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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 457 - 480 of 4498 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 30, 2022
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 04, 2022
Observation date: Aug 31, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 04, 2022
Observation date: Aug 28, 2021
Submitted by: justkim1106
Region: Texas, Uvalde County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 03, 2022
Observation date: Jul 25, 2022
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Berrien County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
Observation date: Aug 24, 2022
Submitted by: philsfotos1
Region: Livingston County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
Observation date: Aug 30, 2022
Submitted by: Ohio97
Region: Montgomery County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Aug 31, 2022
Observation date: Aug 28, 2022
Submitted by: kristenej
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: dbryant562
Region: Summit County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: tsimpson
Region: Pinal County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Aug 29, 2022
Observation date: Aug 27, 2022
Submitted by: datilson
Region: Clarke County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 29, 2022
Observation date: Aug 28, 2022
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 29, 2022
Observation date: Aug 19, 2022
Submitted by: acb22
Region: Sangamon County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 28, 2022
Observation date: Aug 26, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 26, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2022
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 26, 2022
Observation date: Aug 21, 2022
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 26, 2022
Observation date: Aug 19, 2022
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 26, 2022
Observation date: Aug 19, 2022
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 26, 2022
Observation date: Oct 30, 2021
Submitted by: PONYRCR
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 24, 2022
Observation date: Oct 30, 2021
Submitted by: PONYRCR
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 24, 2022
Observation date: Oct 30, 2021
Submitted by: PONYRCR
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 24, 2022
Observation date: Oct 30, 2021
Submitted by: PONYRCR
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 24, 2022
Observation date: Sep 29, 2021
Submitted by: Robert Schoenberg
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 24, 2022
Observation date: Dec 02, 2021
Submitted by: kye
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 23, 2022
Observation date: Aug 21, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 22, 2022
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