Family Skippers (Hesperiidae)

Coyote Cloudywing - Hodges#3907

Achalarus toxeus

Identification: Forewings are pointed. Upperside is dark brown with darker rectangular spots. Hindwing usually has white fringe. (ref = cite:1179096, but link bad)

California Giant Skipper - Hodges#4142

Agathymus stephensi

Type Locality: “La Puerta, eastern edge of San Diego County, California”

McGuire's Aguna - Hodges#3877.1

Aguna mcguirei

Identification: Butterflies of America - BOA Type locality: Texas, Cameron Co., Brownsville First U.S. Record: Bentsen-RGV State Park, Mission, Hidalgo Co., Texas - 1969

Dusky Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4108

Amblyscirtes alternata

Identification: "Fringes are white with small black checks; forewing is pointed. Upperside is black-brown; forewing has a faint row of pale spots. Underside of hindwing has a dusting of dull gray." -- butterfliesandmoths.org

Carolina Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4100

Amblyscirtes carolina

Identification: Adult: upperside dark brown; forewing with small yellow spots; underside of forewing black with dull yellow apex; underside of hindwing dull yellow with brown spots [adapted from description at nearctica.com]

Large Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4090

Amblyscirtes exoteria

Identification: Adult: upperside brown with orange tint; forewing has line of 4 white spots running from center of wing toward apex, and the most distal spot comes closer to the apex than in almost all other species of Amblyscirtes ; male has long st

Orange-edged Roadside-skipper - Hodges#4110

Amblyscirtes fimbriata

Identification: Dark brown with orage head and palpi and orange (occasionally grey) fringe along edge of wings.

Pepper and Salt Skipper - Hodges#4096

Amblyscirtes hegon

Identification: Adult: dark brown with curved line of small white spots extending from the costa of the forewing, and brown and white checkered fringes on both wings; beneath, hindwing and tip of forewing are gray, with slightly greenish tinge, most

Linda's Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4093

Amblyscirtes linda

This species is considered by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation to be a "Species of Greatest Conservation Need" (SGCN)

Least Skipper

Ancyloxypha numitor

Ancyloxypha numitor, the least skipper, is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. They have a weak, Satyrinae-like flight.

Dull Firetip - Hodges#3864

Apyrrothrix araxes

Identification: Similar to several other skippers, but with distinct yellow coloring on base of wings below, and with some yellow usually on the antenna clubs.

Huron Skipper

Atalopedes huron

Atalopedes huron is a small grass skipper butterfly. Formerly treated as a subspecies of Atalopedes campestris, it was upgraded to full species status by Zhang et al. in 2022.

Arogos Skipper - Hodges#4050

Atrytone arogos

Oklahoma considers Atrytone arogos iowa to be a "Species of Greatest Conservation Need" (SGCN)

Cestus Skipper - Hodges#4087

Atrytonopsis cestus

Identification: Fringes are checkered. Upperside is dark brown; forewing has large clear spots, hindwing has a short row of 4 spots that are not in line. Underside is lighter brown with upperside spots repeated. All populations and their habitats sho

Sheep Skipper - Hodges#4088

Atrytonopsis edwardsi

Identification: Brown skipper with checkered edges. Forewing has large clear spots. Hindwing has small postmedian spots that are not aligned and underside has grey scales.

Loammi Skipper - Hodges#4084

Atrytonopsis loammi

Identification: Similar to Dusted Skipper, but with bold white chevron on ventral hindwing.

Crystal Skipper - Hodges#4080.1

Atrytonopsis quinteri

Identification: Chocolate to brown ground color. "Masked white face" with bright white spotband on ventral hindwing. Identical in appearance to A. loammi.

White Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3967

Burnsius albezens

Identification: Adult: usually paler than Common Checkered-Skipper, and male often has complete black checks in wing fringes (rather than partial, as in P. communis ) - but read See Also section below. Upperside of male bluish-gray; female black. Bot

Common Checkered-Skipper

Burnsius communis

Burnsius communis, the common checkered-skipper, formerly known as Pyrgus communis, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is known as the frequently seen Pyrginae species in the northern United States by collectors and watchers alik

Tropical Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3968

Burnsius oileus

Identification: Above, "white spot just beyond cell-end white bar present and enlarged" and the forewing dark towards the apex (not checkered all the way to the tip) distinguishes this from Common/White Checkered Skippers where they overlap. Below, c

Potrillo Skipper - Hodges#3916

Cabares potrillo

Identification: Upperside is brown with 2 darker bands across both wings. Forewing cell contains a double U-shaped transparent spot. Hindwing margin has shallow scallops; underside of hindwing with 2 dark bands

Brazilian Skipper - Hodges#4115

Calpodes ethlius

The larva wraps itself inside a leaf and eats the leaf. It expels feces forcefully a considerable distance which may be a protection against detection by predators.

