Taxiles Skipper
Poanes taxiles (W.H. Edwards, 1881)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Male narrow black borders; underside of forewing with slightly darkened tip and outer margin; underside of hindwing with darkened base and outer margin. Female: Upperside is dark orange-brown with pale orange patches on the forewing and central hindwing. Underside of hindwing is violet-brown with a pale band of spots and a patch of gray scales near the outer margin.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 11/16 inches (3.2 - 4.3 cm).
Life History: Males perch in sunlit openings on leaves about 3-5 feet above the ground. They appear to defend their territory and may keep a perch for as long as a week. Courtship usually occurs in the afternoon. Females lay eggs singly under the host leaves. Caterpillars feed on leaves and make shelters of silk-tied leaves.
Flight: One brood from mid-June to August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Grasses including bluegrass (Poa), wheatgrass (Agropyron), orchardgrass (Dactylis), wildrye (Elymus), and bentgrass (Agrostis).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Woodland openings, stream valleys, forest meadows.
Range: Western South Dakota and north-central Nebraska south through the southern Rocky Mountains and foothills to central 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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 299 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 14, 2022
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 15, 2022
Observation date: Jul 18, 2017
Submitted by: carlakish
Region: Gila County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Feb 11, 2022
Observation date: Aug 09, 2015
Submitted by: carlakish
Region: Gila County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Feb 06, 2022
Observation date: Jul 06, 2012
Submitted by: carlakish
Region: Gila County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Feb 05, 2022
Observation date: May 18, 2019
Submitted by: JaredNeale
Region: Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 04, 2021
Observation date: Jul 04, 2018
Submitted by: tjay13
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 12, 2021
Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 24, 2021
Observation date: Jul 14, 2021
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Las Animas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 26, 2021
Observation date: Jul 17, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 24, 2021
Observation date: Jul 17, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 22, 2021
Observation date: Jul 10, 2021
Submitted by: Robert C. Turner
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 22, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 22, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 07, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 05, 2021
Submitted by: chneal
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 09, 2021
Observation date: Jul 04, 2021
Submitted by: Chrustay
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 08, 2021
Observation date: Jul 02, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 08, 2021
Observation date: Jun 22, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Weld County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 03, 2021
Observation date: Jul 12, 2019
Submitted by: DebW
Region: Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 16, 2009
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 25, 2021
Observation date: Jul 08, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Cibola County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 16, 2020
Observation date: Jul 17, 2020
Submitted by: taogirl
Region: Ouray County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 12, 2020
Observation date: Jul 19, 2020
Submitted by: eddysfo
Region: Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 12, 2020
Observation date: Jun 21, 2020
Submitted by: Jon Kindschy
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 11, 2020
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