San Joaquin Marsh, Orange County, CA. © Peter J. Bryant.

Common Checkered Skipper

Pyrgus communis

Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae

Back to Butterflies of Orange County, California
Back to Arthropods of Orange County, California
Back to Natural History of Orange County, California



San Joaquin Marsh, Orange County, CA. © Peter J. Bryant.

Irvine Regional Park, Orange, Orange County, CA. 6-9-08. © Ron Hemberger

Irvine Regional Park, Orange, Orange County, CA. 6-9-08. © Ron Hemberger

Irvine Regional Park, Orange, Orange County, CA. 6-9-08. © Ron Hemberger

Peters Canyon, Orange, Orange County, CA. 10-10-08. © Ron Hemberger

Peters Canyon, Orange, Orange County, CA. 10-18-08. © Ron Hemberger

Peters Canyon, Orange, Orange County, CA. 10-18-08. © Ron Hemberger

Peters Canyon, Orange, Orange County, CA. 10-18-08. © Ron Hemberger

Peters Canyon, Orange, Orange County, CA. 10-18-08. © Ron Hemberger
 

Characteristics: Brown with extensive white "checkering" on dorsal wing. Forewing length: 13 - 15 mm.

Similar Species: This species might be confused with the female of Heliopetes ericetorum; the latter, however, is larger and has a broad white band across the dorsal hindwing.

Habitats, Behavior: Often found on semi-disturbed lands; fast flying, like our other skippers.

Distribution: The Western Checkered Skipper primarily inhabits the lowland areas of Orange County (usually found in localities containing semi-disturbed vegetation). It is occasionally found in suburban backyards. The species is rarely abundant in Orange County, but may be taken in many localities.

Flight Period: Emmel and Emmel (1973) record this species every month of the year, with the principal flight period extending from February to October. This generally agrees with our data.

Larval Foodplants: Members of the plant family Malvaceae are utilized. I have observed oviposition by a female on Sida hederacea (Alkali Mallow) in Blythe (Riverside County), a plant which also grows near the coast in Orange County (Boughey, 1968). Plant species belonging to the genera Malva and Sidalcea (Emmel and Emmel, 1973) are also used by the larvae.

Other Remarks: Most southern California collectors have previously known the Western Checkered Skipper of southern California as Pyrgus communis Grote. However, Tilden (1965) showed specimens from this area to represent a closely related sibling species, albescens. Apparently, P. communis usually occupies cool, temperate regions whereas albescens more often occurs in dry or humid warm areas and at low elevations.

From Orsak, L. J. (1977). The Butterflies of Orange County, California. Center for Pathobiology Miscellaneous Publication #3. University of California Press, New York. 349pp.

Return to Butterflies and their larval foodplants
Return to Natural History of Orange County, California