Arctic Skipper - Hodges#3982

Carterocephalus mandan

Identification: Adult: upperside black with squarish orange spots; underside of forewing orange with black spots; underside of hindwing red-orange with cream spots outlined in black Larva: cream-coloured with faint dorsal stripe and yellowish lateral

Dorantes Longtail

Cecropterus dorantes

Cecropterus dorantes, the lilac-banded longtail or Dorantes longtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found from Argentina, north through Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies to southern Texas and peninsular Florida

White-patched Skipper - Hodges#3942

Chiomara georgina

Identification: Each hindwing is brown with a large white patch in the center. The leading edge of the forewing is slightly bent or sickle-shaped. Males have a distinct white patch in the forewing, females' forewings are more mottled. Underside of hi

Monk Skipper - Hodges#4079

Choranthus capucinus

Identification: Second largest US grass skipper, with long pointed wings. Dorsal, dark brown/black with rufous edge at FW base. Male has a black stigma, and the female has 2 pale elyptical spots on the FW. Ventral, solid dark color flecked with light

White-crescent Longtail - Hodges#3883

Codatractus alcaeus

First confirmed U.S. record: Boca Chica, Cameron Co., Texas - 1968 (Heitzman, 1970) [Single prior specimen from "Davis Mountains", no further data]

Arizona Skipper - Hodges#3885

Codatractus arizonensis

Identification: Hind wing somewhat pointed, with large white patch. Forewing with broad white spot bands.

Valeriana Skipper - Hodges#3915

Codatractus valeriana

Identification: Forewing: Hindwing: Primarily a Mexican species, it is rare and local in the U.S. Adults are active both during the day and at twilight (semi-crepuscular). BugGuide post by Philip Kline, August 8, 2009.

Outis Skipper - Hodges#3923

Cogia outis

considered by Oklahoma to be a "Species of Greatest Conservation Need" (SGCN)

Southern Skipperling - Hodges#4010

Copaeodes minima

Identification: Very small. Orange above and below, white stripe along underside of wing. Female wing may be narrowly edged with black. Wings are very angular compared to the Least Skipper , and have less black.

Sickle-winged Skipper - Hodges#3939

Eantis tamenund

Identification: BAMONA description. FW is pointed, with a shallow indentation below the apex. Dorsal side of male is dark brown with a purple sheen and pale brown spots; female is brown with bands of square blue-gray or olive-gray spots. Type Localit

Silver-spotted Skipper

Epargyreus clarus

Epargyreus clarus, the silver-spotted skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is claimed to be the most recognized skipper in North America. E. clarus occurs in fields, gardens, and at forest edges and ranges from southern Canada throug

Zestos Skipper - Hodges#3869

Epargyreus zestos

Not seen in the last six years of Florida surveys conducted for the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District - Liston, 2013 As of June 2013, considered likely extinct: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Florida Duskywing - Hodges#3944

Ephyriades brunnea

Identification: Very south Florida only. Semicircular area near tip of forewing is surrounded by white spots. Female has purple sheen.

Wild Indigo Duskywing

Erynnis baptisiae

Erynnis baptisiae, the wild indigo duskywing, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in North America from southern New England and southern Ontario west to central Nebraska, south to Georgia, the Gulf Coast, and south-central Texas.

Sleepy Duskywing - Hodges#3946

Erynnis brizo

Identification: Forewings lack translucent spots. Compare Dreamy Duskywing, E. icelus. See Internet, print references.

Mottled Duskywing - Hodges#3954

Erynnis martialis

Males patrol hilltops for females (a common insect behavior)

Persius Duskywing - Hodges#3961

Erynnis persius

Identification: Adult : Upperside is brown-black. FW has few clear dots and very dim markings; patch at end of FW cell is grayish. Male FW has many raised white hairs. HW fringes are dark. Male has a costal fold containing yellow scent scales; female

Dingy Skipper

Erynnis tages

Despite its name, a freshly emerged Dingy Skipper reveals a subtle pattern of browns and greys that is quite beautiful. However, this butterfly does live up to its name, as scales are lost over time, resulting in a lacklustre and drab appearance. The

