Small Checkered-Skipper
Common NameSmall Checkered-Skipper
Scientific NamePyrgus scriptura
FamilyHesperiidae
SubfamilyPyrginae
Wingspan (mm)22
Primary Colorsdark brown, black, white
HabitatOpen, dry areas, grasslands, desert washes, foothills, disturbed areas
Geographic RangeWestern North America, from southern British Columbia south through the western US to northern Mexico
Host Plantsglobe mallow (Sphaeralcea spp.), mallow (Malva spp.), Sida spp.
Flight PeriodMarch to October (multiple broods, varies by region)
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on host plant leaves. Larvae feed on mallow leaves, creating shelters by folding leaves, and pupate in a loose cocoon near the ground.
Identification TipsDistinguished from similar *Pyrgus* species by its generally smaller size, more numerous and distinct white spots, and often a cleaner, more sharply defined checkered pattern. The underside of the hindwing also has a distinct pattern of white spots on a dark background.
Description
A small, dark-bodied skipper with a distinctive checkered pattern of numerous white spots on a dark brown to black background on both forewings and hindwings, often with a white fringe.
