Tropical Checkered-Skipper
Pyrgus oileus (Linnaeus, 1767)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside is dark brown with pale markings; male forewing has a mat of long blue-gray hairs; hindwing of both sexes has marginal and submarginal bands made up of equal-sized spots. Underside of hindwing is pale, often with a strong brown overlay; not much contrast between bands and ground color.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches (3.2 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch and patrol for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on the uppersides of host plant leaves. Caterpillars feed and live in the shelter of a webbed leaf.
Flight: Four to five broods throughout the year in South Texas and Florida.
Caterpillar Hosts: Several plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae) including axocatzin (Sida rhombifolia), mallow (Malva), hollyhock (Althaea rosea), velvet-leaf (Abutilon), and malva loca (Malvastrum).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of Sidas and small-flowered composites such as shepherd's needles.
Habitat: Open, sunny areas including pastures, brushy fields, wooded trails, thorn-scrub, and roadsides.
Range: Peninsular Florida, the Gulf Coast, and South Texas south through the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America to Argentina.
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 470 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 14, 2019
Submitted by: kmontana001
Region: Gulf County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 16, 2019
Observation date: Jun 05, 2019
Submitted by: kellydfl
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 08, 2019
Observation date: Jul 02, 2019
Submitted by: robert.emond
Region: Gadsden County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 06, 2019
Observation date: Jun 29, 2019
Submitted by: loyallonghorn
Region: Fort Bend County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 01, 2019
Observation date: Jun 29, 2019
Submitted by: Robert Schoenberg
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 29, 2019
Observation date: Jun 24, 2019
Submitted by: GLG
Region: Walton County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 25, 2019
Observation date: Apr 30, 2019
Submitted by: yardbird
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 07, 2019
Observation date: May 05, 2019
Submitted by: GLG
Region: Walton County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 06, 2019
Observation date: Jan 04, 2018
Submitted by: LLJohnson
Region: Dominican Republic
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Apr 29, 2019
Observation date: Mar 30, 2019
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 23, 2019
Observation date: Oct 31, 2018
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 23, 2019
Observation date: Sep 22, 2018
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 23, 2019
Observation date: Nov 01, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 22, 2019
Observation date: Apr 29, 2018
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Georgetown County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 22, 2019
Observation date: Nov 06, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Jasper County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 22, 2019
Observation date: Nov 06, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Jasper County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 22, 2019
Observation date: Apr 10, 2019
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 22, 2019
Observation date: Oct 01, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Jasper County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 22, 2019
Observation date: Sep 29, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 22, 2019
Observation date: Sep 02, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Georgetown County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 22, 2019
Observation date: Sep 02, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Georgetown County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 22, 2019
Observation date: Aug 23, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 22, 2019
Observation date: Aug 15, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 22, 2019
Observation date: Aug 06, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Dorchester County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 22, 2019
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