Common Checkered-Skipper
Burnsius communis (Grote, 1872)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside of male is blue-gray; female is black. Both sexes have large white spots which form median bands across both wings. Fringes of male checkered but black checks often reach only halfway to edge of fringe. Male has a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the upperside of the forewing. Underside is dull white with dark gray or olive bands. Spots of the hindwing marginal row are very small; spots of the submarginal row are larger. This species is separated from the white checkered skipper with confidence only by dissection and examination of the male genitalia.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males patrol in swales most actively in the afternoon, and mating takes place then. Females lay eggs singly on leaf buds and tops of leaves. Adults roost exposed on a tall plant beginning in late afternoon. Caterpillars make folded-leaf nests in which they live and feed, and fully-grown caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: February-October in the Deep South, March-September in the north.
Caterpillar Hosts: Several plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae) including globemallows (Sphaeralcea), mallow (Malva), hollyhock (Althaea), alkali mallows (Sida), velvet-leaf (Abutilon), and poppy mallow (Callirhoe).
Adult Food: Nectar from white-flowered composites including shepherd\'s needles, fleabane, and asters; also red clover, knapweed, beggar\'s ticks, and many others.
Habitat: Open, sunny places with low vegetation and some bare soil including prairies, meadows, fields, roadsides, landfills, yards, gardens, pastures, openings and trails in woods.
Range: Most of the temperate United States south to Gulf coast, w. Texas, se. Arizona, southern California, and mountains of northern Mexico. Colonizes as far north as central Alberta, southern Ontario, and southern New England. It cannot survive very cold winters and may not be a permanent resident north of the 40th parallel.
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.
Taxonomy Notes: Formerly in the genus Pyrgus
Alternate Scientific Names:
Pyrgus communis
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 3485 verified sightings
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Observation date: Mar 06, 2024
Submitted by: WL77
Region: Texas, McLennan County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 10, 2024
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Observation date: Mar 04, 2024
Submitted by: lilkriskattn
Region: Texas, Montague County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 04, 2024
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Observation date: Oct 04, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jan 25, 2024
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Observation date: Aug 21, 2023
Submitted by: Quyen Edwards
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
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Observation date: Sep 06, 2023
Submitted by: Teach99
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jan 17, 2024
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Observation date: Sep 04, 2023
Submitted by: rbuist
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Jan 04, 2024
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Observation date: Dec 06, 2023
Submitted by: bp24kel
Region: Texas, Kimble County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 08, 2023
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Observation date: Aug 20, 2023
Submitted by: sgguthart
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Dec 05, 2023
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Observation date: Oct 14, 2023
Submitted by: richerry33
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 02, 2023
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Observation date: Nov 24, 2023
Submitted by: Tashi Liem
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 01, 2023
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Observation date: Nov 24, 2023
Submitted by: Tashi Liem
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 01, 2023
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Observation date: Oct 09, 2023
Submitted by: heinert
Region: Burleigh County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Nov 24, 2023
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Observation date: Sep 05, 2023
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Nov 12, 2023
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Observation date: Nov 07, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Nov 07, 2023
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Observation date: Oct 16, 2023
Submitted by: craigkay
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 17, 2023
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Observation date: Oct 03, 2023
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Cimarron County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Oct 16, 2023
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Observation date: Oct 08, 2023
Submitted by: rajanrao
Region: Alpine County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 15, 2023
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Observation date: Aug 28, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Oct 12, 2023
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Observation date: Sep 10, 2023
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 05, 2023
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Observation date: Oct 01, 2023
Submitted by: davek
Region: Kent County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 05, 2023
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Observation date: Sep 29, 2023
Submitted by: Kerry Turley
Region: Yakima County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 01, 2023
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Observation date: Aug 20, 2017
Submitted by: butterflyusa@b....
Region: Box Elder County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 18, 2023
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Observation date: Jul 28, 2018
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Tooele County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 18, 2023
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Observation date: Aug 17, 2017
Submitted by: dingoqueen
Region: Davis County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 14, 2023
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