Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)

Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)

Peck's are distinctive tiny skippers that are fairly common in the mountains of North Carolina. The female (right) has just taken off from the ironweed (Vernonia) flower, escaping the advances of the male (left).

Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.

Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)

Same male as above. Note the black line (stigma), which identifies this as a male.

Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.

Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)

Female

Alleghany Co., NC 9/3/06.

Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)

The tiny size and bright pattern make it fairly easy to recognize, but Peck's could be confused with the larger and even brighter male Zabulon Skipper, which is common in the same areas Peck's is found.

Alleghany Co., NC 7/1/06.

Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)

This beauty was hanging underneath a milkweed flower along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Carroll Co., VA 6/30/2002.

Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)

This one is fully enjoying a Lathyrus flower.

Grayson Co., VA 6/18/06.

Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)

Fresh, unusually richly colored female. They're not rare, but you never see very many of them at once.

Galax, VA 6/14/03.

Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)

Worn female. Alleghany Co., NC 9/4/04.

Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)

Male. Alleghany Co., NC 6/18/06.

Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)

Male. Grayson Co., VA 6/18/06.

All photographs and text ©2013 by Will Cook unless otherwise noted.