Sachem
Atalopedes campestris (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside of male is yellow-orange with a wide brown border and a large squarish black stigma. Female upperside varies from yellow-brown to very dark brown, but always has a square transparent white spot at the end of the forewing cell. Underside of female hindwing is brown with nearly square cream or white spots.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 5/8 inches (3.2 - 4.2 cm).
Life History: Males perch on or near the ground during most of the day to wait for receptive females. Females lay single eggs on dry grass blades in the afternoon. Caterpillars feed on leaves and live at the base of grasses in shelters of rolled or tied leaves.
Flight: Three broods from May-November in the north; four to five broods from March-December in the Deep South.
Caterpillar Hosts: Grasses including Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), crabgrass (Digitaria), St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), and goosegrass (Eleusine).
Adult Food: Nectar from many flowers including swamp and common milkweeds, buttonbush, dogbane, peppermint, red clover, tickseed sunflower, thistles, New York ironweed, marigold, and asters.
Habitat: Disturbed, open areas such as roadsides, landfills, pastures, meadows, fencerows, yards, parks, and lawns.
Range: Southern United States from Virginia west to California; south through Mexico and Central America to Brazil. Strays and colonizes north to central North Dakota, southern Michigan, Manitoba, and northern Pennsylvania.
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 4242 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 24, 2016
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Oconee County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Jul 25, 2026
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Colleton County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Jul 09, 2021
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Aug 02, 2021
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Aug 11, 2021
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Sep 18, 2021
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Calhoun County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Jun 21, 2014
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Calhoun County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Jul 11, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Cherokee County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Jun 16, 2018
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Calhoun County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Aug 16, 2018
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Greenville County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Aug 24, 2016
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Oconee County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Jul 24, 2023
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Aug 06, 2024
Submitted by: Tam Stage
Region: Defiance County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Aug 29, 2025
Submitted by: cake_agent2101
Region: Davis County, Utah, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 09, 2026
Observation date: Oct 08, 2020
Submitted by: ObserverofGod'sart
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 22, 2026
Observation date: Oct 01, 2025
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 02, 2025
Observation date: Sep 27, 2025
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 28, 2025
Observation date: Aug 24, 2025
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 30, 2025
Observation date: Jul 26, 2025
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Inyo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 01, 2025
Observation date: Jul 27, 2025
Submitted by: RichHubie
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 29, 2025
Observation date: Jun 07, 2025
Submitted by: dfagan746
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 12, 2025
Observation date: May 16, 2025
Submitted by: garyfreed
Region: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 19, 2025
Observation date: May 11, 2025
Submitted by: David Sonnen
Region: Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 15, 2025
Observation date: Jun 15, 2024
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 19, 2025
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