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 370 verified sightings
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: the janitors kid
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
Observation date: May 08, 2018
Submitted by: the janitors kid
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 22, 2018
Observation date: Apr 04, 2018
Submitted by: treichard
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 14, 2018
Observation date: Feb 27, 2018
Submitted by: JC32647
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 23, 2018
Observation date: Mar 02, 2018
Submitted by: the janitors kid
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 23, 2018
Observation date: Mar 12, 2018
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 16, 2018
Observation date: Feb 17, 2018
Submitted by: the janitors kid
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 19, 2018
Observation date: Feb 14, 2018
Submitted by: the janitors kid
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 19, 2018
Observation date: Nov 11, 2017
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 31, 2018
Observation date: Nov 29, 2017
Submitted by: the janitors kid
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 24, 2018
Observation date: Dec 07, 2017
Submitted by: the janitors kid
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 24, 2018
Observation date: Sep 28, 2017
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Galveston County, Texas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 18, 2018
Observation date: Sep 28, 2017
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Galveston County, Texas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 18, 2018
Observation date: Sep 28, 2017
Submitted by: treichard
Region: Galveston County, Texas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 18, 2018
Observation date: Nov 22, 2017
Submitted by: EleanorR
Region: Suwannee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 22, 2017
Observation date: Nov 03, 2017
Submitted by: Kathy Brown
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 12, 2017
Observation date: Nov 05, 2017
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 05, 2017
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