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 763 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 09, 2018
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 26, 2020
Observation date: Sep 17, 2018
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Coconino County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Feb 22, 2020
Observation date: Aug 12, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 31, 2020
Observation date: Sep 07, 2019
Submitted by: sgguthart
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Dec 31, 2019
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: icosahedron
Region: Marin County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 25, 2019
Observation date: Aug 10, 2019
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Dec 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 03, 2019
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Dec 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 05, 2019
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Dec 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 08, 2019
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Dec 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 10, 2019
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Dec 23, 2019
Observation date: Sep 08, 2019
Submitted by: Joey Bom
Region: Tulare County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 05, 2019
Observation date: Aug 23, 2019
Submitted by: taogirl
Region: Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 22, 2019
Observation date: Aug 23, 2019
Submitted by: taogirl
Region: Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 22, 2019
Observation date: Aug 26, 2019
Submitted by: tirvine2020
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 13, 2019
Observation date: Aug 25, 2019
Submitted by: satchmo0802
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 09, 2019
Observation date: Aug 26, 2019
Submitted by: satchmo0802
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 07, 2019
Observation date: Aug 31, 2019
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Sep 04, 2019
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: Coronis
Region: Gallatin County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 22, 2019
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: sarabseth
Region: Marin County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 14, 2019
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: sarabseth
Region: Marin County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 13, 2019
Observation date: Jun 30, 2019
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sierra County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 15, 2019
Observation date: Jul 21, 2018
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 29, 2019
Observation date: Jul 14, 2018
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 28, 2019
Observation date: Jun 19, 2012
Submitted by: coreyk
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 31, 2019
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