Our summer fundraiser has arrived, and we need your help!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America online and free. If everyone who uses this resource makes a donation, we could cover our ongoing costs, develop new features, upgrade the system, and maybe even remove those pesky ads. Please make a one-time or recurring donation to show your support for this valuable source of information. Thank you!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America online and free. If everyone who uses this resource makes a donation, we could cover our ongoing costs, develop new features, upgrade the system, and maybe even remove those pesky ads. Please make a one-time or recurring donation to show your support for this valuable source of information. Thank you!
Guava Skipper
Phocides palemon
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Fringes are white. Upperside is black with green rays leading from the wing bases. Underside is black with a red bar at the costal edge.
Wing Span: 1 5/8 - 2 1/2 inches (4.2 - 6.3 cm).
Life History: Females lay eggs singly on the upperside of terminal leaves of the host plant. Caterpillars spend the day in leaf shelters and eat leaves during the night.
Flight: Many broods in February, April, and June-December in South Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Guava (Psidium species).
Adult Food: Presumably flower nectar.
Habitat: Subtropical woods, city gardens.
Range: The lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas south through Mexico and Central America to Argentina.
Conservation: Not usually 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.
Comments: NULL
National Moth Week was July 23-31, 2022!
Moths are amazing creatures. Take photographs and share your moth sightings with us to document the moths where you live. Learn more.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 verified sightings

Observation date: Jul 14, 2020
Submitted by: gersontun
Region: Guatemala
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Jun 16, 2022

Observation date: Jun 11, 2018
Submitted by: MaynorOvando
Region: Suchitepéquez, Guatemala
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Sep 18, 2019

Observation date: Jun 03, 2019
Submitted by: Markus M
Region: Jalisco, Mexico
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Jun 20, 2019

Observation date: Jan 11, 2019
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 11, 2019

Observation date: Nov 29, 2018
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 11, 2018

Observation date: Nov 04, 2018
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 21, 2018

Observation date: Nov 05, 2018
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 15, 2018

Observation date: Nov 08, 2018
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 15, 2018

Observation date: Nov 04, 2018
Submitted by: Staceymarie
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 14, 2018

Observation date: Nov 11, 2017
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 14, 2018

Observation date: Dec 05, 2017
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 07, 2017

Observation date: Nov 09, 2014
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 16, 2016

Observation date: Nov 03, 2015
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 16, 2016

Observation date: Jul 10, 2015
Submitted by: ajijic1936
Region: Jalisco, Mexico
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Sep 17, 2015

Observation date: Aug 03, 2014
Submitted by: rgarzau
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 05, 2014

Observation date: Jan 09, 2011
Submitted by: cpcdolan
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Feb 01, 2011

Observation date: Sep 26, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (NABA - Mexico count for the State of Jalisco)
Region: Jalisco, Mexico
Verified by: legacy.verifier (NABA Mexico Count)
Verified date: Dec 28, 2007

Observation date: Oct 16, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Mike Overton, Paul Opler)
Region: Tamaulipas, Mexico
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Mike Overton)
Verified date: Sep 11, 2007

Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Sinaloa, Mexico
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004

Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004

Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Tamaulipas, Mexico
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004

Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004

Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004

Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Texas, Starr County, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004