Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus (Drury, 1773)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Antennae are very short. Male wide black stigma. Underside of the hindwing is scattered with small black spots. Female: Upperside is dark brown with a very irregular orange band. Underside of hindwing is pale brown with paler checks.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches (3.2 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch in lawns and grassy swales to wait for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly under leaves and also on other plants and objects. Caterpillars eat leaves and roll and tie them to make shelters which lie horizontally in the sod.
Flight: Several broods from May-August in the north, all year in Florida and South Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), crabgrass (Digitaria), St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), and other grasses.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of a variety of plants including sweet pepperbush, swamp milkweed, asters, sneezeweed, knapweed, ironweed, and thistles.
Habitat: Sunny, open areas such as fields, lawns, gardens, levees, roadsides, and second-growth scrub.
Range: Southern United States south through the West Indies and Central America to Argentina. Cannot survive harsh winters; each summer this skipper may stray and re-colonize north to northern California, southern Minnesota, southern Ontario, and southern New England.
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: None reported.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Hylephia phyleus
Hylephilia phyleus
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 4292 verified sightings
Observation date: May 05, 2024
Submitted by: Chip Gilbert
Region: Greenville County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: May 06, 2024
Observation date: Apr 29, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 01, 2024
Observation date: Apr 29, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 01, 2024
Observation date: Apr 20, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 24, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 24, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 19, 2024
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 26, 2024
Observation date: Apr 21, 2024
Submitted by: Zsigmk
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 24, 2024
Observation date: Jun 09, 2016
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 22, 2024
Observation date: Apr 04, 2024
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 17, 2024
Observation date: Aug 13, 2017
Submitted by: lawandasmithmobley
Region: Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 15, 2024
Observation date: Mar 16, 2017
Submitted by: Nancy Hamlett
Region: Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 15, 2024
Observation date: Oct 09, 2017
Submitted by: Robert Nelson
Region: Baxter County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 15, 2024
Observation date: Apr 09, 2024
Submitted by: mcvaugh
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 10, 2024
Observation date: Apr 07, 2024
Submitted by: mcvaugh
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 10, 2024
Observation date: Apr 08, 2024
Submitted by: SDozzler
Region: Hill County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 09, 2024
Observation date: Apr 05, 2024
Submitted by: Pkleinsasser
Region: Flagler County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 08, 2024
Observation date: Aug 13, 2022
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 05, 2024
Observation date: Mar 31, 2024
Submitted by: mcvaugh
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 01, 2024
Observation date: Mar 24, 2024
Submitted by: WL77
Region: Texas, McLennan County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 25, 2024
Observation date: Mar 17, 2024
Submitted by: kericson
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 17, 2024
Observation date: Mar 13, 2024
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 15, 2024
Observation date: Sep 27, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Lyon County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Mar 15, 2024
Observation date: Sep 28, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Lyon County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Mar 15, 2024
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