Polites peckius

• Overview
• Interesting Facts
• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Interesting Facts

Common Names

Description

Family Hesperiidae

'The Hesperiidae are members of the Superfamily Hesperioidea. Worldwide in distribution, skippers are richest in the tropics. More than 3,500 species are described, with approximately 275 in North America, many of which are found only in Arizona and Texas. Most skippers are small to medium, usually orange, brown, black, white, or gray. A few have iridescent colors. Skippers have large eyes, short antennae (often with hooked clubs), stout bodies, and three pairs of walking legs . Their flight is often rapid, making wing movement appear blurred. Adults of most species have long probicscises and feed on floral nectar, but some also take up nutrients from bird droppings. Males have scent scales found in modified forewing patches. Males of most species locate mates by perching (grass and giant-skippers), though some patrol, especially in the open-winged skippers. Globular eggs are laid singly.

'[1]

Subfamily Hesperiinae

The grass skippers are members of the Family Hesperiidae. Distributed worldwide, they comprise more than 2,000 species, most of which are found in the American tropics. The small to medium-sized adults usually have abruptly angled antennae with an apiculus at the tip . Adults of many temperate species are predominantly orange, while brown is the most common color of the tropical species. Male forewings usually have a brand or stigma with specialized scales . Most species have long proboscises and are avid flower-visitors. Adults flight is rapid, and perching posture is unique: the hindwings are opened at a wider angle than the forewings. Males of most species perch while looking for mates. Caterpillars feed on monocotyledons (grasses and allied plants ) and live in silken leaf nests that sometimes extend underground. Grass skippers typically overwinter as caterpillars within their shelters .[2]

Physical Description

Habitat

This species favors sunny, open places -- old fields , meadows, wooded edges , and roadsides. It is reasonably widespread, and prefers dry places to moist ones. It prefers full sun , away from wooded margins ; pastures with an abundance of red clover (Trifolium pratense) are favored. (ref. 104739)

Many open grassy habitats including meadows, prairies, lawns, marshes, landfills, roadsides, vacant lots , and power line right-of-ways. (ref. 105061)

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 1,968 meters (0 to 6,457 feet).[3]

Biology

Diet

The foodplants are various grasses. The adults are fond of nectaring; they show a strong preference for red clover. (ref. 104739)

Caterpillar hosts: Rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides); probably bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and others. (ref. 105061)

Adult food: Nectar from flowers including red clover, purple vetch, thistles, selfheal, New York ironweed, blue vervain, common milkweed, swamp milkweed, dogbane, and New Jersey tea. (ref. 105061)

Behavior

Flight period: The literature says there are two broods in the East. However, the flight chart suggests three broods; mid-May to mid-July, late July to late August, and early September to late September (and sparingly into October). There is a known break in broods in mid-July, as worn individuals are found around July 10 and fresh ones in late July. Might be present into early May, and into October, in the Piedmont. (ref. 104739)

Taxonomy

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Similar Species

Members of the genus Polites

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 26 species and subspecies in this genus:

P. baracoa (Baracoa Skipper) · P. carus (Carus Skipper) · P. coras (Peck's Skipper) · P. draco (Draco Skipper) · P. mardon (Mardon Skipper) · P. mardon klamathensis (Mardon Skipper) · P. mardon mardon (Mardon Skipper) · P. mystic (Long Dash) · P. mystic mystic (Long Dash) · P. origenes (Crossline Skipper) · P. origenes rhena (Rhena Skipper) · P. peckius (Peck's Skipper) · P. rhesus (Rhesus Skipper) · P. sabuleti (Sandhill Skipper) · P. sabuleti albamontana (White Mountain Skipper) · P. sabuleti channelensis (Sandhill Skipper) · P. sabuleti ministigma (Sandhill Skipper) · P. sabuleti nigrescens (Dark Sandhill Skipper) · P. sabuleti sinemaculata (Bleached Sandhill Skipper) · P. sabuleti tecumseh (Tecumseh Skipper) · P. sonora (Sonora Skipper) · P. sonora flavaventris (Sonora Skipper) · P. sonora longinqua (Sonora Skipper) · P. sonora siris (Dog Star Skipper) · P. themistocles (Tawny-Edged Skipper) · P. vibex (Whirlabout)

