Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)

Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)

One of our commonest skippers, particularly abundant in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont of NC. The most commonly species this is confused with are Sachem (found throughout NC, but rare near the coast) and Whirlabout (Coastal Plain, rare in the Piedmont).

Males are orange with blackish spots.

Male, Durham Co., NC 8/10/08.

Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)

Females are orange with smudged dark spots and show a trace of a pale chevron (compare with male Sachem).

Female, Chapel Hill, NC 7/4/2002.

Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)

Male, Freeport, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas 6/20/2010.

Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)

Female, Freeport, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas 6/19/2010.

Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)

Male (left) and female.

Mission, Hidalgo Co., TX 10/14/04.

Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)

Male, Craven Co., NC 8/25/02.

Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)

Male, Tyrrell Co., NC 9/13/03.

Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)

Male, Tyrrell Co., NC 9/13/03.

Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)

Male showing its fiery flames on the forewing, Chatham Co., NC 10/9/04.

Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)

Female, Gates Co., NC 9/29/01.

All photographs and text ©2013 by Will Cook unless otherwise noted.