Bug FAQCommon Streaky-Skipper
Celotes nessus · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Hesperiidae
The common streaky-skipper (Celotes nessus) is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 22 to 30 mm. It lives in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where its larvae feed on mallow plants and adults sip flower nectar. Adults are on the wing from March through September, producing several generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Celotes nessus, the common streaky-skipper, belongs to the butterfly family Hesperiidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 22 to 30 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in southern Arizona, southern New Mexico, western Texas, and northern Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars eat several mallow species, such as Sphaeralcea and Sida filipes. Adult butterflies feed on flower nectar.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There are several generations each year, with adults flying from March to September in Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from March through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its North American range includes the same southwestern states and northern Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 5 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What do the caterpillars eat?
The larvae feed on mallow plants, including Sphaeralcea and Sida filipes.
Source: Wikipedia
When can I see adult common streaky-skippers?
Adults are active from March to September, producing several generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the common streaky-skipper found?
It occurs in southern Arizona, southern New Mexico, western Texas, and northern Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
What family does this butterfly belong to?
It is a member of the skipper family Hesperiidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Hesperiidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celotes_nessus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.