Small Checkered-Skipper
Pyrgus scriptura (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside is black-brown; forewing white spots are small; hindwing spots are few and submarginal row may be absent. Underside of forewing repeats upperside markings. Underside of hindwing is pale with barely contrasting markings. Male does not have a costal fold. White hindwing fringe is streaked with black only halfway to the edge of the fringe.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 1 inch (2 - 2.5 cm).
Life History: Males patrol and occasionally perch in swales and gullies in their search for receptive females. Eggs are deposited singly on leaves of the host plant. Caterpillars make a webbed leaf nest in which they live and feed.
Flight: One brood from July-August in the north, several broods from March-November in the southern part of the range.
Caterpillar Hosts: Alkali mallow (Sida hederacea), scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea), and desert globemallow (S. ambigua); all in the mallow family (Malvaceae).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Prairie, open woodland, alkaline marshes and fields.
Range: Montana and eastern Wyoming south through Colorado and New Mexico to Mexico; west through Utah, Nevada, and Arizona to southern California and Baja California Norte.
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
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 244 verified sightings
Observation date: May 25, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Apache County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 22, 2021
Observation date: Jun 19, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Glenn County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 19, 2021
Observation date: May 22, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Torrance County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 21, 2021
Observation date: May 22, 2015
Submitted by: Rob Wu
Region: Sierra County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 25, 2017
Submitted by: Chrustay
Region: Cibola County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 03, 2021
Observation date: Jun 30, 2021
Submitted by: butterfly rose
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 24, 2021
Observation date: Sep 03, 2015
Submitted by: Jonathan Batkin
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 19, 2020
Observation date: Jul 08, 2015
Submitted by: Jonathan Batkin
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 19, 2020
Observation date: Jun 27, 2015
Submitted by: Jonathan Batkin
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Dec 30, 2019
Observation date: Oct 07, 2018
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Imperial County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 08, 2018
Observation date: Oct 07, 2018
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Imperial County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 08, 2018
Observation date: Jun 03, 2018
Submitted by: coreyk
Region: Mohave County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jun 25, 2018
Observation date: Mar 01, 2017
Submitted by: NMElaine
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 28, 2017
Observation date: Apr 04, 2015
Submitted by: dchartier
Region: Otero County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: azukoff
Verified date: Apr 20, 2015
Observation date: Aug 29, 2013
Submitted by: Josiah Gilbert
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 25, 2014
Observation date: Jun 13, 2014
Submitted by: coreyk
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 20, 2014
Observation date: Feb 14, 2013
Submitted by: J Tinsman
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 25, 2013
Observation date: Mar 29, 1978
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: May 01, 1977
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Aug 21, 1989
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Mineral County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Aug 21, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Kilian Roever)
Region: Coconino County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: May 28, 1978
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Sep 09, 2062
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. F. Lesser)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Apr 15, 1999
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. Vernon-R. Langston)
Region: Gila County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
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