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 827 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 05, 2019
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 10, 2020
Observation date: Jul 16, 2019
Submitted by: malcolmgold
Region: Aitkin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Dec 08, 2019
Observation date: Jun 04, 2019
Submitted by: flatus
Region: Klickitat County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 02, 2019
Observation date: Jun 29, 2019
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 14, 2019
Observation date: Jul 05, 2019
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sierra County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 14, 2019
Observation date: Jun 20, 2019
Submitted by: Ssneed
Region: Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 12, 2019
Observation date: May 30, 2019
Submitted by: Sammy Catiis
Region: Clallam County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 07, 2019
Observation date: Jun 28, 2019
Submitted by: bristolmpu
Region: Linn County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 30, 2019
Observation date: Jun 11, 2019
Submitted by: mbalame99
Region: Clatsop County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 11, 2019
Observation date: Jun 02, 2019
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 02, 2019
Observation date: May 16, 2019
Submitted by: Jdammarell
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 31, 2019
Observation date: May 29, 2018
Submitted by: sansue
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Apr 23, 2019
Observation date: Jun 14, 2018
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Portage County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2019
Observation date: Jun 12, 2018
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Portage County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 26, 2019