Sunday, May 10, 2015

Pyrgus Ruralis, Two-Banded Checkered Skipper


Day 209: When it comes to Lepidoptera, I'm not ashamed to admit that I dispense with the field guides and run straight to the professionals for help. That said, I got this one right, as confirmed by BugGuide.net. I could tell it was a Skipper; the way the wings are held is very distinctive. That allowed me to narrow the choices in BAMONA's regional checklist which allows you to select country, state and county if you so desire. BAMONA? "Butterflies and Moths of North America" is another excellent on-line reference, especially when used in tandem with BugGuide.

According to my sources, it is uncommon, appearing in some locales but not in others, and may even be rare in some areas of its range. In all my years of observation, it was a first for me.

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