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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Skippers (Hesperioidea) » Skippers (Hesperiidae) » Spread-wing Skippers (Pyrginae) » Checkered-Skippers (Pyrgus) » Desert Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus philetas)
Photo#261074
Common or White Checkered-Skipper? - Pyrgus philetas - male
Copyright © 2007 Chris Adam

Common or White Checkered-Skipper? - Pyrgus philetas - Male
Austin, Texas, USA
July 19, 2007
Is this a Common or White Checkered-Skipper or another species altogether? I am aware of the incursion of the white species (from reading BG), but I am not sure if they have reached the Austin area.
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Contributed by Chris Adam on 27 March, 2009 - 7:51am
Last updated 11 November, 2009 - 11:12am

update
Two things I was unaware of when I wrote the last comment. First that P. philetas is known from that far east. Second that most authors are treating P. philetas as a distinct species from P. oileus now (I have doubts myself). Anyway, this pale nearly white underside is characteristic of P. philetas. Sorry about confusion.

Moved from Tropical Checkered-Skipper.
… David J. Ferguson, 11 November, 2009 - 11:12am login or register to post comments

Pyrgus oileus
I'm pretty sure this is what it is. This is a very pale one, usually there is more dark pigment on the underside diving just a bit more of a checkered or banded appearance (true of P. communis and albescens too). There are some characteristic markings on the hind wing of P. communis/oileus that seem to be missing on this one, and the spots on the front wing seem to be arranged more as in P. oileus to my eyes.
… David J. Ferguson, 28 March, 2009 - 3:05pm login or register to post comments

 
Moved to the species page bas
Moved to the species page based on the above id. Thanks.
… Chris Adam, 30 March, 2009 - 6:51am login or register to post comments

Common/White
My understanding is that Common and White Checkered-skippers can not be distinguished in the field and most of the checklists I've seen list them as Common/White Checkered-skipper.
… Lois Stacey, 27 March, 2009 - 6:19pm login or register to post comments

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