Indian Skipper
Hesperia sassacus Harris, 1862
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside is yellow-orange with well-defined black markings. Black border of the hindwing is often toothed. Underside of hindwing is yellow-orange with a band of yellow spots that barely contrasts with the background.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 3/8 inches (3.2 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: Males perch all day to await receptive females. Caterpillars live in silken tubes at the base of grass clumps and leave them to feed. Older caterpillars overwinter and in the spring pupate in a loose cocoon.
Flight: One brood from May-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various grasses including little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius), panic grass (Panicum), and red fescue (Festuca rubra).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including blackberry, henbit, lithospermum, phlox, and viper's bugloss.
Habitat: Old brushy fields, pastures, clearings, headlands.
Range: Maine west across southern Ontario to southeast Manitoba and Minnesota; south to western North Carolina, southern Ohio, and northern Indiana.
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
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 962 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 05, 2020
Submitted by: cblazo
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 06, 2020
Observation date: Jun 15, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Newaygo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 24, 2020
Observation date: Jun 15, 2020
Submitted by: kathybrown
Region: Hancock County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 24, 2020
Observation date: Jun 07, 2020
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 20, 2020
Observation date: Jun 02, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Allegan County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 03, 2020
Observation date: Jun 02, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Allegan County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 03, 2020
Observation date: May 29, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Newaygo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 01, 2020
Observation date: May 29, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Newaygo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 31, 2020
Observation date: Jun 21, 2019
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Newaygo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Feb 05, 2020
Observation date: Jun 21, 2019
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Newaygo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 25, 2019
Observation date: Jun 07, 2019
Submitted by: Tony DeSantis
Region: Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 09, 2019
Observation date: Jun 02, 2019
Submitted by: rhedden
Region: Washington County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 03, 2019
Observation date: Jun 26, 2014
Submitted by: Falcontennis
Region: Marquette County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 26, 2018
Observation date: Jun 04, 2018
Submitted by: Randy Bodkins
Region: Tucker County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 09, 2018
Observation date: Jun 15, 2017
Submitted by: JC32647
Region: Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 29, 2017
Observation date: Jun 07, 2016
Submitted by: sharin
Region: Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 05, 2016
Observation date: Jun 13, 2016
Submitted by: jvkopple2
Region: Kalkaska County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 18, 2016
Observation date: Jun 04, 2016
Submitted by: TPeterson
Region: Benzie County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 14, 2016
Observation date: Jun 04, 2016
Submitted by: TPeterson
Region: Benzie County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 14, 2016
Observation date: Jun 04, 2016
Submitted by: TPeterson
Region: Benzie County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 14, 2016
Observation date: Jun 10, 2016
Submitted by: cblazo
Region: Fulton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 12, 2016
Observation date: Jun 09, 2016
Submitted by: jvkopple2
Region: Kalkaska County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 10, 2016
Observation date: Jun 01, 2016
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 09, 2016
Observation date: May 31, 2016
Submitted by: cblazo
Region: Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 02, 2016
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