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 169 - 192 of 4086 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 14, 2021
Submitted by: beastbreath
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 15, 2021
Observation date: Jun 13, 2021
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 14, 2021
Observation date: Jun 11, 2021
Submitted by: NNing
Region: Geauga County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Jun 11, 2021
Observation date: Jun 15, 2020
Submitted by: mbroen
Region: St. Croix County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Mar 27, 2021
Observation date: Jun 19, 2020
Submitted by: Michael01
Region: Anoka County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Mar 27, 2021
Observation date: Jun 22, 2019
Submitted by: Michiganbirder19
Region: Genesee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Mar 04, 2021
Observation date: Jun 20, 2020
Submitted by: urbanclimber87
Region: Waupaca County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 05, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Carbon County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 17, 2021
Observation date: Jun 09, 2015
Submitted by: Wade Wander
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Jack Connor
Verified date: Feb 17, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2020
Submitted by: A. Buckley
Region: Park County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Aug 07, 2020
Submitted by: Mike Hofmann
Region: Lemhi County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Jun 19, 2017
Submitted by: MarkNenadov
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jan 29, 2021
Observation date: Jul 11, 2019
Submitted by: billmac
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 10, 2021
Observation date: Jun 22, 2019
Submitted by: billmac
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 10, 2021
Observation date: Jun 12, 2018
Submitted by: a-o
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 06, 2021
Observation date: Jun 25, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Dec 26, 2020
Observation date: Jun 28, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Dec 26, 2020
Observation date: Jul 01, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Jackson County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Dec 26, 2020
Observation date: Jun 14, 2017
Submitted by: Kathy Brown
Region: Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Dec 17, 2020
Observation date: Jul 10, 2020
Submitted by: jollygoodyellow
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: PDeGennaro
Verified date: Nov 30, 2020
Observation date: Jul 04, 2020
Submitted by: kristenej
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 21, 2020
Observation date: Jul 04, 2020
Submitted by: kristenej
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 20, 2020
Observation date: Jun 09, 2020
Submitted by: kristenej
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 15, 2020
Observation date: Jun 25, 2020
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 17, 2020
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