Peckās Skipper -Ā Polites peckius
For this specie, it is an overwintering insect, and it's been many years since this blog has had the chance to share information and pictures such a skittish Skipper. Having recently uploaded an older blog video from 2019 to YouTube featuring this insect, I figured that new pictures were needed to refresh the memory of this petite summer flyer since it's been years from the last showcase. At time of writing, winter's chill has taken hold of Toronto and has brought snow and cold winds. Many insects have long since ventured to warmer environment or have begun their overwintering process. Although we have the privilege to witness their adult forms flitting and flying about during summer in these pictures, the Peck's Skipper seems to overwinter during its Caterpillar stages. The consensus seems to be that the Caterpillars will hatch and get to munching away at the many varieties of grasses that are found in nature and among gardens. The brown-colored larvae appear to be more elusive compared to the adults, but this may be due to a preference for nocturnal feeding, thusly avoiding predators of daytime hours and the potential for desiccation brought by the sun. In any case, the Caterpillars will feed and grow, and then hide away when temperatures drop.
Typically, these brown-colored Skipper Caterpillars will overwinter as partially grown larvae (perhaps between instars 3-5), but it can depend on the area and conditions. For instance, while in Canada there is only one generation of Peck's Skipper per year, there can be up to 3 generations the further south you travel (within North America). In some cases, conditions may be such that they instead overwinter in their Chrysalis form. The Chrysalis form may seem like the more practical course given that the adult Butterfly can simply emerge and fly off, and yet the larval emergence appears to be the preference, at least in Canada anyway. Given that the Skipper larvae feed on grasses, they have plenty to eat during the spring and can pupate while temperatures are warmer and ideal. Furthermore, the adult Skippers can enjoy all the nectar-filled summer blooms. A Chrysalis emergence of this skittish insect after winter would perhaps be more ideal in areas where a spring can bring an abundance of flowers in a short amount of time. For the individuals here, oregano and baby's breath makes for a fine nectar meal, while large grass blades make for ideal perching spots.
Pictures were taken on June 7 and 14 & July 28, 2020 with a Google Pixel 4. To keep this adorable Skipper in our minds, fellow bug hunters, expect at least one more post around summer time.
