Peck

Peck’s Skipper

Polites peckius
SKIPPER FAMILY (Hesperiidae)

Click on each photo thumbnail to enlarge.

This skipper has a 3/4 – 1 inch wingspan. Dorsally, the forewing is orange on the leading edge with thick black trailing edges. The hindwing is black with a cluster of orange spots. Ventrally, the hindwing is brown with 2 large connected yellow patches of square spots with the central spot extending beyond the others. The forewing is brown with yellow spots. The mature caterpillar is approximately 7/8 inch in length. It is a dirty brown color with pale indistinct spots and a dark mid-dorsal stripe. The head is dark brown and the collar is black with a whitish anterior margin. The 8th spiracle (at the end of the abdomen) is enlarged and black.

 

In summer this species is fairly common in moist grassy areas and edges of marshes. It can be seen almost anywhere in Fontenelle Forest or Neale woods nectaring on flowers.

 

This skipper was formerly called Yellowpatch Skipper. Host plants are various grasses including blue grass and rice cutgrass.

 

Disclaimer: The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Babs Padelford.