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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 4082 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 09, 2022
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 01, 2022
Submitted by: pgrew1@unl.edu
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 02, 2022
Observation date: Jun 27, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 28, 2022
Observation date: Jun 25, 2022
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 25, 2022
Observation date: Jun 25, 2022
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 25, 2022
Observation date: Jun 21, 2022
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Jun 08, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 05, 2022
Submitted by: jhdwelly
Region: Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 04, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 04, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 04, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 06, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 02, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 02, 2022
Observation date: Jun 10, 2007
Submitted by: lassa8
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 05, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2016
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
Observation date: Jul 08, 2020
Submitted by: Ann Bull
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2016
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
Observation date: Aug 01, 2019
Submitted by: EdgarPS
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 27, 2022
Observation date: Jul 17, 2020
Submitted by: jollygoodyellow
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 27, 2022
Observation date: Aug 01, 2019
Submitted by: EdgarPS
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 27, 2022
Observation date: Aug 01, 2019
Submitted by: EdgarPS
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 27, 2022
Observation date: Jun 11, 2016
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Portage County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 01, 2022
Observation date: Jul 17, 2021
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Dec 29, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2018
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Nov 22, 2021
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