Tawny-edged Skipper
Polites themistocles (Latreille, [1824])
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside is dark brown with orange markings; orange along the costal edge of forewing enters the end of the cell. Male has a sinuous forewing stigma. Underside of hindwing is brassy with no markings.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 7/16 inches (2.2 - 3.6 cm).
Life History: To await receptive females, males perch all day in grassy valley bottoms and swales. Females lay eggs singly on or near the host plant. Caterpillars feed on leaves and live in shelters of tied leaves. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One brood from June-July in the north, two broods from April-September from New York south, several broods throughout the year in Florida.
Caterpillar Hosts: Panic grasses (Panicum), slender crabgrass (Digitaria filiformis), and bluegrass (Poa pratensis).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including alfalfa, red clover, dogbane, shrub houstonia, purple coneflower, thistles, and chicory.
Habitat: Moist grassy areas including prairie swales, pastures, lawns, roadsides, and vacant lots.
Range: Southern British Columbia east across southern Canada to Nova Scotia; south to northern California, central Arizona, central Texas, the Gulf states, and central Florida.
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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 4107 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 06, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Custer County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 08, 2024
Observation date: Aug 03, 2024
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Addison County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Aug 04, 2024
Observation date: Jul 18, 2024
Submitted by: Benjamin Miller
Region: Knox County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 28, 2024
Observation date: Jul 27, 2024
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 28, 2024
Observation date: Jul 27, 2024
Submitted by: joanfiller
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 28, 2024
Observation date: Jul 25, 2024
Submitted by: bugging.dan
Region: Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 26, 2024
Observation date: Jul 19, 2024
Submitted by: John Heneghan
Region: Kane County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 20, 2024
Observation date: Jun 02, 2024
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 16, 2024
Observation date: Jun 22, 2024
Submitted by: k.d.stutzman
Region: Crook County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 08, 2024
Observation date: Jun 13, 2024
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 02, 2024
Observation date: Jun 15, 2024
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 16, 2024
Observation date: Jun 11, 2024
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 15, 2024
Observation date: Jun 03, 2024
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 05, 2024
Observation date: Jun 05, 2024
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 05, 2024
Observation date: May 23, 2024
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 03, 2024
Observation date: May 24, 2024
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 24, 2024
Observation date: May 22, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 24, 2024
Observation date: Jul 21, 2021
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 18, 2024
Observation date: Aug 22, 2023
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Calhoun County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
Observation date: Jun 02, 2023
Submitted by: talusrutgers
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: Ty-Sharrow
Region: Carbon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Nov 05, 2023
Observation date: Sep 10, 2023
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 17, 2023
Observation date: Sep 04, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 06, 2023
Observation date: Sep 06, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 06, 2023
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