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 625 - 648 of 4502 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 07, 2021
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 09, 2021
Observation date: Sep 06, 2021
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 07, 2021
Observation date: Aug 29, 2021
Submitted by: Bill Uttenweiler
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 01, 2021
Observation date: Aug 22, 2021
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 23, 2021
Observation date: Aug 14, 2021
Submitted by: Debo Boddiford
Region: Georgia, Screven County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 20, 2021
Observation date: Aug 16, 2021
Submitted by: Bill Uttenweiler
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 19, 2021
Observation date: Aug 15, 2021
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 19, 2021
Observation date: Aug 14, 2021
Submitted by: Timbreland16
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 15, 2021
Observation date: Aug 11, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 13, 2021
Observation date: Aug 08, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 13, 2021
Observation date: Aug 07, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 13, 2021
Observation date: Aug 06, 2021
Submitted by: frizzletoad
Region: Grayson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Aug 11, 2021
Observation date: Aug 05, 2021
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 06, 2021
Observation date: Aug 01, 2021
Submitted by: Patti_Patamawadee
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 01, 2021
Observation date: Jul 30, 2021
Submitted by: D Grimes
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 01, 2021
Observation date: Jul 27, 2021
Submitted by: LauraSea
Region: Nassau County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 29, 2021
Observation date: Jul 29, 2021
Submitted by: Bill Uttenweiler
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 29, 2021
Observation date: Jul 27, 2021
Submitted by: Saxtonine
Region: Wake County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 28, 2021
Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: Kathy Early
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 19, 2021
Observation date: Jul 12, 2021
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Adams County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 19, 2021
Observation date: Sep 07, 2020
Submitted by: S_Gucciardo
Region: Washington County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Sep 07, 2020
Submitted by: S_Gucciardo
Region: Washington County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Sep 07, 2020
Submitted by: S_Gucciardo
Region: Washington County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 10, 2021
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
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