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 217 - 240 of 4495 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 08, 2024
Submitted by: SDozzler
Region: Hill County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 09, 2024
Observation date: Apr 05, 2024
Submitted by: Pkleinsasser
Region: Flagler County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 08, 2024
Observation date: Aug 13, 2022
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 05, 2024
Observation date: Mar 31, 2024
Submitted by: mcvaugh
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 01, 2024
Observation date: Mar 24, 2024
Submitted by: WL77
Region: Texas, McLennan County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 25, 2024
Observation date: Mar 17, 2024
Submitted by: kericson
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 17, 2024
Observation date: Mar 13, 2024
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 15, 2024
Observation date: Sep 27, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Lyon County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Mar 15, 2024
Observation date: Sep 28, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Lyon County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Mar 15, 2024
Observation date: Mar 02, 2024
Submitted by: pamelmmc
Region: Aransas County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 12, 2024
Observation date: Mar 04, 2024
Submitted by: pamelmmc
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 12, 2024
Observation date: Sep 27, 2023
Submitted by: terrymortier
Region: St. Croix County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Mar 06, 2024
Observation date: Aug 27, 2023
Submitted by: eattaway92
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 19, 2024
Observation date: Sep 17, 2023
Submitted by: heinert
Region: Burleigh County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Feb 15, 2024
Observation date: Feb 13, 2024
Submitted by: jkuehn
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 13, 2024
Observation date: Feb 09, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 10, 2024
Observation date: Jan 25, 2024
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 06, 2024
Observation date: Feb 10, 2023
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 03, 2024
Observation date: Oct 03, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jan 25, 2024
Observation date: Sep 30, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jan 24, 2024
Observation date: Jan 18, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jan 21, 2024
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
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