Saltbush Sootywing
Hesperopsis alpheus (W.H. Edwards, 1876)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Fringes are checkered. Upperside is black. Forewing has a mottled gray pattern and a row of dark bars near the outer margin. Hindwing may have pale spots. Underside is black; hindwing with small pale spots.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 1 1/4 inches (2 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: To find receptive females, males patrol all day around the host plants and in gulches. Caterpillars eat leaves and make shelters of rolled leaves.
Flight: Two broods from May-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Shadscale (Atriplex canescens) and quail brush (Atriplex lentiformis) in the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Desert washes, alkali flats, arid canyons.
Range: Nevada east to Colorado; south to southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, and Chihuahua, Mexico.
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
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 172 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 25, 2007
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Washoe County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 18, 2024
Observation date: Jun 25, 2024
Submitted by: Dogoszhi
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 26, 2024
Observation date: Apr 24, 2024
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 19, 2024
Observation date: May 17, 2024
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Inyo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 05, 2024
Observation date: Apr 16, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 18, 2024
Observation date: Apr 13, 2024
Submitted by: Robb Hannawacker
Region: San Juan County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 15, 2024
Observation date: Jan 18, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jan 21, 2024
Observation date: Apr 23, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 04, 2024
Observation date: May 27, 2023
Submitted by: tjay13
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: Apr 13, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: May 29, 2023
Observation date: May 03, 2023
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Chaves County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 16, 2023
Observation date: Apr 24, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: San Juan County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Dec 12, 2022
Observation date: Apr 03, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Brewster County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
Observation date: May 06, 2022
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 14, 2022
Observation date: Apr 28, 2022
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 06, 2022
Observation date: Jun 21, 2021
Submitted by: Harry Forbes
Region: Iron County, Utah, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 01, 2022
Observation date: Jul 22, 2021
Submitted by: greentwist
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 25, 2021
Observation date: Aug 14, 2016
Submitted by: Rob Wu
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 24, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 08, 2021
Observation date: May 02, 2020
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Dec 02, 2020
Observation date: Jul 04, 2020
Submitted by: rebeccagracey
Region: Valencia County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 09, 2020
Observation date: May 14, 2020
Submitted by: Tim Shortell
Region: Mesa County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 14, 2020
Observation date: May 09, 2020
Submitted by: rebeccagracey
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 23, 2020
Observation date: Apr 28, 2011
Submitted by: Jonathan Batkin
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Dec 30, 2019
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