Least Skipper
Ancyloxypha numitor (Fabricius, 1793)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Antennae are short. Upperside of forewing is orange with a wide, diffuse black border at the outer margin; hindwing is yellow-orange with a wide black margin. Underside of forewing is black with orange borders at the tip and leading edge; hindwing is yellow-orange.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/8 inches (2.2 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: Males patrol for females with a low, fluttery flight through grassy areas. Females lay eggs singly on grass blades. Caterpillars feed on leaves and rest in nests of rolled or tied leaves. Third- and fourth-stage caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: Three broods from May-October in most of the range, four broods from February-December in the Deep South and Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various grasses including marsh millet (Zizaniopsis miliacea), rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides), and cultivated rice (Oryza sativa).
Adult Food: Flower nectar from low growing plants such as wood sorrel, swamp verbena, pickerelweed, chickory, and white clover.
Habitat: Moist or wet open places with tall grasses, marshes, ditches, slow streams, hillsides, or old fields with tall grasses.
Range: Nova Scotia west to southern Saskatchewan; south through the eastern states to Florida, the Gulf states, Texas, and southeastern Arizona. Strays to central Colorado.
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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 4911 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 12, 2025
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Nov 12, 2025
Observation date: Jul 28, 2025
Submitted by: Cheri Pierce
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Sep 19, 2025
Submitted by: Snellzy
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Oct 04, 2025
Submitted by: tonzetich
Region: Texas, Medina County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 05, 2025
Observation date: Sep 19, 2025
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 22, 2025
Observation date: Sep 01, 2025
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 02, 2025
Observation date: Aug 22, 2025
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 30, 2025
Observation date: Aug 17, 2025
Submitted by: Randy53
Region: Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 28, 2025
Observation date: Aug 24, 2025
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 25, 2025
Observation date: Aug 21, 2025
Submitted by: prairie fairie
Region: Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 22, 2025
Observation date: Aug 11, 2025
Submitted by: JamieLynn
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 13, 2025
Observation date: Aug 06, 2025
Submitted by: LittleWoodSatyr
Region: Defiance County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 19, 2025
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Clermont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 10, 2025
Observation date: Aug 03, 2025
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 04, 2025
Observation date: May 26, 2025
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Liberty County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 20, 2025
Observation date: Jul 18, 2025
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 18, 2025
Observation date: Jul 15, 2025
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 17, 2025
Observation date: Jun 26, 2025
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 09, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 12, 2025
Observation date: Jul 27, 2024
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Warren County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 12, 2025
Observation date: Sep 12, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 12, 2025
Observation date: Sep 01, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 12, 2025
Observation date: Aug 03, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Union County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 12, 2025
Observation date: Jul 31, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 12, 2025
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