European Skipper
Thymelicus lineola (Ochsenheimer, 1808)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Wings are brassy burnt orange; upperside of both wings with black borders and black on the outer portions of the veins. The male forewing has a narrow black stigma. A pale form (pallida) is very rare.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/8 inches (2.5 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: To find receptive females, males patrol grassy areas with a low meandering flight. Females lay eggs in strings on the host plant stem; the eggs overwinter and hatch the following spring. Caterpillars eat leaves and live in shelters of leaves tied together with silk. Adult skippers roost at night on grass stalks and in the morning bask with their wings at a 70 degree angle.
Flight: One brood from mid-May to mid-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Timothy (Phleum pratense) and other grasses.
Adult Food: Nectar from low-growing flowers including orange hawkweed, thistles, ox-eye daisy, fleabane, white clover, red clover, selfheal, Deptford pink, common milkweed, and swamp milkweed.
Habitat: Open grassy places including meadows, hayfields, pastures, abandoned homesteads, grassy road edges.
Range: This skipper was introduced accidently to North America in 1910 through London, Ontario. Eastern population: Newfoundland west to eastern North Dakota, south to southern Illinois and western South Carolina. Western population: western Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia. The range is still expanding, perhaps due to the relocation of eggs in hay shipments.
Conservation: Not required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Caterpillars of the European skipper can be pests on timothy grass.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 4066 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 13, 2013
Submitted by: Gala
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 10, 2023
Observation date: Aug 04, 2014
Submitted by: Todd Boland
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Feb 09, 2023
Observation date: Jul 29, 2018
Submitted by: Todd Boland
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Feb 09, 2023
Observation date: Aug 02, 2021
Submitted by: Todd Boland
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Feb 09, 2023
Observation date: Jul 25, 2020
Submitted by: Todd Boland
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Feb 09, 2023
Observation date: Jun 19, 2020
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Feb 04, 2023
Observation date: Jun 20, 2015
Submitted by: BCBirdman
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 27, 2023
Observation date: Jun 20, 2021
Submitted by: dbryant562
Region: Summit County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 22, 2023
Observation date: Aug 01, 2022
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Granite County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 20, 2022
Observation date: Jun 21, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Jun 25, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Jun 24, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 14, 2022
Observation date: Jul 17, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 12, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 14, 2022
Observation date: Jul 28, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 13, 2022
Observation date: Jul 11, 2020
Submitted by: vaive22
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Jun 24, 2021
Submitted by: gratiotlake
Region: Keweenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 04, 2022
Observation date: Jul 02, 2022
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 11, 2022
Observation date: Jul 24, 2021
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 27, 2022
Submitted by: dave mcelveen
Region: Koochiching County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 01, 2022
Observation date: Jul 15, 2022
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
Observation date: Jul 24, 2022
Submitted by: Kevin M
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 28, 2022
Observation date: Jul 08, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 25, 2022
Observation date: Jun 27, 2022
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 22, 2022
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