Sonora Skipper
Polites sonora (Scudder, 1872)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside is reddish-orange with a wide, light brown border. Male forewing has a wide black stigma. Hindwing has a light band of separate spots; band is more diffuse in female. Underside of hindwing varies from brown to greenish-brown, and has a narrow yellow-white band which may be composed of separate spots.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: To wait for females, males perch in depressions in meadows all day.
Flight: One brood from June-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Possibly Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including white-flowered thistles.
Habitat: From sea level to 11,000 feet in coastal plains, streamsides, wet areas in high plains, and moist mountain meadows.
Range: Southern British Columbia south to southern California; east to Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado.
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
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 300 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 17, 2022
Submitted by: PDunwiddie
Region: Inyo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Aug 02, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 04, 2022
Observation date: Jul 28, 2022
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 01, 2022
Observation date: Jul 13, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 18, 2022
Observation date: Jun 23, 2022
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Lassen County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 04, 2022
Observation date: Jul 15, 2021
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Lincoln County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Dec 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 26, 2021
Submitted by: cklindsey
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 28, 2021
Observation date: Jun 15, 2021
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 16, 2021
Observation date: Jun 04, 2021
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 05, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2019
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 09, 2021
Observation date: Jul 12, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Albany County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 17, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Laramie County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 17, 2021
Observation date: Jun 20, 2020
Submitted by: MaryAnn Friedman
Region: Teller County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 11, 2020
Observation date: Jul 29, 2020
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Modoc County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 02, 2020
Observation date: Jul 22, 2020
Submitted by: cklindsey
Region: Modoc County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 01, 2020
Observation date: Jul 18, 2020
Submitted by: falco1
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 20, 2020
Observation date: Jul 18, 2020
Submitted by: falco1
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 20, 2020
Observation date: Jul 23, 2019
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 13, 2019
Observation date: Aug 04, 2019
Submitted by: Team Kweeper
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 06, 2019
Observation date: Aug 06, 2019
Submitted by: jbedortha31
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 06, 2019
Observation date: Jul 21, 2019
Submitted by: Thomlinson
Region: Tulare County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 02, 2019
Observation date: Jul 22, 2018
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 29, 2019
Observation date: Jul 08, 2004
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 26, 2019
Observation date: Sep 09, 2018
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 24, 2018
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