Grizzled Skipper
(Pyrgus centaureae)
Spread-wing Skippers
Appearance: Above, black-brown with squarish white spots, blue-gray tinged scaling near body, and white checkered fringes. Lacks a third white spot in the forewing basal spot band present in most other Checkered Skippers. Below, gray-brown with two ill-defined tan and olive bands, white veins, and checkered fringes.
Wingspan: Small; 7/8 to 1 1/4 inches.
Habitat: Open areas near woods, meadows, spruce bogs, tundra; montane, alpine.
Flight Times: June and July, can be biennial (mostly odd numbered years); one brood.
Larval Foodplant: Cinquefoils and wild strawberries.
Did You Know…
Basically an arctic species, but there are scattered populations in some high Rockies locations.
