Meske's Skipper
Hesperia meskei (W.H. Edwards, 1877)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside is dark brown with bright orange areas. Underside of hindwing is bright yellow-orange with a faint band of paler spots.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches (3.2 - 3.9 cm).
Life History: Males perch to wait for receptive females, who lay their eggs singly on the host plant. Caterpillars live in silken tubes at the base of grass clumps and feed on grass nearby. They overwinter in shelters that are partially underground.
Flight: Two broods from April-October; several broods from May-December in southern Florida.
Caterpillar Hosts: Little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius) and arrowfeather threeawn (Aristida purpurascens).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of blazing star, pickerelweed, and others.
Habitat: Sparse, open woods and grassy places.
Range: Southern North Carolina south to the Florida Keys. Isolated populations in central Arkansas and east Texas. Strays to South Texas.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 134 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 26, 2019
Submitted by: AmyandLeigh
Region: Taylor County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 02, 2019
Observation date: Jun 22, 2019
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 14, 2019
Observation date: Jun 22, 2019
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 24, 2019
Observation date: Jun 22, 2019
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 24, 2019
Observation date: Jun 22, 2019
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 24, 2019
Observation date: Jun 22, 2019
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 24, 2019
Observation date: Jun 23, 2018
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 06, 2018
Observation date: Jun 14, 2011
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe (Irvin Pitts)
Region: Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 31, 2018
Observation date: Jun 14, 2011
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe (Irvin Pitts)
Region: Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 31, 2018
Observation date: Oct 17, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 31, 2018
Observation date: Jun 23, 2018
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 27, 2018
Observation date: Oct 06, 2017
Submitted by: dsjue
Region: Liberty County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 09, 2017
Observation date: Jun 15, 2003
Submitted by: Kreg Ellzey
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 16, 2017
Observation date: Jun 04, 2017
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Highlands County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 26, 2017
Observation date: Jun 10, 2017
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: Jeff Trahan
Verified date: Jun 18, 2017
Observation date: Jun 10, 2015
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 18, 2017
Observation date: Oct 20, 2016
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 21, 2016
Observation date: Oct 02, 2016
Submitted by: rob77897@gmail.com
Region: Osceola County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 11, 2016
Observation date: May 29, 2016
Submitted by: Ron Smith
Region: Liberty County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 01, 2016
Observation date: Jul 01, 2015
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: Jeff Trahan
Verified date: Jul 20, 2015
Observation date: Jun 23, 2013
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Feb 06, 2015
Observation date: Sep 21, 2012
Submitted by: Rose A. Payne
Region: Georgia, Taylor County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 25, 2012
Observation date: Jun 02, 2011
Submitted by: Martin Reid
Region: Jasper County, Texas, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Aug 15, 2011
Observation date: Jun 04, 2011
Submitted by: Martin Reid
Region: Angelina County, Texas, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Aug 15, 2011
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