Western Branded Skipper
Hesperia colorado (Scudder, 1874)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Extremely variable; many geographical forms with differing appearances. Adults (especially males) have relatively pointed forewing tips and more warm orange on the upperside. Band on hindwing underside may be complete, made of small or large spots, faint, or absent.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2- 3.8 cm).
Life History: To await receptive females, males perch near the host plant or on tops of hills. Females scatter eggs on or near the host; caterpillars eat leaves and live in nests of tied leaves. Eggs overwinter.
Flight: One brood from mid-July (as early as May in California) to late September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various grasses including fescue (Festuca), brome (Bromus), bluegrass (Poa), needlegrass (Stipa), and beardgrass (Andropogon); sedges.
Adult Food: Nectar from many flowers including asters, goldenrods, and blazing star.
Habitat: Sunny open areas including forest openings and edges, meadows, fields, roadsides, trails, grassy slopes, and the alpine.
Range: From Washington and Wyoming south to Baja California Norte, southeastern Arizona, and western Nebraska.
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 718 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 28, 2015
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Okanogan County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 26, 2017
Observation date: Aug 11, 2017
Submitted by: Claire Christensen
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Sep 22, 2017
Observation date: Sep 01, 2017
Submitted by: satchmo0802
Region: Crook County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 15, 2017
Observation date: Aug 21, 2017
Submitted by: HoppRobinson
Region: Grant County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 29, 2017
Observation date: Aug 05, 2017
Submitted by: Selwyn Quan
Region: Douglas County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 16, 2017
Observation date: Jul 09, 2017
Submitted by: 4lepidopterans
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 22, 2017
Observation date: Jun 25, 2017
Submitted by: philohela
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 26, 2017
Observation date: Jul 30, 2016
Submitted by: opiliones
Region: White Pine County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 07, 2017
Observation date: Jun 18, 2015
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Dec 22, 2016
Observation date: Jul 21, 1957
Submitted by: Todd Stefanic
Region: Butte County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Sep 20, 2016
Observation date: Jul 21, 1957
Submitted by: Todd Stefanic
Region: Butte County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Sep 20, 2016
Observation date: Jul 30, 2016
Submitted by: jjweber
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 01, 2016
Observation date: Aug 04, 2016
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Whitman County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 24, 2016
Observation date: Aug 13, 2016
Submitted by: shastamax
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 14, 2016
Observation date: Jul 13, 2016
Submitted by: raymond smith
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Jul 19, 2016
Observation date: Jun 19, 2016
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 22, 2016
Observation date: Jun 16, 2016
Submitted by: Bdog
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 19, 2016
Observation date: Jun 16, 2016
Submitted by: Bdog
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 19, 2016
Observation date: Jun 16, 2016
Submitted by: Bdog
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 18, 2016
Observation date: Sep 07, 2015
Submitted by: rebeccafm
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Feb 14, 2016
Observation date: Aug 29, 2015
Submitted by: starmans
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 08, 2015
Observation date: Aug 21, 2015
Submitted by: coreyk
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 05, 2015
Observation date: Aug 22, 2015
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Oct 20, 2015
Observation date: Sep 06, 2015
Submitted by: rebeccafm
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 29, 2015
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