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 25 - 48 of 2874 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 30, 2023
Submitted by: asombro_institute
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 12, 2023
Observation date: Sep 09, 2023
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Catron County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 12, 2023
Observation date: Aug 15, 2023
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Calhoun County, Iowa, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Oct 02, 2023
Observation date: Sep 08, 2023
Submitted by: MadaleineRenee
Region: Ector County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 25, 2023
Observation date: Jul 09, 2023
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: White County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 22, 2023
Observation date: Aug 10, 2023
Submitted by: jim8435wisc
Region: Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 11, 2023
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: Jessiq
Region: Butte County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 04, 2023
Observation date: Jul 25, 2023
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
Observation date: Jun 25, 2023
Submitted by: katb1
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jul 27, 2023
Observation date: Jun 21, 2017
Submitted by: Puccini
Region: Roberts County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 25, 2023
Observation date: Jul 07, 2023
Submitted by: Birder2
Region: Sherman County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 12, 2023
Observation date: Jul 09, 2023
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Adams County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Jul 10, 2023
Observation date: Jun 18, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 22, 2023
Observation date: Jun 15, 2023
Submitted by: Debra J. Hopkins
Region: Bandera County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 20, 2023
Observation date: May 24, 2023
Submitted by: polylepis
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: Jun 07, 2023
Submitted by: TCollins
Region: Texas, Kerr County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
Observation date: Jun 06, 2023
Submitted by: Tdloyd
Region: Sumner County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 07, 2023
Observation date: May 28, 2023
Submitted by: SavBreeze
Region: Baltimore County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 28, 2023
Observation date: Apr 30, 2023
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 04, 2023
Observation date: Jun 17, 2022
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Dec 30, 2022
Observation date: Sep 10, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 18, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2019
Submitted by: Claude Rioux
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 18, 2022
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Jun 16, 2020
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 07, 2022
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