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 6374 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 21, 2023
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 22, 2023
Observation date: Sep 09, 2023
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 13, 2023
Observation date: Sep 05, 2023
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 05, 2023
Observation date: Aug 26, 2023
Submitted by: joanfiller
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 01, 2023
Observation date: Aug 26, 2023
Submitted by: RLS
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 27, 2023
Observation date: Aug 25, 2023
Submitted by: Slreitz1952
Region: Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 26, 2023
Observation date: Aug 22, 2023
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 23, 2023
Observation date: Aug 18, 2023
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 23, 2023
Observation date: Aug 21, 2023
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 22, 2023
Observation date: Aug 20, 2023
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: New Haven County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 20, 2023
Observation date: Aug 17, 2023
Submitted by: vogelbild
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 18, 2023
Observation date: Aug 17, 2023
Submitted by: Steven Wilson
Region: Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 17, 2023
Observation date: Aug 16, 2023
Submitted by: cp2023
Region: Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 16, 2023
Observation date: Aug 13, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Yellowstone County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 16, 2023
Observation date: Aug 14, 2023
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 14, 2023
Observation date: Aug 08, 2023
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Adams County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Aug 14, 2023
Observation date: Aug 23, 2022
Submitted by: Tracy Martin
Region: Lake County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 12, 2023
Observation date: Aug 11, 2023
Submitted by: sharonsmlbx
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 12, 2023
Observation date: Jul 31, 2023
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 05, 2023
Observation date: Jul 28, 2023
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 03, 2023
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 01, 2023
Observation date: Jul 29, 2023
Submitted by: biogas-dinners-...
Region: Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 29, 2023
Observation date: Jun 21, 2017
Submitted by: Puccini
Region: Roberts County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 28, 2023
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