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 193 - 216 of 942 verified sightings
Observation date: May 23, 2015
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 26, 2015
Observation date: May 24, 2015
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 26, 2015
Observation date: May 03, 2015
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 05, 2015
Observation date: Apr 30, 2015
Submitted by: plex1ppus
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 05, 2015
Observation date: Jun 16, 2014
Submitted by: Stu Adams
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 08, 2014
Observation date: Jun 02, 2014
Submitted by: James Fox
Region: Gladwin County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jul 01, 2014
Observation date: Jun 20, 2014
Submitted by: mdrake
Region: Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 23, 2014
Observation date: May 31, 2014
Submitted by: jim8435wisc
Region: Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 13, 2014
Observation date: Jun 26, 2013
Submitted by: Eelhsa
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 23, 2013
Observation date: Jun 26, 2013
Submitted by: Brett Budach
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 19, 2013
Observation date: Jun 21, 2013
Submitted by: LJodwalis
Region: Fairbanks North Star, Alaska, United States
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Jul 20, 2013
Observation date: Jun 15, 2013
Submitted by: davmcnaugh
Region: Forest County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 11, 2013
Observation date: Jun 15, 2013
Submitted by: davmcnaugh
Region: Forest County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 11, 2013
Observation date: Jun 15, 2013
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 17, 2013
Observation date: Jun 14, 2013
Submitted by: David Allen Jones
Region: Sawyer County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 15, 2013
Observation date: Jun 03, 2013
Submitted by: Dave Kinney
Region: Wexford County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 11, 2013
Observation date: Jun 07, 2013
Submitted by: Dave Kinney
Region: Wexford County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 11, 2013
Observation date: Jun 08, 2013
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 09, 2013
Observation date: May 19, 2013
Submitted by: fmgee
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Jun 07, 2013
Observation date: Jun 01, 2013
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 06, 2013
Observation date: Jun 14, 2009
Submitted by: dpgbfly1
Region: Anoka County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jan 06, 2013
Observation date: Jun 17, 2012
Submitted by: Glennie
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 03, 2012
Observation date: Jun 16, 2012
Submitted by: plex1ppus
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 27, 2012
Observation date: Jun 17, 2011
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Denali, Alaska, United States
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Jun 12, 2012
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