Bug FAQCommon Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis)
Pyrgus communis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Hesperiidae
Its wings show a checkerboard pattern; males usually have broader dark bands than females.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The wings have a checkerboard pattern, with males showing broader bands than females. The body is blue-gray and covered with the small amount of fuzz typical of skippers.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 19 to 32 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In southern areas it can be seen all year with several generations. In northern regions it produces two generations and flies into late fall.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Southern populations are active year-round with multiple broods. Northern populations have two broods and are on the wing into late fall.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is found throughout southern Canada and almost the entire United States. It has also been recorded in Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Burnsius communis, formerly known as Pyrgus communis, is the same species and may be listed under that name.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 48 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, California, South Carolina, Arizona, Ohio, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What does the common checkered-skipper look like?
It has a blue-gray, slightly fuzzy body and wings with a checkerboard pattern; males have broader dark bands than females.
Source: Wikipedia
When can I see these butterflies?
In the south they are active all year with several generations, while in the north they appear in two broods and remain on the wing into late fall.
Source: Wikipedia
Are there other names for this butterfly?
Yes, it is also known as Burnsius communis, which was the former scientific name Pyrgus communis.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Hesperiidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnsius_communis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.