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 169 - 192 of 942 verified sightings
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
Observation date: May 26, 2016
Submitted by: Jdammarell
Region: Lincoln County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 12, 2016
Observation date: Jun 15, 2016
Submitted by: Joe Bartok
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 16, 2016
Observation date: Jun 02, 2016
Submitted by: jvkopple2
Region: Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 02, 2016
Observation date: May 24, 2016
Submitted by: Jodydeloy
Region: Matanuska-Susitna, Alaska, United States
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Jun 01, 2016
Observation date: May 17, 2016
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Jun 01, 2016
Observation date: May 04, 2016
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 19, 2016
Observation date: Apr 30, 2016
Submitted by: jim.odonater
Region: Clark County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Apr 30, 2016
Observation date: Apr 22, 2016
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Apr 30, 2016
Observation date: Jun 01, 2015
Submitted by: dpgbfly1
Region: Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 28, 2016
Observation date: Jun 19, 2015
Submitted by: dpgbfly1
Region: Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 28, 2016
Observation date: Jun 23, 2015
Submitted by: routledge_Sault...
Region: Mackinac County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Dec 30, 2015
Observation date: Jun 15, 2014
Submitted by: BMcNaught
Region: Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 26, 2015
Observation date: Jul 15, 2014
Submitted by: OhioHick
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 22, 2015
Observation date: May 10, 2015
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Jul 10, 2015
Observation date: Jun 28, 2015
Submitted by: janazak
Region: Northwest Territories, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 10, 2015
Observation date: Jun 22, 2015
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 23, 2015
Observation date: May 29, 2015
Submitted by: MTmariposa
Region: Missoula County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 17, 2015
Observation date: Jun 08, 2015
Submitted by: janazak
Region: Yukon Territory, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 16, 2015
Observation date: Jun 07, 2015
Submitted by: aauerbach
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 15, 2015
Observation date: Jun 06, 2015
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Wood County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 10, 2015
Observation date: Jun 06, 2015
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 10, 2015
Observation date: May 28, 2015
Submitted by: John Ashley
Region: Flathead County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 03, 2015
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