Observation date: May 13, 2017
Date notes: Time is defaulted to 12:00 p.m.
Submitted by: A_baldini (dailyentomologist)
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: Third party submission. All credit for this observation goes to iNaturalist user “dailyentomologist.” The original observer had no observation notes.
Status: Resident
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: January 09, 2019
Coordinator notes: According to iNaturalist, the Dusted Skipper is “imperiled (S2) in Colorado, US (NatureServe).” Is this true? Correct ID - a female. As far as it being "imperiled" Austin, it depends on what the criteria is for that designation. It is a very local species. It occurs only where its host grass grows and the only one it uses is Adropogon gerardi (or A. scoparius) so that explains why it is so local because this grass seems to require exact conditions for its occurrence so the distribution of the grass is very spotty nearly everywhere. Occurs in Larimer County (I think at least one record for Boulder County at the foothills), then skips the Denver area but reoccurs south across Monument Divide in El Paso, Pueblo, Custer and Fremont Cos. I think you have experience with hianna in Larimer Co? The best place if I remember correctly is past the north side of Dixon Canyon Dam at Horsetooth Resvr. on the east side of road. There is a hiking trail you can walk up from the edge of the west side of Ft. Collins that starts below the hog back and once you get up to the dam it passes nearby or right through at the site where I found them COMMON, 24 May 1998. You can probably find several more places that are similar and find it also. Probably varies from year to year in numbers, especially due to parasites. Take care, Mike
