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 145 - 168 of 942 verified sightings
Observation date: May 31, 2018
Submitted by: kathybrown
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 31, 2018
Observation date: May 24, 2018
Submitted by: PDunwiddie
Region: Pierce County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 29, 2018
Observation date: Jun 04, 2013
Submitted by: Chris Carvalho
Region: Skamania County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Mar 17, 2018
Observation date: Jun 23, 2017
Submitted by: dpgbfly1
Region: Kanabec County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 29, 2018
Observation date: Jun 23, 2017
Submitted by: dpgbfly1
Region: Kanabec County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 29, 2018
Observation date: May 29, 2015
Submitted by: David M. Gascoigne
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Dec 25, 2017
Observation date: Jun 06, 2017
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Dec 07, 2017
Observation date: Jun 06, 2017
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Dec 07, 2017
Observation date: Jun 11, 2017
Submitted by: Kathy Brown
Region: Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Nov 30, 2017
Observation date: Jun 15, 2017
Submitted by: Little Davey
Region: Matanuska-Susitna, Alaska, United States
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Sep 22, 2017
Observation date: Jun 28, 2016
Submitted by: JHummel
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 28, 2017
Observation date: Jun 17, 2015
Submitted by: Kathy Brown
Region: Hancock County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 23, 2017
Observation date: Jun 11, 2017
Submitted by: jvkopple2
Region: Kalkaska County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 11, 2017
Observation date: Jun 06, 2017
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 10, 2017
Observation date: Jun 07, 2017
Submitted by: RexMundi
Region: Lane County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 08, 2017
Observation date: May 28, 2017
Submitted by: RobertWeeden
Region: Fairbanks North Star, Alaska, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 03, 2017
Observation date: Jun 08, 2016
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Apr 03, 2017
Observation date: Jun 11, 2016
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Portage County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Apr 03, 2017
Observation date: May 29, 2016
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Washington County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Mar 27, 2017
Observation date: Jun 22, 2016
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 18, 2017
Observation date: Jun 19, 2016
Submitted by: wayne13114
Region: Oswego County, New York, United States
Verified by: wayne13114
Verified date: Dec 30, 2016
Observation date: Jun 23, 2016
Submitted by: TPeterson
Region: Sierra County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 21, 2016
Observation date: May 30, 2016
Submitted by: betsyp
Region: Cattaraugus County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 19, 2016
Observation date: May 30, 2016
Submitted by: betsyp
Region: Cattaraugus County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 19, 2016
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