Species Hesperia assiniboia - Plains Skipper - Hodges#4020.1

4020.1

Formerly treated as a subspecies of Common Branded Skipper, H. comma. Differs from that species in appearance, habitat, and flight season (Layberry et al.)

Wingspan 21-30 mm (Layberry et al.)

Distinguished from H. comma by paler colouration beneath and usually reduced spot band. This band can be quite distinct or nearly absent, and is usually white or pale yellow. The ranges of these species overlap in Central Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Other prairie Hesperia also have reduced spot bands below; they can be hard to distinguish, but flight time and the shade of the hindwing underside can help tell them apart. H. assiniboia has a slight greenish tint to the hind wing underside, and its flight time is most similar with the Pawnee Skipper, H. leonardus pawnee. (Layberry et al.)

Northern Great Plains - Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota, Montana.

Short-grass prairie.

Usually mid-July to early September (Layberry et al.)

Prairie grasses.