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 73 - 96 of 977 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 20, 2014
Submitted by: Cherylee Black
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 22, 2014
Observation date: Jun 07, 2011
Submitted by: cyric
Region: Washington County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 12, 2013
Observation date: Jun 05, 2012
Submitted by: Cherylee Black
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 03, 2013
Observation date: Jun 05, 2012
Submitted by: Cherylee Black
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 03, 2013
Observation date: Jun 03, 2013
Submitted by: soluslupus13
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 06, 2013
Observation date: Jun 01, 2013
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 03, 2013
Observation date: May 30, 2013
Submitted by: soluslupus13
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 02, 2013
Observation date: Jun 25, 2003
Submitted by: cheins
Region: Washburn County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Aug 14, 2012
Observation date: Jun 03, 2012
Submitted by: Naseem Reza
Region: Door County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 26, 2012
Observation date: Jun 05, 2012
Submitted by: Appy-Brown
Region: Grand Isle County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: Kent McFarland
Verified date: Jun 08, 2012
Observation date: May 20, 2012
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Orange County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 03, 2012
Observation date: May 20, 2012
Submitted by: curtis.lehman (Rory Bower)
Region: Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 21, 2012
Observation date: Jun 20, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Fred Goodwin)
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 29, 1994
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Brian Cassie)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 01, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Matt Pelikan)
Region: Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 08, 2001
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Brian Cassie)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 31, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Mark Rainey)
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 30, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Dick Walton #)
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 13, 1999
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Gagnon)
Region: Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 16, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Dave Small)
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 28, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Sharon Stichter + Doug Savich + MBC)
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 28, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Dale Rhoda)
Region: Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 04, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Matt Pelikan)
Region: Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 24, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Madeline Champagne)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
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