Zarucco Duskywing - Hodges#3956

Erynnis zarucco

Identification: One of the larger Duskywings. Dorsal, both males and females have a reddish brown patch near the white cell end spots. Trailing edge of the wings have a pale tan fringe, sometimes white in the Florida Keys. Ventral, dark with little t

Palmetto Skipper - Hodges#4070

Euphyes arpa

Identification: One of the larger grass skippers, with angular wings. Dorsal, male has a dark orange head and mantle, and a thin black stigma on the FW. Female has a band of creamy spots on the FW, HW mostly brown. Ventral, strikingly unmarked bright

Bay Skipper - Hodges#4072.1

Euphyes bayensis

Global Ranking: G1G3 considered by Louisiana and Texas to be a "Species of Greatest Conservation Need" (SGCN)

SpaceX White-Skipper

Heliopetes elonmuski

Identification: Butterflies of America - BOA Type locality. Texas, Cameron Co., Boca Chica.

Erichson's White-skipper - Hodges#3970

Heliopyrgus domicella

Identification: Underwings are brownish with a broad dark margin and off-white median band. Upperwings have a continuous white median band across both wings, extending to the leading edge of the forewing; dark wing bases, and dark margins with many w

Plains Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020.1

Hesperia assiniboia

Identification: Distinguished from H. comma by paler colouration beneath and usually reduced spot band. This band can be quite distinct or nearly absent, and is usually white or pale yellow. The ranges of these species overlap in Central Saskatchewan

Hill Country Skipper

Hesperia balcones

Identification: Butterflies of America - BOA Type locality: Texas, Travis Co., Volente, along Lime Creek Rd. between GPS 30.4611, −97.9064 and 30.4605, −97.9011.

Common Branded Skipper - Hodges#4020

Hesperia comma

Identification: Ventral, orange to brown with bold white spots.

Dakota Skipper - Hodges#4031

Hesperia dacotae

As of October 24th 2014 this species is now listed as threatened

Leonard's Skipper - Hodges#4023

Hesperia leonardus

Identification: The nominate subspecies is easily recognized by the reddish hindwing underside with a white spot band. The Pawnee subspecies has a yellow-orange hindwing underside with a reduced to lacking yellow spot-band. The Pawnee Montane subspec

Meske's Skipper - Hodges#4030

Hesperia meskei

Type Locality: "Bastrop Co., Texas" Hesperia meskei pinocayo Gatrelle & Minno, 2003

Cobweb Skipper - Hodges#4027

Hesperia metea

Identification: Ventral HW and FW are variably marked with white veins and a white V shaped chevron, forming a cobweb appearance. Dorsal male mostly brown with a wrist bracelet and 2 spots near the outer FW margin. Female FW with a series of jagged F

Indian Skipper - Hodges#4033

Hesperia sassacus

Identification: Ventrally, chevron shaped light markings, not well defined in males, but more distinct in females. Dorsally, male has a black stigma on FW, and female FW mostly orange. Both gender have a dark oval at the apex of the FW. HW mostly ora

Uncas Skipper - Hodges#4018

Hesperia uncas

Identification: Underwing has bold series of connected white markings, and usually has white veining.

Liris Skipper - Hodges#3999

Lerema liris

Identification: no white dashes on forewing coastal margin

Olive-clouded Skipper

Lerodea dysaules

Identification: Very similar to Lerodea arabus , distinguished by range. See Zhang et al. 2023 P.85 for more in depth identification by physical features

Umber Skipper

Lon melane

Poanes melane, the umber skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in California (west of the Sierra Nevada divide), southern Arizona, Baja California, the highlands of Mexico and Central America. The habitat consists of desert f

Mexican Umber Skipper

Lon vitellina

Identification: Nearly identical to Lon melane , however ranges do not overlap

Zabulon Skipper

Lon zabulon

The Zabulon skipper (Poanes zabulon) (sometimes called the southern dimorphic skipper) is a North American butterfly first described by the French naturalists Jean Baptiste Boisduval and John Eatton Le Conte from the state of Georgia, United States.

Ursus Giant Skipper - Hodges#4151

Megathymus ursus

Type Locality: "Pinal County, Arizona"; defined as "Santa Catalina Mountains, west of Redington, Pima Co., Arizona" by Freeman (1969).

Yucca Giant-skipper - Hodges#4145

Megathymus yuccae

Identification: A very large and robust skipper. Variable, dark brown with frosty marking on wing margin. Caterpillar is light tan with reddish brown head A spectacular species.

