A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Pyrgus communis
The Common Checkered-Skipper can be near impossible to differentiate from the White Checkered-Skipper in areas where the ranges overlap (Southwestern states & Florida).
Flight: February-October in southern U.S. & northern Mexico , March-September in northern U.S. & southern Ontario. Open, sunny places with low vegetation and some bare soil - prairies, meadows, fields, roadsides, gardens, woodland edges. Host plants: Plants in the mallow family (Malvaceae) including globemallows (Sphaeralcea), mallow (Malva), hollyhock (Althaea), alkali mallows (Sida), velvet-leaf (Abutilon), and poppy mallow (Callirhoe).
Observed on Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum). Skippers are important pollinators and their presence is indicative of a healthy ecosystem, as they are sensitive to pesticides and toxins.
Spotted on Jul 7, 2012
Submitted on Aug 21, 2012
3 Comments
Thanks Noel & misako!
misako, I use a Canon SX100 :)
@Small Wonders: I love all of your photos--can you tell what type of camera you use?
Great shot!