Common Checkered-Skipper
Pyrgus communis
Summary
Since this butterfly rests with wings wide open, it’s easy to spot the light/dark checkered pattern on its wings. Larvae feed on both wild and cultivated plants in the mallow family, including hollyhock and hibiscus. As they dine, caterpillars fold over the leaves of these plants to create a shelter. Adults visit a wide variety of flowers, including asters, verbena, clovers, and fleabane.
More Details
FAMILY
Hesperiidae (Skippers)
IDENTIFICATION
Average Wingspan: 0.98-1.53 inches The only common black-and-white checkered-skipper in Pennsylvania. Females are mostly black and white, while males have a blue body that also colors the inner wings.
HABITAT
Pastures, weedy fields, meadows, roadsides and gardens.
LIFE CYCLE
The eggs are small and round, and are a pale-green color. The caterpillar has a black head and greenish-tan body. Males patrol brushy areas with mallows, searching for females. Common migrant.
HOST PLANTS
Mallows, including common mallow (Malva neglecta),marsh mallow (Althaea officinalis) and hollyhock (Alcea).
Ecosystem Connections
The caterpillars are herbivores that graze on vegetation, and adults serve a role in pollination. All life stages provide food for predators. Because butterflies are so sensitive to toxins and disturbances in the environment, they are good indicators of the overall health of ecosystems.