Swarthy Skipper - Hodges#3993

Nastra lherminier

Identification: Swarthy Skippers are small very plain looking butterflies, without any distinct field marks. Dorsal, Plain dark brown, and occasionally shows a faint pair of FW spots. Male and female look alike. Ventral, Plain brown, fresh individual

Neamathla Skipper - Hodges#3995

Nastra neamathla

Identification: Dorsal, plain brown with 2 small pale dots on central FW, and several tiny subapical marks. On worn butterflies, these marks may not show. Ventral, brown with a very pale spot band on the HW. FW has an orangish inner costal edge. Comp

Pale-rayed skipper - Hodges#3991

Nastra perigenes

Identification: Godman (1900) states "easily identified from its allies by the longitudinal whitish streaks on the secondaries beneath." Godman (1900) original description as Mastor perigenes is available online at the link in the print references.

Poweshiek Skipperling - Hodges#4006

Oarisma poweshiek

As of October 24 2014 this species was listed as threatened. As of October 2018, it is listed as Critically Endangered. ICUN Redlist

Woodland Skipper

Ochlodes sylvanoides

Ochlodes sylvanoides, the woodland skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in North America from British Columbia south to southern California, east to Montana, Colorado and Arizona.

Large Skipper

Ochlodes sylvanus

This is one of the largest of our 'golden' Skippers and, like these other Skippers, the male has a distinctive sex brand on its forewings containing specialised scent scales. Both males and females have a dark checker markings on the lower part of th

Ocola Skipper - Hodges#4119

Panoquina ocola

Identification: Adult: dark brown with elongated pointed forewings that project far beyond hindwings when at rest; a series of white patches on forewing upperside, the largest in a distinct V-shape hindwing unmarked above and beneath; female has purp

Obscure Skipper - Hodges#4117

Panoquina panoquinoides

Identification: Our smallest long-winged grass skippers. Dorsal, brown with several FW light spots that are variable from bold to absent. HW plain brown. Ventral, plain brown with light veining. Postmedian HW with 3 spots that can vary from bold to n

Glazed Pellicia - Hodges#3927

Pellicia arina

Identification: FW are pointed. Wings are black; upperside has an iridescent purple sheen and faint mottling. (BAMONA)

Green-backed Ruby-eye - Hodges#4000

Perichares adela

Identification: Very large for a grass-skipper. Mottled pattern under hindwing. Large yellow spots on forewing. Red eyes show clearly only if lit from right angle. Dorsal surface of thorax sometimes, but not always, iridescent green. First U.S. recor

Beautiful Beamer - Hodges#3867.1

Phocides belus

First U.S. Record: Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, Mission, Hidalgo Co., TX - April 13, 2003 (David J Hanson)

Guava Skipper - Hodges#3866

Phocides lilea

Identification: Unmistakeable; very dark with a golden head, metallic blue streaks on the body and iridescence on the wings, a pair of red spots midway on the leading edge of each forewing. Has become more common in the US due to use of Guava species

Urania Skipper - Hodges#3867

Phocides urania

Type spmn coll'ed by Captain John Pope while conducting the Texas-Mexico Boundary Survey in the early 1850's. Pope's specimen is in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. No U.S. records have been reported since them.

Mexican Sootywing - Hodges#3978

Pholisora mejicanus

Identification: This species is very similar to Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus), except that the veins on the ventral hindwing are darker black than the ground color on the HW, which makes them stand out. Common sootywing lacks the contrasting

Piruna haferniki - Hodges#3986

Piruna haferniki

Identification: Upperside is blackish brown. Forewing has 3 same-sized spots at the apex and distinct oval postmedian spots; hindwing has no markings. Underside of forewing is the same as upperside; underside of hindwing is purplish gray with no mark

Aaron's Skipper - Hodges#4062

Poanes aaroni

Identification: Underwing is dull olive/brown with a pale ray extending down the middle of the wing, and several light dots near the ray.

Baracoa Skipper - Hodges#4040

Polites baracoa

Identification: The smallest Polites skipper in the US. Underwing is olive/brown with a rounded HW spot band that is more defined in females. Baracoa Skippers have an elaborate mating dance, facing each other, with antenna touching.