More Info

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Further Reading

• Annotated checklist of the butterflies of Illinois [by] Roderick R. Irwin [and] John C. Downey. Urbana, Illinois Natural History Survey, 1973. url p. 9.
• Annual report / Entomological Society of Ontario. Toronto, The Society. url p. 79.
• Annual report / New York State Museum. Albany, N.Y.: University of the State of New York, c1904-1920. url p. 557, p. 578.
• Biological survey of the Mount Desert Region, conducted by William Procter... From the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, Mount Desert Island, Maine. Philadelphia, The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology, 1927-1946. url p. 224.
• Brief guide to the commoner butterflies of the northern United States and Canada; being an introduction to a knowledge of their life-histories, by Samuel Hubbard Scudder. New York, H. Holt and Company, 1893. url , , .
• Bulletin - New York State Museum. Albany: New York State Education Dept. url p. 541, p. 557, p. 588, p. 882.
• Bulletin of the Natural History Society of New Brunswick. St. John, N. B., Natural History Society of New Brunswick. url p. 121.
• Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences. Los Angeles, Calif.: The Academy, 1902-1971. url , , p. 188, p. 43.
• Entomological news, and proceedings of the Entomological Section of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Philadelphia[Entomological Rooms of the Academy of Natural Sciences] url p. 171, p. 207, p. 352, p. 352, p. 371, p. 371, p. 423, p. 423, p. 56.
• Entomological news. [Philadelphia]American Entomological Society, 1925- url p. 159, p. 4.
• Entomology, with special reference to its ecological aspects, by Justus Watson Folsom. .. Philadelphia, P. Blakiston's Son & Co.[c1922] url p. 226.
• Entomology: with special reference to its ecological aspects / by Justus Watson Folsom. Philadelphia: P. Blakiston's Son, c1922. url p. 226.
• Flowers and insects; lists of visitors of four hundred and fifty-three flowers, by Charles Robertson. Carlinville, Ill., n.p.1928. url p. 18.
• Journal of the Kentucky Academy of Science. Lexington, KY: The Academy, 1998- url p. 107, p. 130, p. 187, p. 187, p. 86, p. 86.
• Journal of the New York Entomological Society. Lawrence, Kan.: Allen Press [etc.] url p. 6.
• Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club. 17 1918 Durham, N.C.: Published for the Club by the Seeman Printery, 1889- url p. 479, p. 492.
• Memorial of life and entomologic work of Joseph Albert Lintner, state entomologist, 1874-98, by Ephraim Porter Felt. Albany: University of the State of New York, 1899. url p. 541.
• Occasional papers of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 1913- url p. 14.
• Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Washington, Biological Society of Washington url p. 90.
• Proceedings. Halifax url p. 263.
• Psyche. Cambridge, Mass.: Cambridge Entomological Club url p. 14, p. 257, p. 32, p. 451.
• Report of the State Entomologist on injurious and other insects of the state of New York. Albany: Weed, Parsons and Co.; University of the State of New York, 1882- url p. 557, p. 588.
• Smithsonian miscellaneous collections. 116 1952 Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1862-1968. url p. 165.
• Studies in natural history. Iowa City, Ia. url p. 81.
• The Canadian entomologist. Ottawa [etc.]Entomological Society of Canada [etc.] url p. 89, p. 89.
• The Canadian field-naturalist. 43 1929 Ottawa, Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club. url kindle , collins , p. 134.
• The Canadian naturalist and quarterly journal of science: with proceedings of the Natural History Society of Montreal. Montreal: Dawson, 1869-1883. url p. 27.
• The Hesperioidea of America north of Mexico; a generic revision and synopsis of the species, by Arthur Ward Lindsey, Ph.D. Iowa City, The University, [1921] url p. 81.
• The Lepidopterists' news: the monthly newsletter of the Lepidopterists' Society. Cambridge, Mass.: Lepidopterists' Society, 1947-1958. url p. 98.
• The Natural history of the Toronto Region, Ontario, Canada / edited by J.H. Faull. -- Toronto: Canadian Institute, 1913. url p. 354.
• The Ohio journal of science. Columbus, Ohio, The Ohio State University and the Ohio Academy of Science url p. 235.
• The Proceedings and transactions of the Nova Scotian Institute of Science. Halifax, Nova Scotian Institute of Science. url .
• The butterflies of the eastern United States and Canada: with special reference to New England / By Samuel Hubbard Scudder. Cambridge: The author, 1889. url , , p. 1611, p. 1685, p. 1950.
• The butterfly book: a popular guide to a knowledge of the butterflies of North America / by W.J. Holland. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page, 1922, c1898. url p. 215.
• The butterfly book; a popular guide to a knowledge of the butterflies of North America. With 48 plates in color-photography, reproductions of butterflies in the author's collection, and many text illustrations presenting 1922 Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday, Page, 1922 [c1898] url fig. 169, p. 353, explanation of plate XLVII.
• The natural history of the Toronto region, Ontario, Canada / edited by J.H. Faull. Toronto: Canadian Institute, 1913. url p. 354.
• Tulane studies in zoology. 6 1958 New Orleans: Tulane University, 1953-1968. url p. 102.

Notes

Contributors

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 15, 2012.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 26, 2008:

• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Fredericton Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, St. Johns, Newfoundland
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Alan Wormington Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Atlantic Forestry Centre Insect Reference Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Butterflies and Skippers of Alberta Project
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Canadian National Collection (CNC) of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Donald F. Hooper Butterfly collection, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Gerald Hilchie Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Jeff Ogden Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Lepidopterists Society Season Summaries 1973-1997
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Lyman Entomological Museum
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: M. Gollop Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: McMaster University Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: New Brunswick Museum Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Norbert Kondla Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Subenacadie, NS, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, Halifax, NS, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Point Pelee National Park Collection, Canada
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Provincial Museum of Alberta
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Ross A. Layberry Observations
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Royal British Columbia Museum Entomology Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Royal Ontario Museum: Entomology
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: Royal Saskatchewan Museum Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: University of Guelph, Department of Environmental Biology
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: University of New Brunswick Collection
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: University of Saskatchewan
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility: University of Western Ontario Collection

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2602511
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Lep-186810.0
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 14177647
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 3151701

Footnotes

1. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy?f=19&sci=Hesperiidae&com=Skippers [back]
2. http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Stinga&search=Search [back]
3. Mean = 272.100 meters (892.717 feet), Standard Deviation = 293.710 based on 318 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

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