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 289 - 312 of 4497 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 07, 2023
Submitted by: rajanrao
Region: Calaveras County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 16, 2023
Observation date: Oct 04, 2023
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 12, 2023
Observation date: Oct 07, 2023
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 12, 2023
Observation date: Aug 17, 2023
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 10, 2023
Observation date: Sep 18, 2023
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 08, 2023
Observation date: Sep 10, 2023
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 06, 2023
Observation date: Oct 05, 2023
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Napa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 05, 2023
Observation date: Sep 25, 2023
Submitted by: datilson
Region: Clarke County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Oct 05, 2023
Observation date: May 27, 2023
Submitted by: Jenmiller81
Region: Chilton County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 03, 2023
Observation date: Mar 01, 2023
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 28, 2023
Observation date: Sep 10, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 24, 2023
Observation date: Sep 19, 2023
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 22, 2023
Observation date: Aug 31, 2023
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 20, 2023
Observation date: Aug 16, 2023
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 20, 2023
Observation date: Sep 18, 2023
Submitted by: vogelbild
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 20, 2023
Observation date: Sep 12, 2023
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Lancaster County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Sep 18, 2023
Observation date: Sep 14, 2023
Submitted by: Brendavent
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 14, 2023
Observation date: Sep 13, 2023
Submitted by: NBeaty
Region: Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Sep 14, 2023
Observation date: Sep 09, 2023
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 10, 2023
Observation date: Sep 09, 2023
Submitted by: baileyjt
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 09, 2023
Observation date: Sep 04, 2023
Submitted by: zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 06, 2023
Observation date: Jun 24, 2023
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 03, 2023
Observation date: Jun 24, 2023
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 03, 2023
Observation date: Aug 31, 2023
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
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