Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius (W. Kirby, 1837)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside of male is brown with reddish-orange patches; forewing has a sinuous stigma. Female is darker with no stigma. Underside of the hindwing of both sexes has a patch of large yellow spots in the center surrounded by dark brown.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: Males perch in sunny open areas to await receptive females, and courtship takes place throughout the day. Females lay eggs singly; caterpillars eat leaves and live in leaf shelters. Caterpillars and chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: Two to three broods from May-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides); probably bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and others.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including red clover, purple vetch, thistles, selfheal, New York ironweed, blue vervain, common milkweed, swamp milkweed, dogbane, and New Jersey tea.
Habitat: Many open grassy habitats including meadows, prairies, lawns, marshes, landfills, roadsides, vacant lots, and power line right-of-ways.
Range: British Columbia east across southern Canada to Nova Scotia; south to northeastern Oregon, southern Colorado, northwest Arkansas, and northern Georgia.
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 49 - 72 of 6437 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 28, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Union County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 16, 2025
Observation date: May 20, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 16, 2025
Observation date: Sep 20, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 16, 2025
Observation date: Jul 07, 2025
Submitted by: Allison Barta
Region: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 09, 2025
Observation date: Jun 29, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 08, 2025
Observation date: Aug 06, 2020
Submitted by: joanfiller
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 07, 2025
Observation date: Aug 13, 2009
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Faribault County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 22, 2025
Observation date: Jun 11, 2025
Submitted by: jwileyrains
Region: Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 13, 2025
Observation date: Jun 12, 2025
Submitted by: jim boles
Region: Johnson County, Iowa, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 12, 2025
Observation date: Jul 02, 2023
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Mar 19, 2025
Observation date: Jul 14, 2023
Submitted by: mathgeek
Region: Jackson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 07, 2025
Observation date: Jul 27, 2023
Submitted by: tjunderwood
Region: Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jan 28, 2025
Observation date: Sep 21, 2019
Submitted by: Javajane
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 22, 2025
Observation date: Sep 10, 2024
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Boone County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 12, 2025
Observation date: Jul 17, 2024
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Boone County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 12, 2025
Observation date: Aug 06, 2019
Submitted by: michael marantz
Region: Union County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 02, 2025
Observation date: Sep 11, 2019
Submitted by: Javajane
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 02, 2025
Observation date: Aug 29, 2024
Submitted by: condorbut
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 19, 2024
Observation date: May 14, 2023
Submitted by: Victoire Batiste
Region: Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 19, 2024
Observation date: Aug 09, 2020
Submitted by: michael marantz
Region: Union County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Sep 01, 2022
Submitted by: jmacmetro
Region: Bergen County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 14, 2024
Observation date: Sep 28, 2024
Submitted by: jfkoza
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 29, 2024
Observation date: Sep 04, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Warren County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 20, 2024
Observation date: Sep 14, 2024
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 15, 2024
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