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
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 4276 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: CincyJeff
Region: Clermont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 13, 2024
Observation date: Aug 15, 1990
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jan 06, 2024
Observation date: Jan 05, 2024
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 05, 2024
Observation date: Dec 17, 2023
Submitted by: MECobarruvias
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 18, 2023
Observation date: Oct 04, 2023
Submitted by: talinabug
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 03, 2023
Observation date: Nov 21, 2023
Submitted by: Tashi Liem
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 01, 2023
Observation date: Nov 08, 2023
Submitted by: talinabug
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 01, 2023
Observation date: Nov 28, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 28, 2023
Observation date: Nov 27, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 27, 2023
Observation date: Nov 21, 2023
Submitted by: richerry33
Region: Marin County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 27, 2023
Observation date: Nov 26, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 26, 2023
Observation date: Nov 26, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 26, 2023
Observation date: Nov 07, 2023
Submitted by: speele
Region: Pickens County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Nov 26, 2023
Observation date: Aug 20, 1999
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Douglas County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Nov 25, 2023
Observation date: Nov 12, 2023
Submitted by: quinn_rose
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 17, 2023
Observation date: Jul 16, 2023
Submitted by: kericson
Region: Duval County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 11, 2023
Observation date: Aug 13, 2023
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Lake County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Nov 10, 2023
Observation date: Nov 08, 2023
Submitted by: quinn_rose
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 09, 2023
Observation date: Nov 09, 2023
Submitted by: quinn_rose
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 09, 2023
Observation date: Oct 26, 2023
Submitted by: Ghesser
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 08, 2023
Observation date: Nov 06, 2023
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 07, 2023
Observation date: Sep 24, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 06, 2023
Observation date: Oct 07, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 06, 2023
Observation date: Sep 24, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 06, 2023
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