European Skipper
Thymelicus lineola (Ochsenheimer, 1808)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Wings are brassy burnt orange; upperside of both wings with black borders and black on the outer portions of the veins. The male forewing has a narrow black stigma. A pale form (pallida) is very rare.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/8 inches (2.5 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: To find receptive females, males patrol grassy areas with a low meandering flight. Females lay eggs in strings on the host plant stem; the eggs overwinter and hatch the following spring. Caterpillars eat leaves and live in shelters of leaves tied together with silk. Adult skippers roost at night on grass stalks and in the morning bask with their wings at a 70 degree angle.
Flight: One brood from mid-May to mid-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Timothy (Phleum pratense) and other grasses.
Adult Food: Nectar from low-growing flowers including orange hawkweed, thistles, ox-eye daisy, fleabane, white clover, red clover, selfheal, Deptford pink, common milkweed, and swamp milkweed.
Habitat: Open grassy places including meadows, hayfields, pastures, abandoned homesteads, grassy road edges.
Range: This skipper was introduced accidently to North America in 1910 through London, Ontario. Eastern population: Newfoundland west to eastern North Dakota, south to southern Illinois and western South Carolina. Western population: western Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia. The range is still expanding, perhaps due to the relocation of eggs in hay shipments.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Caterpillars of the European skipper can be pests on timothy grass.
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 313 - 336 of 4088 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 09, 2017
Submitted by: Reiner Jakubowski
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Nov 20, 2017
Observation date: Jul 08, 2017
Submitted by: Claude Rioux
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Sep 22, 2017
Observation date: Jun 27, 2015
Submitted by: Kathy Brown
Region: Hancock County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 05, 2017
Observation date: Jun 16, 2015
Submitted by: Kathy Brown
Region: Hancock County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 23, 2017
Observation date: Jul 18, 2017
Submitted by: BruceMissen
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 17, 2017
Observation date: Jun 15, 2017
Submitted by: JC32647
Region: Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 29, 2017
Observation date: Jun 24, 2017
Submitted by: RobBuckButterflier
Region: Allegany County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 20, 2017
Observation date: Jul 11, 2017
Submitted by: Tee. Mas
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 17, 2017
Observation date: Jul 07, 2017
Submitted by: rocksnstars
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 09, 2017
Observation date: Jul 08, 2017
Submitted by: pporonto
Region: Macomb County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 08, 2017
Observation date: Jul 04, 2017
Submitted by: rocksnstars
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 07, 2017
Observation date: Jul 07, 2017
Submitted by: Jay Burney
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 07, 2017
Observation date: Jul 03, 2017
Submitted by: davidboon
Region: Macomb County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 06, 2017
Observation date: Jul 03, 2017
Submitted by: davidboon
Region: Macomb County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 06, 2017
Observation date: Jun 15, 2017
Submitted by: JC32647
Region: Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 06, 2017
Observation date: Jun 29, 2017
Submitted by: JC32647
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 05, 2017
Observation date: Jul 03, 2017
Submitted by: davidboon
Region: Macomb County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 05, 2017
Observation date: Jul 03, 2017
Submitted by: davidboon
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 05, 2017
Observation date: Jul 03, 2017
Submitted by: rocksnstars
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: PDeGennaro
Verified date: Jul 03, 2017
Observation date: Jun 20, 2017
Submitted by: john janunas
Region: Kane County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 01, 2017
Observation date: Jun 27, 2017
Submitted by: barburk
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 30, 2017
Observation date: Jun 27, 2017
Submitted by: barburk
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 30, 2017
Observation date: Jun 28, 2017
Submitted by: monikawood
Region: Steuben County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 29, 2017
Observation date: Jun 26, 2017
Submitted by: davidboon
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 26, 2017
- ‹ previous
- 14 of 171
- next ›