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 49 - 72 of 1319 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 17, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 19, 2020
Observation date: Jun 15, 2020
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 05, 2020
Observation date: May 13, 2019
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Newberry County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 18, 2020
Observation date: Jun 05, 2020
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Livingston County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 17, 2020
Observation date: May 29, 2020
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 14, 2020
Observation date: Jun 08, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 09, 2020
Observation date: May 14, 2020
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 14, 2020
Observation date: Jun 06, 1998
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 26, 2020
Observation date: Jun 12, 1994
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 26, 2020
Observation date: May 15, 1993
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 26, 2020
Observation date: Jun 14, 1981
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Apr 26, 2020
Observation date: Jun 21, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 05, 2020
Observation date: Jun 29, 2017
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 05, 2020
Observation date: Jun 25, 2017
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 05, 2020
Observation date: Jun 25, 2016
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 05, 2020
Observation date: May 25, 2016
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 05, 2020
Observation date: Jun 28, 2008
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 05, 2020
Observation date: Jul 01, 2007
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 05, 2020
Observation date: Jun 21, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 27, 2020
Observation date: May 25, 2011
Submitted by: Jonathan Batkin
Region: San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 19, 2020
Observation date: Jun 03, 2019
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 10, 2020
Observation date: Jul 29, 2009
Submitted by: Pierre Howard
Region: Georgia, Taylor County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Dec 09, 2019
Observation date: Jul 20, 2019
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Oconee County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 28, 2019
Observation date: Jun 16, 2019
Submitted by: MaryAnn Friedman
Region: Teller County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 24, 2019
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