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)
