Geographic Range
Common checkered skippers have a wide distribution. They can be found throughout North America, from southern Canada to Mexico. They are also found in South America, as far south as Argentina.
Although common checkered skippers have been reported in southern Canada and New England,
they do not tolerate cold winters well and may only be seasonal residents of colder
regions.
- Biogeographic Regions
- nearctic
- neotropical
Habitat
Common checkered skippers are habitat generalists, but are restricted to areas that
support their host-plant, mallow (genus
Malva
). They are primarily found in open, sunny, and disturbed sites. Such areas include
roadsides, ditches, farmland, fields, pastures, prairies, yards, gardens, open trails
or patches of forest, landfills, and meadows.
- Other Habitat Features
- suburban
- agricultural
- riparian
Physical Description
Common checkered skippers have wingspans between 1.9 and 3.8 cm. They have a characteristic black and white checkered pattern on the ventral side of their wings. They are sexually dimorphic throughout much of their range, with females being slightly darker than males. Males also have a more densely hairy body. There is polymorphism between individuals, and coloration can vary from black and white to brown, gray, or steely blue. The dorsal sides of their wings are often brown to tan and cream to white, still with a checkered pattern.
Common checkered skippers lay eggs that are pale green and circular, with small protrusions that give them a rough appearance.
Common checkered skipper caterpillars are light green with a slight, dark green line running dorsally the length of their bodies and two white lines on each side. They have black heads with fine, white hairs, and a reddish-brown collar at the base.
Common checkered skipper pupae are green or brown,. They are uniformly speckled on
one side and smooth on the other.
- Other Physical Features
- ectothermic
- bilateral symmetry
- polymorphic
- Sexual Dimorphism
- sexes colored or patterned differently
Development
Common checkered skippers, like all butterflies and moths, undergo complete metamorphosis. Pupae overwinter in the soil and emerge as adults in the spring.
- Development - Life Cycle
- metamorphosis
- diapause
Reproduction
Male common checkered skippers patrol for females throughout the day, but are more
active in the afternoon. They are commonly seen in groups, though they are not considered
social. Males fly near to the ground in search of mates, often following an erratic
flight path. Mating usually takes place in the afternoon or early evening, after which
females lay eggs singly on leaves and buds of host-plants.
The breeding intervals of common checkered skippers are not well known. However, they
are typically active from March through October, and typically mate within this timeframe.
Common checkered skipper caterpillars hatch and grow throughout the summer and fall.
They pupate before winter and overwinter in the soil, then emerge as adults in the
spring.
- Key Reproductive Features
- semelparous
- seasonal breeding
- sexual
- fertilization
- oviparous
Common checkered skippers do not display any parental involvement beyond the act of mating.
- Parental Investment
- no parental involvement
Lifespan/Longevity
Little research has been done on the lifespan of common checkered skippers. However, skipper species typically only live 2 to 4 weeks after emerging as adults, during which time they mate and females lay eggs.
Behavior
Common checkered skippers are mainly solitary, only aggregating in large numbers to mate. Mating events are typically observed between February and October in warmer regions, and between March and September in colder regions.
Common checkered skipper caterpillars use silk to encase themselves in leaves during
the day to avoid predation.
Communication and Perception
There has been little research into the communication and perception of common checkered skippers. However, they likely use a combination of visual and chemical cues.
- Other Communication Modes
- pheromones
Food Habits
Common checkered skipper caterpillars are typically found on mallow plants (family Malvaceae ). According to the University of South Florida, common host-plants include mallows ( Malva spp.), false mallows ( Malvastrum spp.), Carolina bristle ballow ( Modiola carliniana ), hollyhock ( Alcea rosea ), fanpetals ( Sida spp.), velvet leaf ( Abutilon theophrasti ), globemallows ( Sphaeralcea spp.), and poppy mallows ( Callirhoe spp.).
Adult common checkered skippers feed on nectar and are often found on white, composite
flowers of aster plants (family
Asteraceae
). Examples include shepherd's needles (
Bidens alba
) and fleabanes (
Erigeron
spp.).
Mallows ( Malva spp.)
False mallows ( Malvastrum spp.)
Carolina bristle mallow ( Modiola carliniana )
Hollyhock ( Alcea rosea )
Fanpetals ( Sida spp.)
Velvet leaf ( Abutilon theophrasti )
Globemallows ( Sphaeralcea )
Poppy mallow ( Callirhoe )
Predation
Not enough is known about specific parasitoids and predators of common checkered skippers. They likely have one or more species of larval parasitoids, as well as natural predators such as birds, squirrels, and other arthropods.
