Our summer fundraiser has arrived, and we need your help!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America online and free. If everyone who uses this resource makes a donation, we could cover our ongoing costs, develop new features, upgrade the system, and maybe even remove those pesky ads. Please make a one-time or recurring donation to show your support for this valuable source of information. Thank you!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America online and free. If everyone who uses this resource makes a donation, we could cover our ongoing costs, develop new features, upgrade the system, and maybe even remove those pesky ads. Please make a one-time or recurring donation to show your support for this valuable source of information. Thank you!
Desert Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius philetas W.H. Edwards, 1881
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside dark brown with whitish markings; male has a few long gray-blue hairs and a costal fold on the forewing. Hindwing has tiny marginal and submarginal spots; median band of female is reduced. Underside of hindwing is pale grayish white.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/8 inches (2.5 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: To await females, males patrol and occasionally perch throughout the day in gulches and near springs. Caterpillars live and feed in shelters made of webbed leaves.
Flight: Two to three broods; from February-December in Texas, April-October in Arizona.
Caterpillar Hosts: Mallows including malva loca (Malvastrum) and alkali mallows (Sida).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Open, moist spots in deserts or thorn forests.
Range: Southern Arizona east to South Texas, south to southern Mexico. Strays north to northern Arizona and north Texas.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments:
Taxonomy Notes: Formerly in the genus Pyrgus.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Pyrgus philetas
National Moth Week was July 23-31, 2022!
Moths are amazing creatures. Take photographs and share your moth sightings with us to document the moths where you live. Learn more.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 128 verified sightings

Observation date: Oct 24, 1990
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Hidalgo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 05, 2022

Observation date: Apr 21, 1989
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Hidalgo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 05, 2022

Observation date: Oct 03, 2021
Submitted by: Chrustay
Region: Grant County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 14, 2021

Observation date: Aug 04, 2015
Submitted by: Rob Wu
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 24, 2021

Observation date: Jul 03, 2019
Submitted by: Rob Wu
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 24, 2021

Observation date: Mar 13, 2020
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021

Observation date: Oct 27, 2019
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 28, 2019

Observation date: May 23, 2019
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 14, 2019

Observation date: Apr 29, 2019
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 07, 2019

Observation date: Oct 19, 2017
Submitted by: Shirley Wilkerson
Region: Brazos County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 01, 2019

Observation date: Nov 04, 2018
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Texas, Starr County, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Feb 07, 2019

Observation date: Sep 29, 2018
Submitted by: Shirley Wilkerson
Region: Comanche County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 24, 2019

Observation date: Jul 30, 2018
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Aug 23, 2018

Observation date: Apr 07, 2018
Submitted by: gpstewart
Region: Texas, United States, Val Verde County
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 13, 2018

Observation date: Feb 22, 2017
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 31, 2018

Observation date: Nov 19, 2017
Submitted by: Shepherd1
Region: Comal County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 20, 2017

Observation date: Aug 20, 2017
Submitted by: greenecycle
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Aug 21, 2017

Observation date: Nov 05, 2016
Submitted by: randimal
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 15, 2016

Observation date: Aug 14, 2016
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 30, 2016

Observation date: Jul 30, 2014
Submitted by: Sparks7
Region: Burnet County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 11, 2014

Observation date: Aug 28, 2014
Submitted by: lmreid71
Region: Comal County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 10, 2014

Observation date: Aug 28, 2014
Submitted by: lmreid71
Region: Comal County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 10, 2014

Observation date: Sep 01, 2014
Submitted by: Shirley Wilkerson
Region: Comanche County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 10, 2014

Observation date: Aug 28, 2014
Submitted by: lmreid71
Region: Comal County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 10, 2014
- 1 of 6
- next ›