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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 337 - 360 of 942 verified sightings
Observation date: May 29, 2011
Submitted by: carex17
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller
Verified date: Jun 06, 2011
Observation date: Jun 07, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Rimmer, Chris)
Region: Windsor County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (McFarland, Kent)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 19, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Faccio, Steve)
Region: Windsor County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 14, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Schneider, Jerry)
Region: Caledonia County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 23, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Hoag, David)
Region: Grand Isle County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Hoag, David)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 09, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Pfeiffer, Bryan)
Region: Washington County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Pfeiffer, Bryan)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 24, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Hanisek, Greg)
Region: Windsor County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 09, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Schumacher, Michael)
Region: Washington County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Pfeiffer, Bryan)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 15, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Kluge, Karen; Rosenmeier, Terry)
Region: Windsor County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 21, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Armata, Terri)
Region: Bennington County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Armata, Terri)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 10, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Hoag, David)
Region: Grand Isle County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Hoag, David)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 27, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Rimmer, Chris)
Region: Essex County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Rimmer, Chris)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 07, 2004
Submitted by: khemeon (Hemeon, Kevin)
Region: Windham County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 01, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Proctor, N.)
Region: Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Gall, L.; Wagner, D.; O'Donnell, J.)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 19, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Perkins, Owen A.)
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 24, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Lambert, Patricia; Lambert, Jim)
Region: Franklin County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 08, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Aversa, Anne)
Region: Windsor County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Aversa, Anne)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 30, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Kluge, Karen; Rosenmeier, Terry)
Region: Windsor County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Kluge, Karen)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 20, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Sawyer, Susan)
Region: Washington County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Sawyer, Susan)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 06, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Hoag, David)
Region: Grand Isle County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 07, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Starkey, Donald)
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 08, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Osborn, Elinor)
Region: Orleans County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 18, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Aversa, Anne)
Region: Caledonia County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Aversa, Anne)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 24, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Lambert, Patricia; Lambert, Jim)
Region: Franklin County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Lambert, Patricia)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
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