Fiery Skipper

Hylephila phyleus

Summary 7

The Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus) is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae and are approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. The males are orange or yellow with black spots while the females are dark brown with orange or yellow spots. The caterpillars are greenish pink with a black head. The caterpillars are often considered pests and can feed on bermudagrass, creeping bentgrass, and St. Augustine grass.

North american ecology (us and canada) 8

Hylephila phyleus is a year-round resident in the far southern United States ranging south to Argentina and throughout the Antilles, and introduced to Hawaii in 1970. This species is migratory northward to Ontario and Prince Edward Island in the east, and to Oregon in the west (Scott 1986). Habitats are southern urban lawns and grassy places. Host plants are grasses of several species. Eggs are laid on and around the host plant singly. There are multiple flights all year in southern Florida and southern Texas (Scott 1986).

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://butterfliesofamerica.com/images/Hesperiidae/Hesperiinae/Hylephila_p_phyleus/Hylephila_p._phyleus_F_USA_TEXAS_Hidalgo_Co._Weslaco_25-II-2005_222_BOUTON.jpg
  2. (c) summerazure, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7170/6449778819_71f4540008_b.jpg
  3. (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://butterfliesofamerica.com/images/Hesperiidae/Hesperiinae/Hylephila_p_phyleus/Hylephila_p._phyleus_F_USA_TEXAS_Hidalgo_Co._Santa_Ana_NWR_22-X-2004_223_BOUTON.jpg
  4. (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://butterfliesofamerica.com/images/Hesperiidae/Hesperiinae/Hylephila_p_phyleus/Hylephila_p._phyleus_F_USA_TEXAS_Hidalgo_Co._Mission_15-X-2004_227_BOUTON.jpg
  5. (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://butterfliesofamerica.com/images/Hesperiidae/Hesperiinae/Hylephila_p_phyleus/Hylephila_p._phyleus_M_USA_TEXAS_Hidalgo_Co._Santa_Ana_NWR_16-X-2003_233_BOUTON.jpg
  6. (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://butterfliesofamerica.com/images/Hesperiidae/Hesperiinae/Hylephila_p_phyleus/Hylephila_p._phyleus_F_USA_ARIZONA_Santa_Cruz_Co._Patagonia_1-VIII-2005_219_BOUTON.jpg
  7. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hylephila_phyleus
  8. (c) Leslie Ries, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/20626181

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