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
BAMONA Shop
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 263 verified sightings
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
Observation date: May 27, 1988
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Esmeralda County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Apr 23, 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: Jun 30, 2063
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Kilian Roever)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: May 26, 2005
Submitted by: John Saba (John Saba)
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Apr 22, 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
- ‹ previous
- 2 of 11
- next ›