Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus (Drury, 1773)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Antennae are very short. Male wide black stigma. Underside of the hindwing is scattered with small black spots. Female: Upperside is dark brown with a very irregular orange band. Underside of hindwing is pale brown with paler checks.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches (3.2 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch in lawns and grassy swales to wait for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly under leaves and also on other plants and objects. Caterpillars eat leaves and roll and tie them to make shelters which lie horizontally in the sod.
Flight: Several broods from May-August in the north, all year in Florida and South Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), crabgrass (Digitaria), St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), and other grasses.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of a variety of plants including sweet pepperbush, swamp milkweed, asters, sneezeweed, knapweed, ironweed, and thistles.
Habitat: Sunny, open areas such as fields, lawns, gardens, levees, roadsides, and second-growth scrub.
Range: Southern United States south through the West Indies and Central America to Argentina. Cannot survive harsh winters; each summer this skipper may stray and re-colonize north to northern California, southern Minnesota, southern Ontario, and southern New England.
Conservation: Not 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.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Hylephia phyleus
Hylephilia phyleus
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 4472 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 30, 2026
Submitted by: gregslak
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 31, 2026
Observation date: Mar 22, 2026
Submitted by: Sophia Reyes
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 25, 2026
Observation date: Oct 02, 2019
Submitted by: Mboater
Region: Amherst County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 18, 2026
Observation date: Feb 15, 2026
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Mar 18, 2026
Observation date: Oct 06, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Calhoun County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 17, 2026
Observation date: Jul 20, 2024
Submitted by: amylbolt
Region: Shelby County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: Alex Stach
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Jul 03, 2025
Submitted by: hsmarshall
Region: Humphreys County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: Alex Stach
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Aug 07, 2024
Submitted by: beastbreath
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Oct 01, 2025
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Oct 05, 2025
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Dec 16, 2025
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 21, 2026
Observation date: Feb 02, 2026
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 02, 2026
Observation date: Jan 17, 2026
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 01, 2026
Observation date: Jan 27, 2026
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Kauai County, Hawaii, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 29, 2026
Observation date: Jan 28, 2026
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Kauai County, Hawaii, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 29, 2026
Observation date: Sep 08, 2025
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 13, 2026
Observation date: Nov 15, 2025
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 08, 2026
Observation date: Dec 26, 2025
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 26, 2025
Observation date: Dec 16, 2025
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 20, 2025
Observation date: Nov 13, 2025
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 17, 2025
Observation date: Nov 03, 2025
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Napa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 10, 2025
Observation date: Nov 07, 2025
Submitted by: TJ in Derry
Region: Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Nov 08, 2025
Observation date: Nov 01, 2025
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Nov 02, 2025
Observation date: Nov 30, 2024
Submitted by: SimplyElsie
Region: Jamaica
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 26, 2025
- 1 of 187
- next ›