Taxiles Skipper
Poanes taxiles (W.H. Edwards, 1881)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Male narrow black borders; underside of forewing with slightly darkened tip and outer margin; underside of hindwing with darkened base and outer margin. Female: Upperside is dark orange-brown with pale orange patches on the forewing and central hindwing. Underside of hindwing is violet-brown with a pale band of spots and a patch of gray scales near the outer margin.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 11/16 inches (3.2 - 4.3 cm).
Life History: Males perch in sunlit openings on leaves about 3-5 feet above the ground. They appear to defend their territory and may keep a perch for as long as a week. Courtship usually occurs in the afternoon. Females lay eggs singly under the host leaves. Caterpillars feed on leaves and make shelters of silk-tied leaves.
Flight: One brood from mid-June to August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Grasses including bluegrass (Poa), wheatgrass (Agropyron), orchardgrass (Dactylis), wildrye (Elymus), and bentgrass (Agrostis).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Woodland openings, stream valleys, forest meadows.
Range: Western South Dakota and north-central Nebraska south through the southern Rocky Mountains and foothills to central 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 309 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 27, 2025
Submitted by: jvkopple2
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 03, 2025
Observation date: Jul 27, 2025
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 02, 2025
Observation date: Jul 27, 2025
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 02, 2025
Observation date: Jun 21, 2025
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 30, 2025
Observation date: Jul 21, 2025
Submitted by: Dogoszhi
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 22, 2025
Observation date: Jul 10, 2025
Submitted by: Dogoszhi
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 17, 2025
Observation date: Jun 30, 2025
Submitted by: Jennbzrask
Region: Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 06, 2025
Observation date: Jul 03, 2025
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 04, 2025
Observation date: Jun 30, 2025
Submitted by: sayornis_lacnm
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 30, 2025
Observation date: Jun 19, 2025
Submitted by: Reneerob17
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 22, 2025
Observation date: Jul 07, 2024
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: La Plata County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 17, 2024
Observation date: Jul 07, 2024
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: La Plata County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 17, 2024
Observation date: Jul 25, 2024
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Pennington County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jul 31, 2024
Observation date: Jul 25, 2024
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Pennington County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jul 31, 2024
Observation date: Jul 14, 2024
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 23, 2024
Observation date: Jul 09, 2024
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 10, 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: Jul 09, 2023
Submitted by: anithompson
Region: Apache County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 08, 2023
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 17, 2023
Observation date: Aug 14, 2017
Submitted by: Stefan Kreitmeier
Region: Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 12, 2023
Observation date: Jul 09, 2020
Submitted by: Robb Hannawacker
Region: San Juan County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 11, 2023
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 31, 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
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