Common checkered skipper caterpillars often encase themselves in leaves to take shelter
when not feeding. They are also a light green color, which helps them blend in with
surrounding foliage.
- Anti-predator Adaptations
- cryptic
Ecosystem Roles
Adult common checkered skippers feed on nectar of various aster plants (family
Asteraceae
) and lay their eggs on mallow plants (family
Malvaceae
). It is likely that common checkered skippers have a role as a pollinators for some
or all of these plants.
- Ecosystem Impact
- pollinates
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Although there have not been in-depth studies on the specific impact of common checkered
skippers, they are likely important in the regulation and pollination of their host
plants.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
There are no known adverse effects of common checkered skippers on humans.
Conservation Status
Common checkered skippers have no special status on the IUCN Red List, CITES, or the U.S. Federal List.
Other Comments
Common checkered skippers have undergone some taxonomic change. They were formerly characterized in the genus Pyrgus before being moved into the genus Burnsius .
Morphologically, common checkered skippers are almost identical to another species,
white checkered skippers (
Burnsius albescens
). Their differences can only be distinguished under a microscope, and are therefore
studied together or misidentified in many cases.
Additional Links
Contributors
Claire Walther (author), Special Projects, Galen Burrell (editor), Special Projects.
- Nearctic
-
living in the Nearctic biogeographic province, the northern part of the New World. This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico.
- Neotropical
-
living in the southern part of the New World. In other words, Central and South America.
- suburban
-
living in residential areas on the outskirts of large cities or towns.
- agricultural
-
living in landscapes dominated by human agriculture.
- riparian
-
Referring to something living or located adjacent to a waterbody (usually, but not always, a river or stream).
- ectothermic
-
animals which must use heat acquired from the environment and behavioral adaptations to regulate body temperature
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
- polymorphic
-
"many forms." A species is polymorphic if its individuals can be divided into two or more easily recognized groups, based on structure, color, or other similar characteristics. The term only applies when the distinct groups can be found in the same area; graded or clinal variation throughout the range of a species (e.g. a north-to-south decrease in size) is not polymorphism. Polymorphic characteristics may be inherited because the differences have a genetic basis, or they may be the result of environmental influences. We do not consider sexual differences (i.e. sexual dimorphism), seasonal changes (e.g. change in fur color), or age-related changes to be polymorphic. Polymorphism in a local population can be an adaptation to prevent density-dependent predation, where predators preferentially prey on the most common morph.
- metamorphosis
-
A large change in the shape or structure of an animal that happens as the animal grows. In insects, "incomplete metamorphosis" is when young animals are similar to adults and change gradually into the adult form, and "complete metamorphosis" is when there is a profound change between larval and adult forms. Butterflies have complete metamorphosis, grasshoppers have incomplete metamorphosis.
- diapause
-
a period of time when growth or development is suspended in insects and other invertebrates, it can usually only be ended the appropriate environmental stimulus.
- semelparous
-
offspring are all produced in a single group (litter, clutch, etc.), after which the parent usually dies. Semelparous organisms often only live through a single season/year (or other periodic change in conditions) but may live for many seasons. In both cases reproduction occurs as a single investment of energy in offspring, with no future chance for investment in reproduction.
- seasonal breeding
-
breeding is confined to a particular season
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- fertilization
-
union of egg and spermatozoan
- oviparous
-
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.
- nocturnal
-
active during the night
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- solitary
-
lives alone
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- pheromones
-
chemicals released into air or water that are detected by and responded to by other animals of the same species
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- cryptic
-
having markings, coloration, shapes, or other features that cause an animal to be camouflaged in its natural environment; being difficult to see or otherwise detect.
- herbivore
-
An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
- folivore
-
an animal that mainly eats leaves.
References
2021. "Bug Day: Checkered Skipper" (On-line). Chavez Park Conservancy. Accessed January 17, 2022 at https://chavezpark.org/bug-day-10-checkered-skipper/ .
Iowa State University Department of Entomology. 2021. "Burnsius communis - Pyrgus communis" (On-line). BugGuide. Accessed November 24, 2021 at https://bugguide.net/node/view/1770234/bgimage .
Butterfly Atlas, USF Water Institute, University of South Florida. 2021. "Common Checkered-Skipper / White Checkered-Skipper Burnsius communis/albescens" (On-line). Alabama Butterfly Atlas. Accessed November 24, 2021 at https://alabama.butterflyatlas.usf.edu/species/details/131/common-checkered-skipper-white-checkered-skipper .
Metalmark Web and Data. 2021. "Common Checkered-Skipper Pyrgus communis (Grote, 1872)" (On-line). Butterflies and Moths of North America. Accessed January 17, 2022 at https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Pyrgus-communis .