Common Name: Arctic Skipper
The Arctic Skipper is not truly
arctic, but is circumboreal,
occurring in cool, wooded, usually streamside habitats across northern Eurasia
and North America. Our transect
is right at its southern range limit in California. There appears to be a small
population near Washington, Nevada County which was discovered only a few years
ago (though it was probably there all along; it occurs at low density and is
not seen every year). There may be others on the West slope in similarly cool,
wet, shaded places. Adults sit in sunflecks and visit flowers, particularly
native vetches which they pitch up onto from below. The larval hosts are
presumed to be native grasses. There is one brood
in early summer (May-July).