Burns' Checkered-Skipper
Common NameBurns' Checkered-Skipper
Scientific NamePyrgus communis
FamilyHesperiidae
SubfamilyPyrginae
Wingspan (mm)32
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsblack, white, grey
HabitatOpen fields, meadows, disturbed areas, roadsides, gardens
Geographic RangeSouthern Canada, throughout the United States, and into Mexico
Host Plantscommon mallow, globe mallow, sidalcea, hollyhock
Flight PeriodMarch to November (southern regions), June to September (northern regions)
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesFemales lay single eggs on host plants. Larvae feed on mallows, creating leaf shelters, and pupate in loose cocoons. This species typically has multiple generations per year.
Identification TipsKey features include the distinctive black and white checkered pattern on both forewings and hindwings, a stout, hairy body, and the characteristic hooked antennae of a skipper. The underside of the hindwing often shows a faint greenish wash.
Description
A small, dark-bodied skipper with blackish-brown wings heavily marked with numerous white rectangular and square spots, and a hairy, greyish-blue thorax.
