Butterfly family: Hesperiidae


Links — [CBIF] — are to Butterflies of Canada on the Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility web site where you’ll find more photographs, descriptions, ranges, habitat, and more. The small images next to each butterfly’s name are from Butterflies of Canada. They show upper wing on left and under wing on the right and show the relative size of each species. Wingspans, flight times, and larval food are also from Butterflies of Canada.

For more about identification of skippers, see notes from a workshop by Peter Hall

Least Skipper

Ancyloxypha numitor [CBIF] Wingspan: 17 to 26 mm
Larval food: Wetland grasses; around Ottawa, colonies often appear to be localized around areas of Canary Reed Grass (Phalaris arundinacea)
Flight season: Mid-June to early July, and August to early September (2 generations a year)


Silver-spotted Skipper

Epargyreus clarus [CBIF] Wingspan: 37 to 45 mm
Larval food: Black Locust (Robinia pseudo-acacia)
Flight season: Early June to late July (usually 1 generation a year)


Hobomok Skipper

Poanes hobomok [CBIF] Wingspan: 24 to 32 mm
Larval food: Grasses, including panic grass (Panicum spp.) and blue grass (Poa spp.)
Flight season: Mid-May to mid-July


Juvenal’s Duskywing

Erynnis juvenalis [CBIF] Wingspan: 30 to 37 mm
Larval food: Oaks (Quercus sp.)
Flight season: Early May to late June (1 generation a year)


Arctic Skipper

Carterocephalus palaemon [CBIF] Wingspan: 19 to 32 mm
Larval food: Grasses
Flight season: Late May to mid-July (1 generation a year)


European Skipper

Thymelicus lineola [CBIF] Wingspan: 19 to 26 mm
Larval food: Timothy Grass (Phleum pratense)
Flight season: Early June to mid-July (1 generation a year)


Leonard’s Skipper

Hesperia leonardus [CBIF] Wingspan: 28 to 34 mm
Larval food: Little Bluestem (Andropogon scoparius), Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis), and panic grass (Panicum spp.)
Flight season: August and September (most common about the 3rd week of August)


Peck’s Skipper

Polites peckius [CBIF] Wingspan: 19 to 27 mm
Larval food: Grasses
Flight season: Late June to late July (1 generation a year)


Tawny-edged Skipper

Polites themistocles (2002) [CBIF] Wingspan: 19 to 28 mm
Larval food: Panic grass (Panicum spp.), crab grass (Digitaria spp.), and blue grass (Poa spp.)
Flight season: Early June to mid-July (1 generation a year)


Long Dash Skipper

Polites mystic [CBIF] Wingspan: 23 to 29 mm
Larval food: Blue grass (Poa spp.), Quack Grass (Agropyron repens), Barnyard Grass (Echinochloa repens), and Timothy Grass (Phleum pratense)
Flight season: Early June to late July (1 generation a year)


Delaware Skipper

Anatrytone logan [CBIF] Wingspan: 26 to 30 mm
Larval food: Grasses, including woolly bear grass (Erianthus sp.), panic grass (Panicum spp.), and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
Flight season: Mid-July to mid-August


Dun Skipper

Euphyes vestris [CBIF] Wingspan: 23 to 27 mm
Larval food: Sedges: Carex lacustris, C. spissa, and C. gracillima in the east
Flight season: Late June to mid-August (1 generation a year)

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This page was revised 10 June 2021
© Fletcher Wildlife Garden
Photos: D. Gordon E. Robertson
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