Burnsius albezens
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Burnsius albezens, the white checkered-skipper, formerly known as Burnsius albescens and Pyrgus albescens, is a species of skipper (family Hesperiidae). It is found at low altitudes in the southern United States (southern California, southern Arizona, southern New Mexico, western and southern Texas - Florida) and Mexico. It is a rare stray to southwest Utah and central Texas and is found in a variety of dry, open habitats.
The wingspan is 25–38 mm. Adults are on wing year round in most of its range. The larva probably feed on several plants in the family Malvaceae, including Sphaeralcea, Abutilon and Callirhoe. Adults feed on the nectar of a variety of plants. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 6 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 9 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Torreón | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Tijuana | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 3 | Monterrey | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 4 | San Luis Potosí | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 5 | Orlando | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Phoenix | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a White Checkered-Skipper sighting in San Diego on a given day, based on 35 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 226th most-seen of the 693 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.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a White Checkered-Skipper in San Diego on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White Checkered-Skipper sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
9th of 11
Of the 11 cities where we can rate White Checkered-Skipper sightings, San Diego ranks 9th at under 5%. The best odds are in Torreón (México, about 20%), Tijuana (México, about 10%) and Monterrey (México, about 10%).
Same family: Hesperiidae
The closest relatives of the White Checkered-Skipper that you can see in San Diego (family Hesperiidae, Skippers) are Fiery Skipper (about 20%), Umber Skipper (about 10%) and Funereal Duskywing (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the White Checkered-Skipper is recorded against all the insects logged in San Diego (35 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.
