Short-tailed Skipper
Zestusa dorus (W.H. Edwards, 1882)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Hindwing tails are short. Upperside is brown with prominent clear spots on both forewing and hindwing. Underside is speckled with brown and gray; clear spots are not so obvious.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 1 5/8 inches (3.5 - 4.2 cm).
Life History: To seek females, males perch on trees on hilltops. Females lay eggs singly on leaves or buds of host plants. Caterpillars live in shelters of rolled leaves and feed on leaves. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: Possibly two flights in Arizona from April-July; one flight in Colorado from May-June.
Caterpillar Hosts: Arizona oak (Quercus arizonica), Emory oak (Q. emoryi), and others.
Adult Food: Sap and spittlebug secretions.
Habitat: Juniper-oak woodland.
Range: Southwest Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas, and Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 77 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 15, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: May 29, 2023
Observation date: Apr 09, 2023
Submitted by: Chrustay
Region: Torrance County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 14, 2023
Observation date: May 12, 2022
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Dec 24, 2022
Observation date: May 22, 2022
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jun 03, 2022
Observation date: May 11, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 14, 2022
Observation date: May 02, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 08, 2022
Observation date: Apr 15, 2022
Submitted by: Joshua C
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 16, 2022
Observation date: May 15, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 19, 2021
Observation date: May 01, 2021
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 03, 2021
Observation date: Apr 28, 2019
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 24, 2019
Observation date: Apr 22, 2016
Submitted by: Doug Taron
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Apr 29, 2016
Observation date: Apr 19, 2015
Submitted by: Doug Backlund
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: May 25, 2015
Observation date: Aug 02, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Kilian Roever)
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Apr 19, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Ray Stanford)
Region: Navajo County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 17, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (D. Edwards & J. Hall)
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Aug 01, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Kilian Roever)
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: May 03, 1975
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Richard Bailowitz)
Region: Yavapai County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Apr 19, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Ray Stanford)
Region: Navajo County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Apr 22, 2011
Submitted by: Matt ODonnell
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 07, 2011
Observation date: Apr 06, 1966
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (James A. Scott)
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2011
Observation date: Apr 28, 1982
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 05, 1961
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (H. A. Freeman)
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2011
Observation date: Aug 07, 2005
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2011
Observation date: Apr 24, 1982
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2011
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