Umber Skipper
Poanes melane (W.H. Edwards, 1869)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside is umber brown; forewing with darker disc and pale spots; hindwing with a light yellow-brown band. Female is larger and lighter colored. Underside resembles upperside but spots are larger and lighter; forewing base is black.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 3/8 inches (3.2 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: Males perch in grassy areas to wait for receptive females. Caterpillars feed on leaves and live in shelters of rolled or tied leaves.
Flight: Two broods from March-May and September-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various grasses including tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia caespitosa), Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), California brome (Bromus carinatus); and sedges including San Diego sedge (Carex spissa).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Desert foothills, grassy areas, streamsides, roadsides, yards, parks, open oak woodland.
Range: California west of the Sierra Nevada Divide; southern Arizona; Baja California and the highlands of Mexico and Central America.
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 297 verified sightings
Observation date: May 24, 2020
Submitted by: Crsoak
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 25, 2020
Observation date: May 20, 2020
Submitted by: segmentality
Region: Solano County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 21, 2020
Observation date: Mar 18, 2020
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 19, 2020
Observation date: May 15, 2020
Submitted by: daperson
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 15, 2020
Observation date: May 13, 2020
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 13, 2020
Observation date: May 06, 2020
Submitted by: Colimabirder
Region: Placer County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 08, 2020
Observation date: Apr 22, 2020
Submitted by: sarabseth
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 24, 2020
Observation date: Mar 30, 2020
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 05, 2020
Observation date: Oct 20, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 04, 2020
Observation date: Oct 23, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 04, 2020
Observation date: Nov 03, 2019
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 15, 2020
Observation date: May 30, 2012
Submitted by: k9nicci
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 05, 2019
Observation date: Nov 14, 2019
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 16, 2019
Observation date: Nov 06, 2019
Submitted by: falco1
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 07, 2019
Observation date: Oct 22, 2019
Submitted by: storolaf
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 24, 2019
Observation date: Oct 05, 2019
Submitted by: Okole1808
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 13, 2019
Observation date: Oct 09, 2019
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 13, 2019
Observation date: Sep 09, 2019
Submitted by: Joey Bom
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 05, 2019
Observation date: Sep 10, 2019
Submitted by: Joey Bom
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 05, 2019
Observation date: Aug 29, 2019
Submitted by: BobD
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 21, 2019
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 25, 2019
Observation date: Aug 17, 2019
Submitted by: jmthornton
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 18, 2019
Observation date: Aug 02, 2019
Submitted by: gregslak
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 03, 2019
Observation date: Jul 10, 2019
Submitted by: gregslak
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 14, 2019
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