Brazilian Skipper
Calpodes ethlius (Stoll, 1782)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Robust. Forewing is long and pointed, hindwing is lobed. Upperside is brown-black with large translucent spots on both forewing and hindwing. Underside is red-brown; hindwing has 3 or 4 cream spots.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 2 3/8 inches (4.5 - 6.1 cm).
Life History: Adults have a very fast flight and are strong migrants. Females lay eggs on the upperside of leaves high up on the host plant. Caterpillars usually spend the day in shelters of rolled leaves and emerge after dark to eat leaves.
Flight: Late summer in the north; several broods from April-December in South Texas; two broods from July-November in Arizona; throughout the year in Florida and the tropics.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various cultivated plants in the canna family (Marantaceae).
Adult Food: Lantana in Arizona. In Costa Rica, nectar from large white or pale yellow flowers of woody lianas, trees, and shrubs.
Habitat: Gardens and residential areas.
Range: South Florida and South Texas south through the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America to Argentina. Periodically strays and colonizes north to southern Nevada, north Texas, Illinois, and Massachusetts.
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 439 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 01, 2021
Submitted by: Brynne Bryan
Region: Denton County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 18, 2023
Observation date: Aug 12, 2022
Submitted by: Rosa Ruperto
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 27, 2022
Observation date: Feb 06, 2020
Submitted by: Paul N
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Oct 31, 2022
Observation date: Jul 15, 2017
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Chiapas, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 15, 2021
Submitted by: Harry Forbes
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: May 19, 2018
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 25, 2022
Observation date: Sep 17, 2022
Submitted by: Phil.Delestrez
Region: Jasper County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 19, 2022
Observation date: Aug 23, 2022
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 23, 2022
Observation date: Jan 23, 2020
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jun 27, 2022
Observation date: Sep 10, 2018
Submitted by: William G. Haley Jr.
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 31, 2022
Observation date: Aug 28, 2020
Submitted by: Elizabeth Wolfe
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 30, 2022
Observation date: Dec 21, 2011
Submitted by: Zully
Region: Panamá Province, Panama
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 04, 2022
Observation date: Jul 30, 2018
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Wake County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 08, 2022
Observation date: Oct 09, 2016
Submitted by: tobnull
Region: Texas, Williamson County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 04, 2022
Observation date: Oct 22, 2016
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 10, 2021
Observation date: Sep 08, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 10, 2021
Observation date: Oct 09, 2018
Submitted by: jwilkinson
Region: Howard County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 08, 2021
Observation date: Nov 09, 2021
Submitted by: bttfly9@yahoo.com
Region: Lake County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 19, 2021
Observation date: Aug 19, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 19, 2021
Observation date: Oct 27, 2021
Submitted by: Bill Uttenweiler
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 29, 2021
Observation date: Sep 16, 2021
Submitted by: Cheri Pierce
Region: Lake County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021
Observation date: Sep 18, 2021
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 24, 2021
Observation date: Sep 19, 2021
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 24, 2021
Observation date: Sep 05, 2021
Submitted by: sgensits
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 07, 2021
- 1 of 19
- next ›