Sachem
Atalopedes campestris (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside of male is yellow-orange with a wide brown border and a large squarish black stigma. Female upperside varies from yellow-brown to very dark brown, but always has a square transparent white spot at the end of the forewing cell. Underside of female hindwing is brown with nearly square cream or white spots.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 5/8 inches (3.2 - 4.2 cm).
Life History: Males perch on or near the ground during most of the day to wait for receptive females. Females lay single eggs on dry grass blades in the afternoon. Caterpillars feed on leaves and live at the base of grasses in shelters of rolled or tied leaves.
Flight: Three broods from May-November in the north; four to five broods from March-December in the Deep South.
Caterpillar Hosts: Grasses including Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), crabgrass (Digitaria), St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), and goosegrass (Eleusine).
Adult Food: Nectar from many flowers including swamp and common milkweeds, buttonbush, dogbane, peppermint, red clover, tickseed sunflower, thistles, New York ironweed, marigold, and asters.
Habitat: Disturbed, open areas such as roadsides, landfills, pastures, meadows, fencerows, yards, parks, and lawns.
Range: Southern United States from Virginia west to California; south through Mexico and Central America to Brazil. Strays and colonizes north to central North Dakota, southern Michigan, Manitoba, and northern Pennsylvania.
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 49 - 72 of 4222 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: bekkfree
Region: Cowley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 29, 2024
Observation date: Aug 11, 2024
Submitted by: Doug DeNeve
Region: Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 29, 2024
Observation date: Aug 27, 2024
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 27, 2024
Observation date: Aug 27, 2024
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 27, 2024
Observation date: Aug 25, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Bouman
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 27, 2024
Observation date: Aug 25, 2024
Submitted by: csyoder3
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 26, 2024
Observation date: Aug 23, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Bouman
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 26, 2024
Observation date: Aug 24, 2024
Submitted by: jwileyrains
Region: Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 24, 2024
Observation date: Aug 22, 2024
Submitted by: Eddie Wyatt
Region: York County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 22, 2024
Observation date: Aug 20, 2024
Submitted by: Elfin
Region: Sussex County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 22, 2024
Observation date: Aug 14, 2024
Submitted by: ButtahflyEtn37354
Region: Monroe County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2024
Observation date: Aug 07, 2024
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Aug 21, 2024
Observation date: Aug 17, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 20, 2024
Observation date: Aug 16, 2024
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 16, 2024
Observation date: Aug 14, 2024
Submitted by: rjgrycki
Region: Burke County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 15, 2024
Observation date: Aug 06, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 14, 2024
Observation date: Aug 13, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 14, 2024
Observation date: Aug 06, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 13, 2024
Observation date: Aug 13, 2024
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 13, 2024
Observation date: Aug 09, 2024
Submitted by: Flytyer2
Region: Saline County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 13, 2024
Observation date: Aug 01, 2024
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Maury County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 13, 2024
Observation date: Jul 30, 2024
Submitted by: heather-russell
Region: Guilford County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 13, 2024
Observation date: Apr 14, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 10, 2024
Observation date: Aug 02, 2024
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 04, 2024
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