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 309 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 11, 2010
Submitted by: redfishin
Region: Nassau County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 11, 2017
Observation date: Oct 22, 2016
Submitted by: Whitneygrant530
Region: Livingston Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Dec 31, 2016
Observation date: Oct 31, 2016
Submitted by: rchensley
Region: Comal County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 06, 2016
Observation date: Oct 31, 2016
Submitted by: gpstewart
Region: Texas, United States, Williamson County
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 06, 2016
Observation date: Oct 27, 2016
Submitted by: David Jones
Region: Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 29, 2016
Observation date: Oct 29, 2016
Submitted by: Laurie Sheppard
Region: Grayson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 29, 2016
Observation date: Nov 13, 2007
Submitted by: Peter Homann
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 22, 2016
Observation date: Sep 09, 2016
Submitted by: Alvin Williams
Region: Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 24, 2016
Observation date: Jan 18, 2016
Submitted by: raven10322
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 25, 2016
Observation date: Sep 26, 2015
Submitted by: pumblebumble
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 02, 2016
Observation date: Dec 09, 2015
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 31, 2015
Observation date: Dec 11, 2015
Submitted by: plex1ppus
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 31, 2015
Observation date: Nov 01, 2015
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 15, 2015
Observation date: Nov 17, 2015
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 03, 2015
Observation date: Oct 03, 2015
Submitted by: Robert Epstein
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 07, 2015
Observation date: Sep 28, 2015
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 29, 2015
Observation date: Sep 14, 2015
Submitted by: JeanEvoy
Region: DeSoto County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 15, 2015
Observation date: Sep 13, 2015
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 13, 2015
Observation date: Jul 19, 2015
Submitted by: Ron Smith
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 26, 2015
Observation date: Aug 19, 2005
Submitted by: Joe Saunders
Region: Mercer County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 24, 2015
Observation date: Aug 27, 2014
Submitted by: Rose2
Region: Norfolk, Virginia, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Mar 19, 2015
Observation date: Dec 26, 2014
Submitted by: fogartyf
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 29, 2014
Observation date: Sep 23, 2014
Submitted by: James Rieman
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 27, 2014
Observation date: Sep 08, 2014
Submitted by: krancmm
Region: Brazoria County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 09, 2014
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