Burnsius philetas
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Burnsius philetas, the desert checkered-skipper, formerly known as Pyrgus philetas, is a species of skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found from the southern United States (southern Arizona east to southern Texas, and to southern Mexico. Individuals are also found north to northern Arizona and northern Texas.
The wingspan is 25–29 mm. There are two to three generations, from February to December in Texas and from April to October in Arizona. The larvae feed on several plants in the family Malvaceae, including Malvastrum and Sida. Adults feed on flower nectar. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Monterrey | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 3 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Desert Checkered-Skipper sighting in Monterrey on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 262nd most-seen of the 413 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Desert Checkered-Skipper in Monterrey on a given day, against under 5% in November to August, the lowest months. Those are among Monterrey's wettest months, with about 130 mm of rain a month against 20 mm in February.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Desert Checkered-Skipper sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Desert Checkered-Skipper sightings, Monterrey ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in San Antonio (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Desert Checkered-Skipper is recorded against all the insects logged in Monterrey (9 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
