Russet Skipperling
Piruna pirus (W.H. Edwards, 1878)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Heteropterinae
Identification: Upperside is dark brown; underside is red-brown. Forewing above and below has tiny transparent white spots; hindwing has no markings above or below.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/8 inches (2.5 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: Adults rest with their wings closed, but bask with hindwings open wide and forewings open to about 45 degrees. To find receptive females, males patrol above low plants in river courses, streams, and moist ravines. Caterpillars live and feed within nests of webbed leaves. Fully-grown caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: One brood from June-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Probably grasses such as bluegrass (Poa).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Moist valley bottoms, forest openings, meadows.
Range: Southeastern Idaho, southern Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might 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 182 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 14, 2024
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Apache County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 09, 2024
Observation date: Jul 20, 2024
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 04, 2024
Observation date: Jul 20, 2024
Submitted by: cheikoop
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 14, 2024
Observation date: Jul 31, 2024
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 11, 2024
Observation date: Aug 01, 2024
Submitted by: Reneerob17
Region: San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 05, 2024
Observation date: Jul 31, 2024
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 05, 2024
Observation date: Jul 28, 2024
Submitted by: LightScavenger
Region: San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 30, 2024
Observation date: Jul 14, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 17, 2024
Observation date: Jul 14, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 17, 2024
Observation date: Jul 07, 2024
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Torrance County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 11, 2024
Observation date: Jun 27, 2024
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 29, 2024
Observation date: Jun 17, 2024
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 18, 2024
Observation date: Jul 22, 2023
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Summit County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 17, 2023
Observation date: Jul 24, 2023
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 09, 2023
Observation date: Jul 21, 2023
Submitted by: sgguthart
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 03, 2023
Observation date: Jul 27, 2023
Submitted by: Lyle R
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 03, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: Jon Kindschy
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 03, 2023
Observation date: Jul 21, 2023
Submitted by: Jon Kindschy
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 25, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 24, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 24, 2023
Observation date: Jul 06, 2023
Submitted by: janders1
Region: Jefferson County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 23, 2023
Observation date: Jul 12, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 20, 2023
Observation date: Jun 13, 2023
Submitted by: MJKrotzer
Region: Apache County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jul 20, 2023
Observation date: Jun 12, 2023
Submitted by: MJKrotzer
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 28, 2023
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