Photo 72692041, (c) Stewart Wechsler, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stewart Wechsler

Attribution © Stewart Wechsler
some rights reserved
Uploaded by stewartwechsler stewartwechsler
Source iNaturalist
Associated observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Juba Skipper (Hesperia juba)

Observer

stewartwechsler

Date

May 13, 2020 01:35 PM PDT

Description

Not 100 percent sure of the species of Hesperia. This was the only photo I could get, but before I got my camera, I saw what I call the "zig-zag" silvery spots on the ventral hind wing that I distinguish Hesperia genus Skippers by. My first Hesperia in Seattle in over 20 years of looking. I saw it nectar on Tellima grandiflora - Fringe Cups. Also a species of plant I don't know I have seen a butterfly nectar on before. Hesperia colorado - Western Branded Skipper seems the most likely. While it didn't seem any bigger than our other than our common local orange Skipper of the same size and shape, the Woodland Skipper, that species wouldn't fly until July, and wouldn't have the silvery zig-zag marks on the ventral hindwing that I saw. The size suggests that it would be too small for a Juba Skipper.

I'm adding an edit on a subsequent year of another observation of mine of a Juba Skipper, also in Lincoln Park, the following year, on May 18th 2021.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/79307501
A series of recent records in West Seattle and Vashon suggest they may have been breeding in this area.

Sizes