Common Sootywing
Pholisora catullus (Fabricius, 1793)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside is glossy black with small white spots on outer third of forewing. Female has more white spots on the forewing than the male, and a submarginal row of spots on the hindwing. Underside of forewing repeats the upperside; hindwing is solid black.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 5/16 inches (2.5 - 3.3 cm).
Life History: Adults bask with the wings spread open. To find receptive females, males patrol near the ground in sunny places; mating takes place in the morning and afternoon. Near midday, females lay eggs singly on the tops of host plant leaves. Caterpillars live and feed within shelters of folded leaves. Caterpillars of the second brood overwinter in their silk-lined leaf shelters and pupate within them in the spring.
Flight: Two broods; from May-August in the north, March-November in Texas.
Caterpillar Hosts: Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album), amaranths (Amaranthus), and cockscomb (Celosia).
Adult Food: Nectar from many flowers including dogbane, marjoram, oxalis, white clover, common milkweed, peppermint, cucumber, and melon.
Habitat: Open or disturbed areas such as landfills, vacant lots, gardens, roadsides, fields, and pastures.
Range: Central United States south to central Mexico. Strays and colonizes to southern British Columbia, northern Michigan, southern Quebec, and southern Maine. Does not occur in peninsular Florida.
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 1 - 24 of 2874 verified sightings
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Observation date: Dec 09, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 11, 2024
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Observation date: Jul 31, 2023
Submitted by: jmacmetro
Region: Bergen County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
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Observation date: Oct 24, 2024
Submitted by: Charlie Doggett
Region: Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Nov 03, 2024
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Observation date: Sep 28, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 30, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 11, 2024
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 01, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 24, 2024
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 26, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 22, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 25, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 10, 2024
Submitted by: jwileyrains
Region: Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 12, 2024
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Observation date: Jun 02, 2024
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jun 30, 2024
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Observation date: Jun 05, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 06, 2024
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Observation date: May 03, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 04, 2024
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Observation date: May 11, 2024
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 01, 2024
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Observation date: Jul 17, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 23, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 26, 2023
Submitted by: bekkfree
Region: Cowley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 19, 2024
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Observation date: Apr 24, 2024
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 04, 2024
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Observation date: Apr 04, 2024
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 07, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 20, 2022
Submitted by: terrymortier
Region: Dunn County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Mar 24, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 10, 2018
Submitted by: eattaway92
Region: Will County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 18, 2024
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Observation date: Jul 24, 2023
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Feb 16, 2024
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Observation date: May 29, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 08, 2024
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Observation date: May 27, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 02, 2024
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Observation date: Jun 30, 2023
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 04, 2024
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Observation date: Sep 12, 2023
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Oct 23, 2023
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Observation date: Aug 08, 2019
Submitted by: Ty-Sharrow
Region: Carbon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 21, 2023
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