Common Checkered Skipper

Description:

Adult: usually darker than White Checkered-Skipper, and male often has partial black checks in wing fringes (rather than complete, as in P. albescens) - but read See Also section below. Upperside of male bluish-gray; female black. Both sexes have large white spots which form median bands across both wings. Male has costal fold enclosing scent scales on upperside of forewing. Underside of both wings dull white with dark gray or olive bands. Spots of hindwing marginal row very small; spots of submarginal row larger.

Habitat:

Fields, edges. Larvae feed on mallows (Malvaceae), including Althea, Abutilon, Malva. Adults take nectar.

Notes:

Found mostly on my Mexican Heather. This little guy, about an inch wingspan, likes to disappear into tall grass too.