Peck’s Skipper is a small and very common grass skipper found in a variety of open habitats. The underside of the hindwing is brown with a yellow-orange band, in which one rectangular spot is noticeably wider than the others. A yellow-orange patch is also present near the base of the hindwing, and the width of the central brown area varies among individuals.

Males and females appear similar from above, though females are generally darker overall.

 

“Peck’s Skipper” by David Marvin, licensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

 

Peck’s Skipper Facts

Butterfly Family: Skipper (Hesperiidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Hesperiinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 1 – 1 1/4 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Many open grassy habitats, including meadows, prairies, lawns, marshes, landfills, roadsides, vacant lots, and power line right-of-ways

 

🪴Host Plants

These are the native grasses where females lay eggs and caterpillars feed:

• Rice Cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides)

• Saltgrass (Distichlis spicata)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

Adult Peck’s Skippers feed on nectar from the following native flowers:

• Bee Balm (Monarda spp.)

• Blazing Star (Liatris spp.)

• Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata)

• Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

• Dogbane (Apocynum spp.)

• Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)

• Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium spp.)

• Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)

• New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)

• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

• Thistles (Cirsium spp.)