Tawny-edged Skipper
Polites themistocles (Latreille, [1824])
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside is dark brown with orange markings; orange along the costal edge of forewing enters the end of the cell. Male has a sinuous forewing stigma. Underside of hindwing is brassy with no markings.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 7/16 inches (2.2 - 3.6 cm).
Life History: To await receptive females, males perch all day in grassy valley bottoms and swales. Females lay eggs singly on or near the host plant. Caterpillars feed on leaves and live in shelters of tied leaves. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One brood from June-July in the north, two broods from April-September from New York south, several broods throughout the year in Florida.
Caterpillar Hosts: Panic grasses (Panicum), slender crabgrass (Digitaria filiformis), and bluegrass (Poa pratensis).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including alfalfa, red clover, dogbane, shrub houstonia, purple coneflower, thistles, and chicory.
Habitat: Moist grassy areas including prairie swales, pastures, lawns, roadsides, and vacant lots.
Range: Southern British Columbia east across southern Canada to Nova Scotia; south to northern California, central Arizona, central Texas, the Gulf states, and central 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 49 - 72 of 4117 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 26, 2023
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 26, 2023
Observation date: Jul 12, 2022
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Crawford County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2023
Observation date: Jun 23, 2023
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Douglas County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 24, 2023
Observation date: Jun 19, 2023
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 23, 2023
Observation date: Jun 15, 2023
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Lincoln County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 16, 2023
Observation date: Jun 13, 2023
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Lincoln County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 16, 2023
Observation date: Jun 15, 2023
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 16, 2023
Observation date: Jun 08, 2023
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 10, 2023
Observation date: May 27, 2023
Submitted by: polylepis
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: May 31, 2023
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
Observation date: Jun 07, 2023
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 07, 2023
Observation date: Jun 03, 2023
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Adams County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Jun 05, 2023
Observation date: May 29, 2023
Submitted by: Ohio97
Region: Montgomery County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: May 30, 2023
Observation date: Jul 26, 2018
Submitted by: jjg70
Region: Sangamon County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: May 09, 2023
Observation date: Apr 02, 2023
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Levy County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 07, 2023
Observation date: Jun 05, 2022
Submitted by: alaimins
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 31, 2023
Observation date: May 31, 2022
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Greenlee County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Dec 30, 2022
Observation date: May 30, 2022
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Apache County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Dec 25, 2022
Observation date: Sep 03, 2022
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Hall County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Nov 06, 2022
Observation date: Sep 25, 2022
Submitted by: hflamholtz
Region: Richland County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 06, 2022
Observation date: Aug 10, 2021
Submitted by: davidboon
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 05, 2022
Observation date: Jul 06, 2021
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Crawford County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 03, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2022
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 28, 2022
Observation date: Sep 05, 2022
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Adams County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Sep 25, 2022
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