Dotted Skipper
Hesperia attalus (W.H. Edwards, 1871)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Variable and rarely seen. Forewing is pointed, particularly in the male. Male: Upperside is dull brownish orange with wide dark borders; stigma on forewing has black felt. Female: Upperside is dark brown with pale spots; underside is green-brown to dull orange with or without small pale spots.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 1 5/8 inches (3.5 - 4.2 cm).
Life History: Males perch to watch for receptive females. Eggs are deposited on or near the host. Caterpillars feed on grass leaves and live in silken tubes at the base of grass clumps. They overwinter in shelters that are partially buried.
Flight: Two broods from May-September with a longer flight period in Florida.
Caterpillar Hosts: Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and fall witchgrass (Leptoloma cognatum).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of prickly pear cactus, alfalfa, thistles, and purple coneflower.
Habitat: Short-grass prairies, pine barrens, and woodland meadows.
Range: Atlantic seaboard from eastern Massachusetts (rarely) south to peninsular Florida and the Gulf Coast. A separate population occurs from central Kansas south to east-central Texas. Strays to eastern Nebraska.
Conservation: Populations should be conserved wherever they are found.
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: Care should be taken not to eliminate populations by overuse of fire on small preserves.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 129 verified sightings
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Butler County, Kansas, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Hoke County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Lake County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Camden County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Osceola County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Lincoln County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Seminole County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Grayson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Harper County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Freestone County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Nantucket County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Escambia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Richmond County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Liberty County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Richmond County, New York, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Putnam County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Canadian County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Crawford County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Montgomery County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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