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 121 - 144 of 299 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 02, 2018
Submitted by: sgguthart
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Aug 27, 2018
Observation date: Jul 10, 2018
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 13, 2018
Observation date: Jul 10, 2018
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 13, 2018
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 11, 2018
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 02, 2018
Observation date: Jul 02, 2018
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 12, 2018
Observation date: Jun 29, 2018
Submitted by: JulieLuetzelschwab
Region: San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 12, 2018
Observation date: Jun 24, 2018
Submitted by: Amy Helen Chu
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 07, 2018
Observation date: Jun 15, 2018
Submitted by: rogerashton
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Jun 19, 2018
Observation date: Jun 10, 2018
Submitted by: Eric Wood
Region: Mesa County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Jun 16, 2018
Observation date: Jul 05, 2013
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Grant County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 29, 2018
Observation date: Aug 24, 2017
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 25, 2017
Observation date: Aug 24, 2017
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 09, 2017
Observation date: Aug 25, 2017
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 20, 2017
Observation date: Aug 26, 2017
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 18, 2017
Observation date: Jun 28, 2017
Submitted by: rhedden
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 09, 2017
Observation date: Jul 16, 2017
Submitted by: dtbirder_99
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 07, 2017
Observation date: Jul 16, 2017
Submitted by: jgiroux
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 05, 2017
Observation date: Jul 19, 2017
Submitted by: Ritaclements
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 05, 2017
Observation date: Jul 18, 2017
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 02, 2017
Observation date: Jul 18, 2017
Submitted by: eddysfo
Region: Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 12, 2017
Observation date: Jul 13, 2017
Submitted by: JaredD51
Region: Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 07, 2017
Observation date: Jul 11, 2017
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 07, 2017
Observation date: Jul 11, 2017
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 07, 2017
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