Green Skipper
Hesperia viridis (W.H. Edwards, 1883)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside is bright golden-orange; male has a few pale spots on the forewing, female has more. Male stigma on forewing has black felt. Hindwing is bright green-orange to yellow-orange with distinct white spots. Spot band curves away from the margin.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: To wait for receptive females, males perch in gulches during the day. Females lay eggs singly on or near the host plants. Caterpillars feed on leaves and live in nests of tied-together leaves.
Flight: Two broods from April-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various grasses including blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), fluff grass (Erioneuron pulchellum), and buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Mesquite grassland, chaparral, prairie, canyons, ravines, roadsides, dunes.
Range: Eastern Wyoming and western Nebraska south through the foothills and high plains of Colorado, western Kansas, eastern Arizona, New Mexico, western Oklahoma, and west Texas to Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might 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 272 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 19, 2007
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 29, 2020
Observation date: Oct 04, 2019
Submitted by: gpstewart
Region: Irion County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 17, 2019
Observation date: Jun 08, 2019
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Las Animas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 21, 2019
Observation date: Jun 07, 2019
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Las Animas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 21, 2019
Observation date: Jun 07, 2019
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Las Animas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 24, 2019
Observation date: Jun 08, 2019
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 19, 2019
Observation date: Jun 03, 2019
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 09, 2019
Observation date: Jun 24, 2017
Submitted by: A_baldini (dailyentomologist)
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jan 09, 2019
Observation date: Jul 23, 2018
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 07, 2018
Observation date: Jul 24, 2017
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Baca County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Dec 29, 2017
Observation date: Sep 09, 2017
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Cimarron County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 17, 2017
Observation date: Sep 09, 2017
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Cimarron County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 16, 2017
Observation date: May 13, 2017
Submitted by: rhedden
Region: Crosby County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 23, 2017
Observation date: Jul 09, 2016
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 02, 2016
Observation date: Sep 12, 2013
Submitted by: Redheart Canyonlands
Region: Bandera County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 20, 2013
Observation date: Jul 12, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Kilian Roever)
Region: Graham County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 29, 1979
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George Balogh)
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Sep 20, 2011
Submitted by: Matt ODonnell
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 03, 2011
Observation date: May 31, 2011
Submitted by: Joe Schelling--...
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 03, 2011
Observation date: May 31, 2011
Submitted by: Joe Schelling--...
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 03, 2011
Observation date: Sep 05, 2010
Submitted by: aahewetson
Region: Foard County, Texas, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Mar 10, 2011
Observation date: Sep 05, 2010
Submitted by: aahewetson
Region: Texas, Wilbarger County, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Mar 03, 2011
Observation date: Jul 09, 1995
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Coconino County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 10, 1995
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Coconino County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2011
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