Common Roadside-Skipper
Amblyscirtes vialis (W.H. Edwards, 1862)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside is black with a few small white spots at the tip of the forewing. Underside is dark brown with violet-gray at the forewing tip and the outer half of the hindwing.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/4 inches (2.2 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: To await receptive females, males perch on the ground or low plants in forest openings or edges, waving their antennae in small circles. Females deposit eggs singly on the host plants; caterpillars eat leaves, and make shelters of rolled and tied leaves. Caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: One brood from March-July; a partial second brood up to September in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various grasses including wild oats (Avena), bent grass (Agrostis), bluegrass (Poa), Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), and Indian woodoats grass (Chasmanthium latifolia).
Adult Food: These skippers prefer nectar from low-growing blue flowers including verbena and selfheal.
Habitat: Open areas in or near woodland, often close to streams.
Range: The Roadside Skipper is the most widespread skipper in North America. It occurs from British Columbia east across southern Canada to Maine and Nova Scotia; south to central California, northern New Mexico, Texas, the Gulf states, and northern 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.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 1319 verified sightings
Observation date: May 14, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 14, 2022
Observation date: May 07, 2022
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 08, 2022
Observation date: May 03, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 06, 2022
Observation date: May 07, 2021
Submitted by: bjones7777
Region: White County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Nov 01, 2021
Observation date: Jun 09, 2019
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 26, 2021
Observation date: Aug 05, 2021
Submitted by: pkondrashov
Region: Macon County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 08, 2021
Observation date: Jun 08, 2021
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Las Animas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 22, 2021
Observation date: Jun 23, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 25, 2021
Observation date: Jun 17, 2021
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 19, 2021
Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Iosco County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 18, 2021
Observation date: Jun 09, 2021
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 10, 2021
Observation date: May 29, 2021
Submitted by: NBBAM
Region: Cowlitz County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: kathy lichtendahl
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 08, 2021
Observation date: Jun 03, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 06, 2021
Observation date: May 30, 2021
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 30, 2021
Observation date: Apr 30, 2021
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Shasta County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 20, 2021
Observation date: Apr 15, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Georgia, Walker County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Apr 21, 2021
Observation date: Aug 06, 2020
Submitted by: amparrish15
Region: Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Mar 27, 2021
Observation date: Aug 06, 2020
Submitted by: amparrish15
Region: Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Mar 27, 2021
Observation date: Jun 20, 2020
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Dec 17, 2020
Observation date: May 06, 2019
Submitted by: LinCepek
Region: Surry County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 06, 2020
Observation date: Aug 04, 2020
Submitted by: s_brown55
Region: Pendleton County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 30, 2020
Observation date: May 27, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 03, 2020
Observation date: May 26, 2020
Submitted by: dbrudin
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 02, 2020
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