Long Dash - Hodges#4043

Polites mystic

Identification: Adult: male upperside bright orangish-brown with wide dark brown border covering outer third of each wing; dark patch along outer edge of black stigma, and another wide rectangular patch near wingtip makes stigma appear much longer an

Sandhill Skipper - Hodges#4037

Polites sabuleti

Identification: Common and quite variable. Upperside of male is yellow-orange with dark toothed borders and a sinuous stigma on the forewing. Upperside of female has heavier dark markings and almost transparent light spots; no stigma. Underside of th

Whirlabout - Hodges#4045

Polites vibex

Identification: Adult: dorsal - male bright yellowish-orange on both wings; forewing with large black stigma and dark patch near tip. Female dark brown with unmarked hindwing and several pale orange or yellow spots on forewing. Adult: ventral - male

Polygonus histrio - Hodges#3872

Polygonus histrio

Identification: Butterflies of America - BOA Has a short rapid flight, often landing under a leaf, hanging upside down.

Grizzled Skipper

Pyrgus malvae

Like most skippers, the Grizzled Skipper is extremely difficult to follow when in flight but will stop to feed from various nectar sources. Once settled the black and white pattern on the wings, from which this species gets its name, is unmistakable.

Two-banded Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3963

Pyrgus ruralis

Identification: Adults: Upperside is light-to-blackish brown with forewings blacker above than forewings of Grizzled Skipper ( P. centaureae ); forewing has squarish white spots; hindwing usually has 2 rows of white spots which are more clearly defin

Common Mellana - Hodges#4068

Quasimellana eulogius

Identification: Key character is a band of faint spots forming a crescent under the hindwing, similar to the backwards "3" on the Southern Broken-Dash ( Wallengrenia otho )

Falcate Skipper - Hodges#3920

Spathilepia clonius

Identification: Dark brown upperwings with a bold white diagonal band across the upper and lower surfaces of the forewing First U.S. Record: Pharr, Hidalgo Co., Texas - 1944 (Freeman, 1945)

Texas Powdered-Skipper - Hodges#3937

Systasea pulverulenta

Identification: Adult: upperside of wings orangish-brown with darker greenish-brown areas; underside of wings dull green with whitish markings on hindwing; forewing upperside and underside has median line of white/clear cells forming a smooth curve a

Arizona Powdered-Skipper - Hodges#3938

Systasea zampa

Described by Edwards in 1876 (hence one of other common names) from "South Apache, Arizona". Bell re-described it in 1941 from the Baboquivari Mountains, Arizona.

Yellow-tipped Flasher - Hodges#3901

Telegonus anaphus

Identification: Large skipper, dark brown with faint darker bands, with a wide yellow edge on the trailing half of the hindwing (above and below). First U.S. record reported by Freeman (1945).

Qian's Flasher - Hodges#3896

Telegonus tsongae

Identification: Several species of Astraptes have a similar metallic blue color on the body and inner wings. One study in Costa Rica concluded that there were at least ten cryptic species within A. fulgerator there, with virtually identical adults bu

Jalapus Cloudywing - Hodges#3908

Thessia jalapus

Identification: Nearly identical to the more common and widespread Coyote Cloudywing (Achalarus toxeus) but with a pronounced tail or lobe on the inside corner of each hindwing

Essex Skipper

Thymelicus lineola

This species is very similar in appearance to the Small Skipper. The main distinguishing feature of the Essex Skipper is that the tips of its antennae are completely black, as if they have been dipped in ink. The male is distinguished from the female

Small Skipper

Thymelicus sylvestris

This 'golden' Skipper is often found basking on vegetation, or making short buzzing flights among tall grass stems. Despite its name, the are four skipper species found in the British Isles that are either the same size or smaller than the Small Skip

Fabulous Skipper

Troyus fabulosus

Identification: Butterflies of America - BOA Type Locality: Texas, Hidalgo Co., Peñitas

Dorantes Longtail - Hodges#3889

Urbanus dorantes

Identification: Adult is similar to Long-tailed Skipper ( Urbanus proteus ) but lacks the greenish-blue iridescence of that species. Mostly brown with long narrow tails on hindwings. On the underside of the forewing, the dark postmedian band is inter

Urbanus doryssus - Hodges#3894

Urbanus doryssus

Identification: Tails short and broad. Uppersides of tails and most of the hindwing outer margins white; remainder of wing surfaces dark brown.

The Oplers' Longtail

Urbanus oplerorum

Type Locality: Texas, Hidalgo Co., Mission/Madero, 4-VI-2010 [USNM] Paratype: 1♀ Mexico: Tamaulipas, Gomez Farias, leg. Paul A. Opler and Evi M. Buckner-Opler 13-14-Oct-2003

Desert Cloudywing - Hodges#3905

Achalarus casica

Sunrise Skipper - Hodges#4011

Adopaeoides prittwitzi

Mojave Giant Skipper - Hodges#4144

Agathymus alliae