Grizzled Skipper
Pyrgus centaureae (Rambur, [1842])
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Fringes are checkered. Upperside is gray-black with squarish white checks. Underside of hindwing is gray-brown to black checkered with whitish spots; veins are white. Male has a costal fold enclosing scent scales on the forewing.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 5/16 inches (2.5 - 3.3 cm).
Life History: Males patrol and occasionally perch all day in open areas in their search for receptive females. Eggs are deposited singly on leaves of the host plant. Caterpillars feed within shelters of webbed leaves.
Flight: One brood from March-May in the south, requires 2 years to develop in the subarctic.
Caterpillar Hosts: Wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), Canadian cinquefoil (Potentilla canadensis), varileaf cinquefoil (P. diversifolia), and cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus); all in the rose family (Rosaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of low-growing plants including blueberry, wild strawberry, and Canadian cinquefoil.
Habitat: Open areas near woods including valley bottoms, barrens, meadows, grassy hillsides, tundra, scrub oak openings.
Range: Holarctic. In North America, from Alaska south and east to central Ontario and northern Michigan. Isolated populations in Labrador and arctic Quebec, the central Appalachians, and the Rocky Mountains from central Alberta south to northern New Mexico.
Conservation: Populations on eastern shale barrens (subspecies wyandot) should be monitored and conserved.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Determine management needs for subspecies wyandot and implement if necessary.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 222 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 07, 2017
Submitted by: tschoppm
Region: Wake County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 08, 2017
Observation date: Jul 15, 2016
Submitted by: J Tinsman
Region: Summit County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Apr 22, 2017
Observation date: Jun 27, 2015
Submitted by: janazak
Region: Northwest Territories, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 06, 2015
Observation date: Jul 04, 2007
Submitted by: RaisingButterfl...
Region: Daggett County, Utah, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Nov 28, 2011
Observation date: Jul 24, 2008
Submitted by: RaisingButterfl...
Region: Duchesne County, Utah, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Nov 28, 2011
Observation date: Jul 20, 2011
Submitted by: jlboone@aol.com
Region: San Juan County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 06, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Region: United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: Jul 09, 1955
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (S.S. Nicolay)
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Jun 26, 1953
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (S.S. Nicolay)
Region: Park County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: May 08, 1939
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (A.H. Clark)
Region: Hampshire County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: May 05, 1960
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R.S. Simmons)
Region: Allegany County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: May 01, 1889
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (E.J. Shoemaker)
Region: Allegany County, District of Columbia, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Jul 19, 1949
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (D. Eff)
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: May 31, 1943
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (G. Rawson)
Region: Oscoda County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: May 10, 1947
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (A.H. Clark)
Region: Augusta County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: May 01, 1956
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R.S. Simmons)
Region: Allegany County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: May 05, 1907
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (E.J. Shoemaker)
Region: Passaic County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Jul 26, 1983
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (S.J. Kohler)
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (S.J. Kohler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Jun 24, 1967
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (S.W. Gross)
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Jun 28, 1941
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R. Whitaker)
Region: Lake County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (W.F. Fiske)
Region: Polk County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Apr 22, 1976
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R.S. Simmons)
Region: Allegany County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: May 04, 1974
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (L.J. Melton)
Region: Allegany County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Passaic County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (R. de Jong)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
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