Russet Skipperling
Piruna pirus (W.H. Edwards, 1878)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
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.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 157 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 14, 2014
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Wasatch County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Dec 12, 2022
Observation date: Jul 16, 2022
Submitted by: chneal
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 18, 2022
Observation date: Jul 29, 2022
Submitted by: Jon Kindschy
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 19, 2022
Observation date: Aug 13, 2022
Submitted by: tjay13
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 18, 2022
Observation date: Aug 13, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 15, 2022
Observation date: Jul 20, 2022
Submitted by: tjunderwood
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 28, 2022
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 01, 2022
Observation date: Jul 23, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 25, 2022
Observation date: Jul 16, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 17, 2022
Observation date: Jul 04, 2022
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 05, 2022
Observation date: Jun 24, 2022
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 02, 2022
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Torrance County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 26, 2021
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 28, 2021
Observation date: Jul 15, 2021
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 22, 2021
Observation date: Jul 05, 2021
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Laramie County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 10, 2021
Submitted by: Chrustay
Region: Torrance County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 10, 2021
Submitted by: Chrustay
Region: Torrance County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 03, 2021
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Laramie County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 04, 2021
Submitted by: Chrustay
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 08, 2021
Observation date: Jul 02, 2021
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 08, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 08, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 08, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 08, 2021
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