Dotted Skipper
Hesperia attalus (W.H. Edwards, 1871)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Variable and rarely seen. Forewing is pointed, particularly in the male. Male: Upperside is dull brownish orange with wide dark borders; stigma on forewing has black felt. Female: Upperside is dark brown with pale spots; underside is green-brown to dull orange with or without small pale spots.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 1 5/8 inches (3.5 - 4.2 cm).
Life History: Males perch to watch for receptive females. Eggs are deposited on or near the host. Caterpillars feed on grass leaves and live in silken tubes at the base of grass clumps. They overwinter in shelters that are partially buried.
Flight: Two broods from May-September with a longer flight period in Florida.
Caterpillar Hosts: Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and fall witchgrass (Leptoloma cognatum).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of prickly pear cactus, alfalfa, thistles, and purple coneflower.
Habitat: Short-grass prairies, pine barrens, and woodland meadows.
Range: Atlantic seaboard from eastern Massachusetts (rarely) south to peninsular Florida and the Gulf Coast. A separate population occurs from central Kansas south to east-central Texas. Strays to eastern Nebraska.
Conservation: Populations should be conserved wherever they are found.
NCGR: G3 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout its range).
Management Needs: Care should be taken not to eliminate populations by overuse of fire on small preserves.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 130 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 07, 2023
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Osceola County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 12, 2024
Observation date: Feb 04, 2014
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Putnam County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 24, 2023
Observation date: Apr 25, 2022
Submitted by: Brian Ahern
Region: Gilchrist County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 31, 2011
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe (Irvin Pitts)
Region: Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 07, 2021
Observation date: Sep 22, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Clay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 29, 2021
Observation date: Sep 25, 2021
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Clay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 19, 2021
Observation date: Sep 27, 2019
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Osceola County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 29, 2021
Observation date: Jul 26, 2020
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Osceola County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 26, 2021
Observation date: Sep 30, 2020
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Clay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 02, 2020
Observation date: Jun 04, 2013
Submitted by: bvlusa
Region: Gadsden County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 04, 2020
Observation date: Oct 06, 2019
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 09, 2019
Observation date: May 11, 2019
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 13, 2019
Observation date: Aug 22, 2011
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe (Irvin Pitts)
Region: Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 20, 2018
Observation date: Jun 07, 2010
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe (Keenan Adams)
Region: Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 20, 2018
Observation date: Jul 10, 2016
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Will Kerling
Verified date: Jul 30, 2017
Observation date: Oct 10, 2014
Submitted by: redfishin
Region: Nassau County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 11, 2017
Observation date: Oct 02, 2016
Submitted by: rob77897@gmail.com
Region: Osceola County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 11, 2016
Observation date: Sep 03, 2013
Submitted by: gunhilda
Region: Payne County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 20, 2013
Observation date: Sep 05, 2010
Submitted by: aahewetson
Region: Texas, Wilbarger County, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Mar 03, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (Bill Berthet)
Region: Clay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (Bill Berthet)
Region: Clay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (Bill Berthet)
Region: Clay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (Bill Berthet)
Region: Clay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (Bill Berthet)
Region: Clay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
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