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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 935 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 17, 2021
Submitted by: tsimpson
Region: Oregon, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 24, 2021
Observation date: Jul 17, 2021
Submitted by: tsimpson
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 22, 2021
Observation date: Aug 13, 2021
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Sublette County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 21, 2021
Observation date: Aug 18, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 20, 2021
Observation date: Aug 18, 2021
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 19, 2021
Observation date: Jun 13, 2018
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 14, 2021
Observation date: Aug 13, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 14, 2021
Observation date: Aug 13, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 14, 2021
Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 10, 2021
Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 29, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 29, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 10, 2021
Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 31, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 10, 2021
Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 10, 2021
Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 10, 2021
Observation date: Aug 03, 2021
Submitted by: Artemisia
Region: Clallam County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 04, 2021
Observation date: Jul 27, 2021
Submitted by: dsperanza
Region: Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 02, 2021
Observation date: Jul 28, 2021
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 30, 2021
Observation date: Jul 25, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 25, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 20, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 16, 2021
Submitted by: Artemisia
Region: Clallam County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 26, 2021
Observation date: Jul 03, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 20, 2021
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