Arctic Skipper
Carterocephalus palaemon (Pallas, 1771)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside is black with squarish orange spots. Underside of the forewing is orange with black spots; underside of hindwing is red-orange with cream spots outlined in black.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: Adults rest with their wings closed, but bask with hindwings open wide and forewings open to about 45 degrees. To find receptive females, males perch on low vegetation and sometimes patrol in openings. Females lay eggs singly on leaves of the host plant. Caterpillars live and feed within nests of silked-together leaves; fully-grown caterpillars overwinter in their nests and then pupate within them in the spring.
Flight: One brood from May-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Grasses including purple reedgrass (Calamagrostis purpurascens) in California, and bromes (Bromus) in Europe; probably others.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including iris in California.
Habitat: Glades and openings in heavily forested woods, moist meadows, and streamsides.
Range: Central Alaska south to central California, south in the Rocky Mountains to northwest Wyoming, east across the Great Lakes states to New York and New England. Eurasia.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 873 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 08, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 23, 2022
Observation date: Jun 11, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Jun 19, 2021
Submitted by: CreekyCedars
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 07, 2022
Observation date: Jun 10, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Benzie County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
Observation date: Jun 09, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Clinton County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
Observation date: Jun 10, 2022
Submitted by: acb22
Region: Houghton County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 30, 2022
Observation date: Jun 22, 2019
Submitted by: tjunderwood
Region: Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 21, 2022
Observation date: Jun 02, 2022
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
Observation date: Jun 20, 2022
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Douglas County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
Observation date: Jul 12, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 18, 2022
Observation date: Jun 19, 2022
Submitted by: cblazo
Region: McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 22, 2022
Observation date: Jun 08, 2022
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 08, 2022
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 08, 2022
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 08, 2022
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 08, 2022
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 05, 2022
Submitted by: disteffv
Region: Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: May 30, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 03, 2022
Observation date: Jun 02, 2022
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 03, 2022
Observation date: May 03, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 06, 2022
Observation date: May 26, 2021
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Apr 11, 2022
Observation date: Jun 20, 2021
Submitted by: Scotiaspinner
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Feb 26, 2022
Observation date: Jun 15, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 19, 2021
Observation date: Jun 02, 2021
Submitted by: safechrisLaurie
Region: Anoka County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Aug 07, 2021
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