Tropical Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius 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.
Taxonomy Notes: Formerly in the genus Pyrgus.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Pyrgus oileus
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 628 verified sightings
Observation date: Feb 20, 2025
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 25, 2025
Observation date: Jan 10, 2025
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jan 24, 2025
Observation date: Dec 03, 2024
Submitted by: Lani57
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 04, 2024
Observation date: Oct 28, 2024
Submitted by: Reneerob17
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 05, 2024
Observation date: Oct 24, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 04, 2024
Observation date: Apr 14, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 10, 2024
Observation date: Jul 07, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Jul 27, 2024
Observation date: Jul 10, 2024
Submitted by: Clugston.anicole
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 21, 2024
Observation date: Jun 29, 2024
Submitted by: C²²H²⁸N²O
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 30, 2024
Observation date: May 03, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: May 30, 2024
Observation date: May 16, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 17, 2024
Observation date: Apr 29, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 01, 2024
Observation date: Apr 08, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Apr 24, 2024
Observation date: Apr 07, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Apr 20, 2024
Observation date: Feb 17, 2024
Submitted by: k.d.stutzman
Region: Puerto Rico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Apr 14, 2024
Observation date: Mar 21, 2024
Submitted by: kericson
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 21, 2024
Observation date: Feb 09, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Sarasota County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 10, 2024
Observation date: Feb 04, 2022
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 03, 2024
Observation date: Nov 08, 2023
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Puerto Rico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Dec 13, 2023
Observation date: Nov 22, 2023
Submitted by: Erik Stabl
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 24, 2023
Observation date: Nov 12, 2023
Submitted by: kericson
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 13, 2023
Observation date: Sep 14, 2023
Submitted by: Brendavent
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 14, 2023
Observation date: Aug 14, 2023
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 05, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
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