Aug 16, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Kent County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 05, 2022
Observation date: Aug 24, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 05, 2022
Observation date: May 31, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
Observation date: Jun 09, 2022
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Douglas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 29, 2022
Observation date: Jun 09, 2022
Submitted by: Chris Carvalho
Region: Klickitat County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Jun 18, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Jun 11, 2022
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 12, 2022
Observation date: May 31, 2022
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 03, 2022
Observation date: May 27, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 30, 2022
Observation date: May 23, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 25, 2022
Observation date: May 14, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 14, 2022
Observation date: May 07, 2022
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 08, 2022
Observation date: May 03, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 06, 2022
Observation date: May 07, 2021
Submitted by: bjones7777
Region: White County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Nov 01, 2021
Observation date: Jun 09, 2019
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 26, 2021
Observation date: Aug 05, 2021
Submitted by: pkondrashov
Region: Macon County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 08, 2021
Observation date: Jun 08, 2021
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Las Animas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 22, 2021
Observation date: Jun 23, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 25, 2021
Observation date: Jun 17, 2021
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 19, 2021
Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Iosco County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 18, 2021
Observation date: Jun 09, 2021
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 10, 2021
Observation date: May 29, 2021
Submitted by: NBBAM
Region: Cowlitz County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
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