Byssus Skipper
Problema byssus (W.H. Edwards, 1880)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside is bright yellow-orange with black borders and a black bar at the end of the cell. Females are much darker than males. Underside of hindwing is dull yellow in males and rust or orange in females; both with a band of pale spots.
Wing Span: 1 7/16 - 1 13/16 inches (3.7 - 4.6 cm).
Life History: Females lay eggs singly on host plant leaves. Caterpillars live in shelters of rolled or tied leaves, feed on leaves, and overwinter in their fourth stage of development. After completing their growth in the spring, the caterpillars pupate in dense silk cocoons in litter at the base of the host plant.
Flight: One brood from June-July in the Midwest; two broods from April-October along the Atlantic Coast.
Caterpillar Hosts: Eastern grama grass (Tripsacum dactyloides).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including pickerelweed.
Habitat: Tall-grass prairie in the Midwest, edges of coastal marshes along the Atlantic Coast.
Range: Along the Atlantic coastal plain from North Carolina south to Florida and the Gulf States; and in the Midwest from northern Indiana west to Iowa and south to Missouri and Kansas.
Conservation: Populations should be conserved wherever found.
NCGR: G3 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout its range).
Management Needs: Extirpation of local populations should be avoided by avoiding or limiting the use of fire as a management tool.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 73 - 96 of 342 verified sightings
Observation date: May 20, 2018
Submitted by: H Hooper
Region: Wakulla County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 28, 2018
Observation date: Aug 29, 2013
Submitted by: sedges
Region: Georgia, Stephens County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Nov 05, 2017
Observation date: Aug 19, 2017
Submitted by: John Demko
Region: Allendale County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 22, 2017
Observation date: Jul 18, 2017
Submitted by: Kimberly Mrozinski
Region: Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 20, 2017
Observation date: Jul 06, 2017
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 08, 2017
Observation date: Jul 12, 2016
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 14, 2016
Observation date: Jun 13, 2016
Submitted by: Carolyn Seaton
Region: York County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 13, 2016
Observation date: Jun 02, 2016
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 08, 2016
Observation date: Aug 15, 2015
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Howard County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: Jeff Trahan
Verified date: Sep 03, 2015
Observation date: Aug 13, 2015
Submitted by: PopularOutcast
Region: Alachua County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 17, 2015
Observation date: May 03, 2015
Submitted by: Ron Smith
Region: Levy County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 17, 2015
Observation date: Jun 23, 2015
Submitted by: Carolyn Seaton
Region: York County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 28, 2015
Observation date: Jun 13, 2015
Submitted by: Brett Budach
Region: Dent County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig
Verified date: Jun 15, 2015
Observation date: Aug 09, 2014
Submitted by: H Hooper
Region: Wakulla County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 11, 2014
Observation date: Jul 19, 2014
Submitted by: RLShonkwiler
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Aug 01, 2014
Observation date: Jun 14, 2014
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 29, 2014
Observation date: Jun 28, 2014
Submitted by: TallyCannon
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 29, 2014
Observation date: Jun 13, 2014
Submitted by: TallyCannon
Region: Wakulla County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 17, 2014
Observation date: Aug 26, 2012
Submitted by: Lois Stacey
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 10, 2013
Observation date: Jul 24, 2013
Submitted by: Brett Budach
Region: Johnson County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig
Verified date: Aug 19, 2013
Observation date: Jun 21, 2013
Submitted by: Joshua Spence
Region: Murray County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jun 27, 2013
Observation date: Jun 17, 2013
Submitted by: Kimberly Mrozinski
Region: Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 20, 2013
Observation date: Jul 29, 2012
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Adair County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 24, 2013
Observation date: Jun 01, 2012
Submitted by: Brett Budach
Region: Miami County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 07, 2013
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