Common Roadside-Skipper

(Amblyscirtes vialis)

Common Roadside-Skipper sightings, by week (about)

Click to enlarge

Trempealeau NWR, Trempealeau Co., WI, July 11, 2005.

Click to enlarge

LWR West Avoca Unit, Iowa Co., WI. May 19, 2006.

The Common Roadside-Skipper is not a common species, despite its name, in Wisconsin. This was the first individual that I had ever seen. I had asked other butterfliers that had seen this species where I might expect to see it, and they said along roadsides, which is exactly where I found it!

Identifying characteristics: Above, this species is a dark skipper with 3–4 spots in a row on the row on the forewing margin and a few other light markings. The fringe on both wing margins is conspicuously checkered. Below, the Common Roadside-Skipper is dark with a lighter violet sheen, especially on the outer margin of the hindwing. The forewing has 3–4 light spots.

Similar species: The Dusted Skipper is somewhat similar, but it is a lighter brown with more white spots, especially on the hindwing below, and it has no obvious checkered fringe like the Common Roadside-Skipper. The Pepper and Salt Skipper does have checkered fringes, but is a lighter brown and has frosting over the entire hindwing below, and a white spot-band similar to the spot-band of the Cobweb Skipper , although it is somewhat obscure.

Habitat: Woodland edges, roadsides, and barren areas.

Flight: The Common roadside-Skipper is double brodded and can be found from May until late August. Jeff Glassberg in “Butterflies through Binoculars: The East” states that the second brood is rare.

Abundance: An uncommon species but sometimes fairly common in a small area.

Early Common Roadside-Skipper sightings, all years

Date seen	County	Reported by
05–09–2007	Grant	Todd Sima
05–18–2006	Iowa	Todd Sima
05–19–2006	Iowa	Todd Sima
05–21–2006	Iowa	Todd Sima
05–27–2006	Iowa	Todd Sima
05–27–2007	Burnett	Mike Reese

Submit a Common Roadside-Skipper sighting »

Common Roadside-Skipper
Amblyscirtes vialis