Least Skipper
Ancyloxypha numitor (Fabricius, 1793)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Antennae are short. Upperside of forewing is orange with a wide, diffuse black border at the outer margin; hindwing is yellow-orange with a wide black margin. Underside of forewing is black with orange borders at the tip and leading edge; hindwing is yellow-orange.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/8 inches (2.2 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: Males patrol for females with a low, fluttery flight through grassy areas. Females lay eggs singly on grass blades. Caterpillars feed on leaves and rest in nests of rolled or tied leaves. Third- and fourth-stage caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: Three broods from May-October in most of the range, four broods from February-December in the Deep South and Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various grasses including marsh millet (Zizaniopsis miliacea), rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides), and cultivated rice (Oryza sativa).
Adult Food: Flower nectar from low growing plants such as wood sorrel, swamp verbena, pickerelweed, chickory, and white clover.
Habitat: Moist or wet open places with tall grasses, marshes, ditches, slow streams, hillsides, or old fields with tall grasses.
Range: Nova Scotia west to southern Saskatchewan; south through the eastern states to Florida, the Gulf states, Texas, and southeastern Arizona. Strays to central Colorado.
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 97 - 120 of 4876 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 04, 2021
Submitted by: c4c
Region: Bedford County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 26, 2022
Observation date: Jun 22, 2022
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 22, 2022
Observation date: Aug 03, 2020
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Sep 05, 2020
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Marion County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Aug 20, 2020
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Aug 07, 2020
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Lake County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2021
Submitted by: Becky Byrum
Region: Delaware County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Jul 01, 2021
Submitted by: sam_hartzler
Region: Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 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: May 21, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 24, 2022
Observation date: May 21, 2022
Submitted by: Brian Ahern
Region: Pasco County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 23, 2022
Observation date: Jul 30, 2021
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Apr 10, 2022
Observation date: Aug 27, 2018
Submitted by: Jim Lowe
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Feb 28, 2022
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: reupurtbones
Region: Metcalfe County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 02, 2022
Observation date: Sep 08, 2019
Submitted by: reupurtbones
Region: Metcalfe County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Dec 31, 2021
Observation date: Jun 30, 2021
Submitted by: jofritz
Region: Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Dec 30, 2021
Observation date: Mar 19, 2020
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Clay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 19, 2021
Observation date: Jun 24, 2020
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Nov 15, 2021
Observation date: Aug 28, 2012
Submitted by: yardbird
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 08, 2021
Observation date: Sep 18, 2017
Submitted by: grayhairstreak
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 06, 2021
Observation date: Aug 25, 2018
Submitted by: Darrin Frye
Region: Frederick County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 04, 2021
Observation date: Sep 06, 2018
Submitted by: Tony DeSantis
Region: Harford County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 04, 2021
Observation date: Aug 16, 2019
Submitted by: charlieboy
Region: Garrett County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 03, 2021
Observation date: Aug 17, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 16, 2021
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