Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Sonoran Banded-Skipper
Autochton pseudocellus (Coolidge & Clemence, [1910])


Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Antenna has a pale band at the base of the club. Wings are dark brown-black; forewing has a medium-wide yellow band. Underside is dark brown with 2-3 darker bands; hindwing has no gray overscaling at the margin, and fringe is checkered.
Wing Span: 1 1/2 - 1 7/8 inches (3.8 - 4.3 cm).
Life History: Not reported.
Flight: Probably 2 broods from June-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: San Pedro ticktrefoil (Desmodium batocaulon) (Fabaceae) in Sonora, Mexico.
Adult Food: Probably flower nectar.
Habitat: Permanent streams in oak and pinyon wooded canyons.
Range: Extirpated in southeast Arizona; rare and local in northern Mexico.
Conservation: Extirpated in the United States portion of its range, rare and local in northern Mexico.
NCGR: G3 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout its range).
Management Needs: Study habitat requirements in Mexico and consider reintroduction into southeastern Arizona.
Comments: NULL