About Pyrgus oileus (Linnaeus, 1767)
Burnsius oileus, commonly known as the tropical checkered skipper, is a species of skipper butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It was originally described as Pyrgus oileus by Linnaeus in 1767, and was transferred to the genus Burnsius in 2019. This species is distributed from the United States, specifically Peninsular Florida, the Gulf Coast, and southern Texas, southwards through the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America all the way to Costa Rica. Its wingspan measures 32 to 38 mm. In southern Texas and Florida, this species produces four to five generations each year. The larvae feed on multiple plant species in the family Malvaceae, including Sida rhombifolia, Malva, Althaea rosea, Abutilon, and Malvastrum. Adult butterflies feed on nectar from the flowers of Sida species and small-flowered composite plants such as shepherd's needles.
