Epargyreus clarus

This is Alberta's largest skipper; its 44 to 60 mm wingspan, and the large, silver hindwing patch make it very distinctive. The nominate subspecies occurs in Alberta (Bird et al. 1995).

Found throughout most of the continental United States, and in southern Canada west to southern BC (Opler 1999). The northernmost population in North America is associated with patches of the larval hostplant in the North Saskatchewan river valley in Edmonton.

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

River valleys and badlands in the prairie and parkland region.

Comments: Pretty much any place with lots of the major foodplants which are usually ROBINIA or AMORPHA whether wild or culitvated, native or not. Strays possible in any habitat.

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

The larvae feed on wild licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota) in Alberta (Bird et al. 1995). Other legume species have also been reported from the eastern parts of this skipper's range (McCabe & Post 1977, Layberry et al. 1998).

Epargyreus clarus Cramer: Hesperiidae, Lepidoptera
(observations are from Robertson, Graenicher, Williams, Reed, Hilty, Hilton Pond Center [HPC], Clinebell, Hapeman, Macior, Luer, Conger, Fothergill & Vaughn; this is the Silver-Spotted Skipper)

Acanthaceae: Justicia americana sn (Rb); Apocynaceae: Apocynum cannabinum [unsp sn] (H); Asclepiadaceae: Asclepias incarnata [plab sn] (Rb), Asclepias sullivanti [plpr sn] (Rb), Asclepias syriaca [plab sn] (Rb); Asteraceae: Arctium lappa sn (Gr), Aster pilosus sn (Rb), Bidens aristosa sn (Rb), Cirsium arvense sn (Gr), Echinacea pallida sn (Cl), Echinacea purpurea sn (Cl), Eupatorium serotinum sn (Rb), Euthamia graminifolia sn (Rb), Liatris aspera sn (Cl), Liatris cylindracea sn (Cl), Liatris pycnostachya sn (Rb, Cl), Pluchea camphorata sn (FV), Silphium perfoliatum sn (Rb), Vernonia fasciculata sn (Rb); Boraginaceae: Onosmodium molle sn (Wm); Brassicaceae: Cardamine bulbosa sn (Rb); Convolvulaceae: Ipomoea lacunosa sn (FV); Cornaceae: Cornus obliqua sn (Rb); Fabaceae: Melilotus alba sn (Rb), Orbexilum onobrychis sn (Rb), Trifolium pratense sn fq (Rb), Trifolium repens sn (Rb, FV); Hydrangeaceae: Hydrangea arborescens sn (Rb); Lamiaceae: Agastache foeniculum sn (Re), Blephilia ciliata sn (Rb), Blephilia hirsuta sn (Rb), Monarda bradburiana sn (Rb), Monarda fistulosa sn fq (Rb, Re, Cl), Nepeta cataria sn (Rb), Pycnanthemum pilosum sn (Rb), Pycnanthemum tenuifolium sn (Rb), Salvia azurea sn np (H), Scutellaria incana sn np (Rb), Teucrium canadense sn (Cng); Orchidaceae: Platanthera peramoena sn (Hpm, Lu); Philadelphaceae: Philadelphus grandiflorus sn (Rb); Polemoniaceae: Phlox divaricata laphamii sn (Rb), Phlox pilosa sn (Rb); Pontederiaceae: Pontederia cordata sn (HPC); Ranunculaceae: Delphinium tricorne sn fq np (Rb, Mc); Rosaceae: Rubus allegheniensis sn (Rb), Rubus flagellaris sn (Rb); Rubiaceae: Cephalanthus occidentalis sn fq (Rb); Scrophulariaceae: Mimulus ringens sn np (Cng), Veronicastrum virginicum sn (Cl); Verbenaceae: Verbena hastata sn (Rb, Cng), Verbena simplex sn (Rb), Verbena stricta sn fq (Rb); Violaceae: Viola sororia sn (FV)

Adults are most often encountered between late June and early July.

There is one yearly brood, and mature larvae are green with black bands and a dark brown head. Larvae construct shelters out of the host plant leaves, at first cutting and folding part of the leaf over them, but tying several leaves together as larvae grow larger (McCabe & Post 1977). Pupae hibernate in leaf nests near the ground, often on the foodplant itself (Layberry et al. 1998). The egg is greenish and round. Males are aggressive fliers, and often chase one another (Bird et al. 1995). The Silver-spotted skipper is uncommon in Alberta, and occurs in local colonies.

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

There are 4 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.

Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 4
Specimens with Barcodes: 50
Species With Barcodes: 1

May be sensitive to valley flooding, but currently secure.

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N4 - Apparently Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure