Skipper
Guides
Thorybes bathyllus
southern cloudywing
Thorybes bathyllus, commonly known as the southern cloudywing, is a North American skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is characterized by erratic, low flight and challenging identification due to individual variation and seasonal forms. The species exhibits distinct spring and summer morphs in southern populations, with spring forms being lightly marked and summer forms more boldly patterned. It has one brood per year in northern regions and two to three broods in the south.
Thorybes dobra
Thorybes dobra is a skipper butterfly (family Hesperiidae) described by Evans in 1952. Current taxonomic treatment recognizes it as a synonym of Thorybes mexicana (the Mexican cloudywing), a species of spread-wing skipper in the subfamily Pyrginae. It was originally described as a distinct taxon but has since been subsumed under the broader species concept of T. mexicana.
Thorybes drusius
drusius cloudywing
Thorybes drusius, known as the drusius cloudywing, is a dicot skipper in the family Hesperiidae. It is distributed across North America and Central America. The species is recognized by the MONA/Hodges number 3914.
Thorybes nevada
Thorybes nevada is a species of skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae, subfamily Pyrginae. Described by Scudder in 1872, this taxon is currently treated as a synonym of Thorybes mexicana. It is part of a genus of spread-wing skippers found in North America. The species epithet reflects its association with Nevada, where the type specimen was likely collected.
Thorybes pylades
northern cloudywing
Thorybes pylades, commonly known as the northern cloudywing, is a skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is recognized by its uniformly dark brown wings with small triangular clear spots. The species has a broad distribution across North America, with adults flying in spring and summer. Larvae feed on various legumes in the family Fabaceae.
Thymelicus
skippers
Thymelicus is a Palearctic genus of skipper butterflies (Hesperiidae) and the sole member of the tribe Thymelini. The genus includes approximately 12 described species, several of which have been subjects of conservation and biological study. Two species—Thymelicus sylvestris (small skipper) and Thymelicus lineola (European skipper/Essex skipper)—have been introduced to North America, where T. lineola has become a notable agricultural pest. The genus has served as a model for studies in conservation translocation, parasite-host relationships, and insect developmental biology.
Thymelicus lineola
Essex Skipper, European Skipper
Thymelicus lineola is a small skipper butterfly native to Europe and introduced to North America prior to 1910. In Europe it is known as the Essex Skipper; in North America it is called the European Skipper. The species has spread extensively across eastern Canada and the northern United States, with populations established as far west as British Columbia. It is univoltine with five larval instars. Adults are active in summer and exhibit thermoregulatory basking behavior. Males use perching and patrolling strategies to locate mates and release pheromones from androconial scent scales during courtship.
Timochares
Timochares is a genus of skippers in the family Hesperiidae, subfamily Pyrginae, established by Godman & Salvin in 1896. The genus contains three recognized species distributed in the Neotropical region. Members of this genus are characterized by their banded wing patterns and relatively robust body form typical of pyrgine skippers.
Troyus
Troyus is a genus of skipper butterflies in the family Hesperiidae, subtribe Moncina. The genus was established in 2012 and contains Neotropical species distributed from the Caribbean to the Amazon basin. At least two species are recognized: T. turneri from Jamaica and T. phyllides from the Peruvian Amazon.
Troyus fabulosus
Fabulous Skipper
Troyus fabulosus is a skipper butterfly described by Grishin in 2023. The species is placed in the genus Troyus within the family Hesperiidae. It is known from 379 iNaturalist observations. As a recently described species, detailed biological information remains limited.
Urbanus dorantes
Urbanus dorantes is a species of skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae, subfamily Pyrginae. The species was originally described as Papilio dorantes by Stoll in 1790 and later transferred to the genus Urbanus. Records indicate presence in Colombia, including departments of Santander, Nariño, and Bolívar, with specific localities spanning forested and urban-proximate environments from botanical gardens to national parks.
Urbanus doryssus
White-tailed Longtail
Urbanus doryssus is a species of skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae, distributed across the Americas from the southern United States through Central and South America. The species belongs to a genus characterized by long, slender hindwing tails. Like other members of Urbanus, it exhibits rapid, darting flight patterns typical of the skipper group. The species was originally described by Swainson in 1831 under the basionym Eudamus doryssus.
Urbanus oplerorum
Urbanus oplerorum is a species of skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae, described by Grishin in 2023. It belongs to the genus Urbanus, a group of Neotropical long-tailed skippers. The species was recently described, indicating it was distinguished from congeners through modern taxonomic methods.
Urbanus rickardi
Urbanus rickardi is a species of skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae, described by Grishin in 2023. As a recently described species, detailed biological information remains limited. The genus Urbanus comprises long-tailed skippers found primarily in the Americas, though specific traits for U. rickardi have not been independently documented.
Wallengrenia
Broken-Dashes
Wallengrenia is a genus of skippers (family Hesperiidae) commonly known as Broken-Dashes. The genus was erected by Berg in 1897 and contains at least three described species distributed primarily in North America. These butterflies are small, fast-flying, and often associated with open habitats.
Wallengrenia egeremet
northern broken dash
A small skipper butterfly (Hesperiidae) native to eastern and central North America. Adults fly in summer, with single or double broods depending on latitude. Larvae feed on Panicum grasses; adults visit flowers for nectar. Taxonomic placement remains uncertain, with some sources placing it in genus Polites or treating it as conspecific with Wallengrenia otho.
Wallengrenia otho
southern broken dash, broken dash skipper
Wallengrenia otho is a small skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae, distributed across the Americas from the southeastern United States through Central America to Argentina. The species exhibits multivoltine flight patterns in temperate regions and year-round activity in tropical areas. Larvae develop on grasses in the genera Paspalum and Stenotaphrum, while adults feed on nectar from wetland and riparian flowers.
Xenophanes tryxus
Glassy-winged Skipper
Xenophanes tryxus is a skipper butterfly (Hesperiidae: Pyrginae) distributed across northern South America and Central America. The species is commonly known as the Glassy-winged Skipper, a name derived from its translucent wing patches. It is among the more frequently observed skippers in its range, with over 3,400 records on iNaturalist. The species was originally described by Stoll in 1780 as Papilio tryxus.