Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis (Grote, 1872)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside of male is blue-gray; female is black. Both sexes have large white spots which form median bands across both wings. Fringes of male checkered but black checks often reach only halfway to edge of fringe. Male has a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the upperside of the forewing. Underside is dull white with dark gray or olive bands. Spots of the hindwing marginal row are very small; spots of the submarginal row are larger. This species is separated from the white checkered skipper with confidence only by dissection and examination of the male genitalia.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males patrol in swales most actively in the afternoon, and mating takes place then. Females lay eggs singly on leaf buds and tops of leaves. Adults roost exposed on a tall plant beginning in late afternoon. Caterpillars make folded-leaf nests in which they live and feed, and fully-grown caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: February-October in the Deep South, March-September in the north.
Caterpillar Hosts: Several plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae) including globemallows (Sphaeralcea), mallow (Malva), hollyhock (Althaea), alkali mallows (Sida), velvet-leaf (Abutilon), and poppy mallow (Callirhoe).
Adult Food: Nectar from white-flowered composites including shepherd\'s needles, fleabane, and asters; also red clover, knapweed, beggar\'s ticks, and many others.
Habitat: Open, sunny places with low vegetation and some bare soil including prairies, meadows, fields, roadsides, landfills, yards, gardens, pastures, openings and trails in woods.
Range: Most of the temperate United States south to Gulf coast, w. Texas, se. Arizona, southern California, and mountains of northern Mexico. Colonizes as far north as central Alberta, southern Ontario, and southern New England. It cannot survive very cold winters and may not be a permanent resident north of the 40th parallel.
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.
Taxonomy Notes: Formerly in the genus Pyrgus
Alternate Scientific Names:
Pyrgus communis
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 3451 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 18, 2023
Submitted by: terrymortier
Region: Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 20, 2023
Observation date: Aug 06, 2023
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 18, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 08, 2023
Observation date: May 06, 2023
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 04, 2023
Observation date: Jul 23, 2023
Submitted by: parmruss
Region: Merced County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
Observation date: Jun 30, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 24, 2023
Observation date: Jul 08, 2023
Submitted by: Lycaena
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 24, 2023
Observation date: Jun 25, 2023
Submitted by: Niayre
Region: Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 24, 2023
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 16, 2023
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 16, 2023
Observation date: Jul 07, 2023
Submitted by: RichHubie
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 12, 2023
Observation date: Jul 07, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 08, 2023
Observation date: Jun 25, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 25, 2023
Observation date: Jun 08, 2023
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: May 29, 2023
Submitted by: Tdloyd
Region: Sumner County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 07, 2023
Observation date: Apr 21, 2023
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: May 01, 2023
Observation date: Apr 27, 2023
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 30, 2023
Observation date: Apr 27, 2023
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 30, 2023
Observation date: Mar 18, 2023
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 21, 2023
Observation date: Oct 19, 2022
Submitted by: KatieD11
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: alchem30
Verified date: Apr 09, 2023
Observation date: Nov 12, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Mar 15, 2023
Observation date: Oct 10, 2019
Submitted by: greenesnake@yah...
Region: Lake County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Mar 13, 2023
Observation date: Nov 06, 2022
Submitted by: jmacmetro
Region: Bergen County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Feb 20, 2023
Observation date: Sep 05, 2021
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Napa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 14, 2023
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