Common Sootywing
Pholisora catullus (Fabricius, 1793)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside is glossy black with small white spots on outer third of forewing. Female has more white spots on the forewing than the male, and a submarginal row of spots on the hindwing. Underside of forewing repeats the upperside; hindwing is solid black.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 5/16 inches (2.5 - 3.3 cm).
Life History: Adults bask with the wings spread open. To find receptive females, males patrol near the ground in sunny places; mating takes place in the morning and afternoon. Near midday, females lay eggs singly on the tops of host plant leaves. Caterpillars live and feed within shelters of folded leaves. Caterpillars of the second brood overwinter in their silk-lined leaf shelters and pupate within them in the spring.
Flight: Two broods; from May-August in the north, March-November in Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album), amaranths (Amaranthus), and cockscomb (Celosia).
Adult Food: Nectar from many flowers including dogbane, marjoram, oxalis, white clover, common milkweed, peppermint, cucumber, and melon.
Habitat: Open or disturbed areas such as landfills, vacant lots, gardens, roadsides, fields, and pastures.
Range: Central United States south to central Mexico. Strays and colonizes to southern British Columbia, northern Michigan, southern Quebec, and southern Maine. Does not occur in peninsular Florida.
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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 2906 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 01, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 04, 2026
Observation date: Aug 03, 2026
Submitted by: Dogoszhi
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 04, 2026
Observation date: Jul 13, 2026
Submitted by: tsfields
Region: Sheridan County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Aug 03, 2026
Observation date: Jul 22, 2026
Submitted by: tsfields
Region: Sheridan County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Aug 03, 2026
Observation date: Aug 21, 2021
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 01, 2026
Observation date: Jul 25, 2026
Submitted by: PhotoGwen88
Region: Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 31, 2026
Observation date: Jul 28, 2026
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 29, 2026
Observation date: Jul 14, 2026
Submitted by: BT
Region: Texas, Jones County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2026
Observation date: Jul 12, 2026
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 12, 2026
Observation date: May 11, 2026
Submitted by: debborahm12
Region: Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Jul 10, 2026
Observation date: May 23, 2026
Submitted by: Chrustay
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 02, 2026
Observation date: Jun 12, 2026
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Cibola County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 21, 2026
Observation date: May 23, 2026
Submitted by: cfield
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: May 24, 2026
Observation date: May 14, 2026
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Harding County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 16, 2026
Observation date: Apr 07, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 10, 2026
Observation date: Apr 03, 2026
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 05, 2026
Observation date: Mar 13, 2026
Submitted by: asombro_institute
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 25, 2026
Observation date: Aug 21, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Allegan County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Jul 22, 2025
Submitted by: dkBirder
Region: Calhoun County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Aug 17, 2025
Submitted by: klamke
Region: Pennington County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 03, 2025
Observation date: Aug 19, 2025
Submitted by: klamke
Region: Pennington County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 29, 2025
Observation date: Aug 27, 2025
Submitted by: Carodescobar
Region: Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 28, 2025
Observation date: Aug 09, 2025
Submitted by: Lutherjj
Region: Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Aug 25, 2025
Observation date: Aug 14, 2025
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 14, 2025
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