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 73 - 96 of 6376 verified sightings
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
Observation date: Jul 25, 2023
Submitted by: xBISsped6
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 25, 2023
Observation date: Jul 11, 2023
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 11, 2023
Observation date: Jul 08, 2023
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 10, 2023
Observation date: Jul 06, 2023
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 10, 2023
Observation date: Jul 01, 2023
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 04, 2023
Observation date: Jul 01, 2023
Submitted by: jwileyrains
Region: Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 01, 2023
Observation date: Jun 25, 2023
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 30, 2023
Observation date: Aug 04, 2022
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2023
Observation date: Aug 05, 2022
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2023
Observation date: Jun 04, 2023
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Yellowstone County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 21, 2023
Observation date: Jun 17, 2023
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 19, 2023
Observation date: Jun 10, 2023
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 19, 2023
Observation date: Jun 15, 2023
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Lincoln County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 16, 2023
Observation date: Jun 13, 2023
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Lincoln County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 16, 2023
Observation date: Jun 13, 2023
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 14, 2023
Observation date: Jun 10, 2023
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
Observation date: Jun 08, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
Observation date: Jun 06, 2023
Submitted by: dlister
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 06, 2023
Observation date: Jun 02, 2023
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 04, 2023
Observation date: May 28, 2023
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 31, 2023
Observation date: May 27, 2023
Submitted by: Jim Lowe
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 28, 2023
Observation date: May 17, 2022
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Feb 15, 2023
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