Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus (Drury, 1773)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Antennae are very short. Male wide black stigma. Underside of the hindwing is scattered with small black spots. Female: Upperside is dark brown with a very irregular orange band. Underside of hindwing is pale brown with paler checks.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches (3.2 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch in lawns and grassy swales to wait for receptive females. Eggs are laid singly under leaves and also on other plants and objects. Caterpillars eat leaves and roll and tie them to make shelters which lie horizontally in the sod.
Flight: Several broods from May-August in the north, all year in Florida and South Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), crabgrass (Digitaria), St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), and other grasses.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of a variety of plants including sweet pepperbush, swamp milkweed, asters, sneezeweed, knapweed, ironweed, and thistles.
Habitat: Sunny, open areas such as fields, lawns, gardens, levees, roadsides, and second-growth scrub.
Range: Southern United States south through the West Indies and Central America to Argentina. Cannot survive harsh winters; each summer this skipper may stray and re-colonize north to northern California, southern Minnesota, southern Ontario, and southern New England.
Conservation: Not 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.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Hylephia phyleus
Hylephilia phyleus
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 4380 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 03, 2024
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: White County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 04, 2024
Observation date: Oct 03, 2024
Submitted by: GLG
Region: Walton County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 03, 2024
Observation date: Oct 02, 2024
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Oct 03, 2024
Observation date: Sep 05, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 22, 2024
Observation date: Sep 17, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 20, 2024
Observation date: Sep 16, 2024
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 16, 2024
Observation date: Sep 03, 2024
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Saunders County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Sep 16, 2024
Observation date: Sep 09, 2024
Submitted by: Bugfae
Region: Marion County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 14, 2024
Observation date: Sep 11, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 14, 2024
Observation date: Sep 10, 2024
Submitted by: fotosbydeb
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 11, 2024
Observation date: Sep 06, 2024
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 09, 2024
Observation date: Aug 27, 2024
Submitted by: Cameala
Region: Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 02, 2024
Observation date: Aug 18, 2024
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 31, 2024
Observation date: Aug 21, 2024
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 25, 2024
Observation date: Aug 22, 2024
Submitted by: Benjamin Miller
Region: Knox County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 24, 2024
Observation date: Aug 04, 2024
Submitted by: mothyrose
Region: Napa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 23, 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 17, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 20, 2024
Observation date: Aug 19, 2024
Submitted by: dlister
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 19, 2024
Observation date: Aug 16, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 17, 2024
Observation date: Aug 15, 2024
Submitted by: ButtahflyEtn37354
Region: Monroe County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 16, 2024
Observation date: Aug 16, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 16, 2024
Observation date: Aug 15, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
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
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