White Checkered-Skipper
Pyrgus albescens Plötz, 1884
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Paler than Pyrgus communis. Male often has complete black checks in wing fringes. Upperside of male is blue-gray; female is black. Both sexes have large white spots which form median bands across both wings. Male has a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the upperside of the forewing. Underside is dull white with dark gray bands. Positive identification can be made only by dissection and scrutiny of the male genitalia.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Similar to that of Common Checkered-skipper.
Flight: All year in South Texas, most of the year elsewhere.
Caterpillar Hosts: Not reliably reported. Probably several plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae) including globemallows (Sphaeralcea), velvet-leaf (Abutilon), and poppy mallow (Callirhoe).
Adult Food: Nectar from a variety of plants.
Habitat: Open, sunny places with low vegetation and some bare soil including prairies, fields, roadsides, yards, gardens, and low deserts.
Range: Low altitudes in southern California, southern Arizona, southern New Mexico, west and South Texas; Florida, and Mexico. A rare stray to southwest Utah, and central Texas.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 389 verified sightings
Observation date: May 14, 2019
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 16, 2019
Observation date: May 01, 2019
Submitted by: GLG
Region: Walton County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 01, 2019
Observation date: Apr 11, 2019
Submitted by: plex1ppus
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 19, 2019
Observation date: Apr 09, 2019
Submitted by: opiliones
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 13, 2019
Observation date: Mar 25, 2019
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 30, 2019
Observation date: Nov 06, 2018
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 03, 2019
Observation date: Nov 04, 2018
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Texas, Starr County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 03, 2019
Observation date: Feb 16, 2019
Submitted by: wlu
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 23, 2019
Observation date: Feb 05, 2019
Submitted by: rogerashton
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 17, 2019
Observation date: Feb 05, 2019
Submitted by: wlu
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 06, 2019
Observation date: Nov 25, 2018
Submitted by: wlu
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 26, 2018
Observation date: Nov 03, 2018
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 26, 2018
Observation date: Oct 11, 2018
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 18, 2018
Observation date: Nov 06, 2018
Submitted by: wlu
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 08, 2018
Observation date: Oct 31, 2018
Submitted by: wlu
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 01, 2018
Observation date: Sep 26, 2018
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 22, 2018
Observation date: Aug 29, 2018
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 02, 2018
Observation date: Aug 25, 2018
Submitted by: WhatISeebyDawne
Region: Horry County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 29, 2018
Observation date: Oct 23, 2017
Submitted by: dlister
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 24, 2018
Observation date: Aug 01, 2018
Submitted by: Jrock-kodama
Region: Orange County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 01, 2018
Observation date: Jul 17, 2018
Submitted by: wlu
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 20, 2018
Observation date: Jun 07, 2018
Submitted by: Ron Smith
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 20, 2018
Observation date: Jun 23, 2018
Submitted by: kellydfl
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 29, 2018
Observation date: Jun 02, 2018
Submitted by: AJVanh.arch
Region: Martin County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 22, 2018
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