Reaching approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) in length, male fiery skippers are orange or yellow while the females are dark brown.

[8] In 2012, a female fiery skipper was photographed and correctly identified in New Brunswick, Canada, suggesting the species may occasionally travel as far north as the Maritime Provinces.

Larvae at this stage are most notably characterized by a black head and constricted neck with mature individuals reaching up to 25 mm (1 in) in length.

[13][10] The pupal stage for males and females is roughly the same amount of time during which a pupa will change from green to light brown in coloration.

[10] The reproductive habits of fiery skippers have been extensively studied by Irene Shapiro with experiments conducted at the University of California Davis during the months of July to October 1974.

[5] Turfgrass is a term used to refer to grass blades that are tightly associated with one another by roots, leaves, and stems, and grown for a variety of reasons including aesthetics, density, and consistency.

[10] Following its discovery on the island of Oahu, the fiery skipper has become known as an invasive species with primary concerns centered around larval consumption of turfgrass.

[4] A 1959 article in Southern California Turfgrass Culture identified fiery skipper larvae commonly occurring on and causing damage to bentgrass and suggested the use of aldrin, dieldrin, or heptachlor sprays as insecticides.