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 406 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 29, 2020
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe (Terrie Johnson)
Region: Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Nov 20, 2020
Observation date: Nov 14, 2020
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Nov 16, 2020
Observation date: Oct 22, 2020
Submitted by: KenL
Region: Virginia, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 25, 2020
Observation date: Sep 30, 2020
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 02, 2020
Observation date: Sep 11, 2020
Submitted by: VRettig
Region: Cape May County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 28, 2020
Observation date: Sep 23, 2020
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Liberty County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 24, 2020
Observation date: Sep 20, 2020
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 20, 2020
Observation date: Sep 20, 2020
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 20, 2020
Observation date: Sep 07, 2020
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 08, 2020
Observation date: Sep 04, 2020
Submitted by: anaeamark
Region: Indian River County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 06, 2020
Observation date: Sep 05, 2020
Submitted by: kaelairene
Region: Horry County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 06, 2020
Observation date: Aug 29, 2020
Submitted by: Michael Weisensee
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 29, 2020
Observation date: Aug 26, 2020
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe (Matthew Campbell)
Region: Abbeville County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 28, 2020
Observation date: Aug 11, 2020
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 14, 2020
Observation date: Aug 11, 2020
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 12, 2020
Observation date: Jul 07, 2020
Submitted by: AJ Trently
Region: Lauderdale County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Jul 25, 2020
Observation date: Oct 20, 2012
Submitted by: Mikelchap
Region: Glynn County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 10, 2020
Observation date: Jun 14, 2020
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jun 15, 2020
Observation date: Jun 10, 2020
Submitted by: Nick K
Region: Hamilton County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Jun 11, 2020
Observation date: May 28, 2020
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: May 29, 2020
Observation date: May 17, 2018
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Feb 10, 2020
Observation date: Aug 28, 2019
Submitted by: scvirginia
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 24, 2019
Observation date: Sep 14, 2019
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Calhoun County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Sep 23, 2019
Observation date: Sep 13, 2019
Submitted by: IronShikra
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 13, 2019
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