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.
Get your BAMONA Gear!
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 145 - 168 of 4876 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 16, 2020
Submitted by: S_Gucciardo
Region: Washington County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jun 25, 2021
Submitted by: baedwards
Region: Jones County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 12, 2021
Observation date: Aug 22, 2019
Submitted by: HansPG
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 10, 2021
Observation date: Jun 12, 2021
Submitted by: naterahe
Region: Jasper County, Iowa, United States
Verified by: Eric Wood
Verified date: Jun 28, 2021
Observation date: Jun 24, 2021
Submitted by: Jim Lowe
Region: Cayuga County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 25, 2021
Observation date: Jun 18, 2021
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Douglas County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 20, 2021
Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: hollyhoitink
Region: Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 16, 2021
Observation date: Jun 08, 2021
Submitted by: Roose
Region: Saginaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 02, 2021
Submitted by: kzmmrmn
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 05, 2021
Observation date: Jul 06, 2020
Submitted by: Ben Meredyk
Region: Lorain County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Apr 18, 2021
Observation date: Jul 03, 2020
Submitted by: Donna Millar
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Apr 01, 2021
Observation date: Aug 25, 2020
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Mar 11, 2021
Observation date: Aug 12, 2020
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2021
Observation date: Aug 12, 2020
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2021
Observation date: Aug 07, 2020
Submitted by: amparrish15
Region: Lafayette County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2021
Observation date: Aug 10, 2019
Submitted by: wpr.wheeler
Region: Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 27, 2021
Observation date: Aug 19, 2014
Submitted by: wade wander
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Jack Connor
Verified date: Feb 17, 2021
Observation date: Jan 31, 2021
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Indian River County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 03, 2021
Observation date: Jul 30, 2020
Submitted by: romant
Region: Saginaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Aug 28, 2020
Submitted by: Joanne Ryan
Region: Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 23, 2021
Observation date: Jun 25, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jan 15, 2021
Observation date: Jun 28, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jan 15, 2021
Observation date: Jul 14, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Shiawassee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jan 15, 2021
Observation date: Aug 07, 2019
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jan 15, 2021
- ‹ previous
- 7 of 204
- next ›