Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Mangrove Skipper
Phocides pigmalion (Cramer, 1779)


Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Eudaminae
Identification: Wings are brown-black; hindwing has iridescent blue streaks both above and below.
Wing Span: 1 7/8 - 2 3/4 inches (4.8 - 7 cm).
Life History: Flight is fast and powerful. Males perch to seek females, who deposit eggs singly on the host plant. Caterpillars eat leaves and live in shelters of silked-together leaves.
Flight: November-August in southern Florida.
Caterpillar Hosts: American mangrove (Rhizophora mangle).
Adult Food: Nectar including that of mangrove, shepherd\'s needle, citrus, and bougainvillaea flowers.
Habitat: Coastal mangrove thickets and openings.
Range: Both coasts of peninsular Florida and the Keys south through the West Indies and Mexico to Argentina. Strayed to coastal South Carolina.
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