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Common Checkered Skipper

Pyrgus communis

CommonInsect & Arthropod
Illustration of Common Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus communis)

The Common Checkered Skipper is a small, busy skipper with bold black-and-white checkered wings and a fuzzy blue-gray body. It is one of the most frequently observed skippers in weedy, disturbed habitats across North America. Males are highly territorial, perching at vantage points and launching short aerial pursuits of rivals.

Habitat
Open disturbed areas, roadsides, lawns, and fields
Diet
Larvae: mallows. Adults: nectar from low flowers
How common
Common

Best time to see a Common Checkered Skipper

The best time to see a Common Checkered Skipper is July–October, when about 71% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 19,877 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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