Fauna
Insect · GBIF taxon 5715127

Fiery Skipper

Hylephila phyleus

Fiery skippers are energetic, low-flying butterflies renowned for their rapid, darting flight pattern across open sunny spaces. Males aggressively guard territory from elevated grass blades or garden flowers, flashing their vivid golden-orange wings to challenge rivals and court females. Caterpillars construct silken tubes at the base of turfgrasses, emerging at night to feed on leaves before transforming into adults.

PollinatorFast FlyerUrban Wildlife
Fiery Skipper reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Flower nectar
  • Bermudagrass
  • Crabgrass
Predators
  • Birds
  • Spiders
  • Praying Mantises
ThreatsLawn pesticide treatments, severe winter freezes
HabitatsLawns, parks, gardens, pastures, fields, road shoulders
Life span1–3 weeks as adult; 1–2 months life cycle
Classification
  1. OrderLepidoptera
  2. FamilyHesperiidae
  3. GenusHylephila
  4. SpeciesHylephila phyleus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Spotting males: Look for bright orange butterflies perching low on sunny grass blades or blooms.
  • Attracting adults: Plant nectar-rich flowers like lantana, zinnias, clover, and lavender in sunny garden spots.
Related species
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Mystic Meadows

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