National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Klamath Network Featured Creature November 2008

Northern White ( ericetorum) FIELD NOTES:

General Description: What’s in a Name? Habitat: As viewed from above, males (top image) The group of butterflies called Skippers The Northern White Skipper are pearly white with black chevron chains refers to their skipping flight pattern, due occupies open woodlands, along the wing margin and blue­gray close to their relatively short wings (3.2­3.8 shrublands, dry washes, desert to the body. Females have more black cm) and larger, heavier bodies. The mountains, and arid lands. chevron chains across the wings, not just scientific name describes this butterfly’s on the margins as with the males, and the habits quite well: Heliopetes (sun­flier) Where to see it in the Klamath blue­gray color close to the body extends ericetorium (of the heath). Parks: farther onto the wings. From below, both The Northern White Skipper has sexes are banded with white and light been confirmed at Lava Beds, and brown. As a caterpillar, this species is might also be found at yellow­green and marked lengthwise with Whiskeytown NRA, Lassen yellow and green stripes. Volcanic NP, and possibly Crater Lake NP. Similar Species: The female Northern White Skipper can be Distribution: mistaken for the Common Checkered The confirmation of the Northern Skipper; however, the Northern White White Skipper at Lava Beds represents an extension of its Skipper is larger. Their ranges may Photo by Sue Anderson, taken at Lava Beds overlap in northern California and southern National Monument. previously known range and a Oregon and they both use mallows for their record for Siskiyou County, CA. larval food plant. Males can be mistaken Its previously recorded range for species of Whites, but the skipping includes Baja California Norte, flight of the Northern White Skipper will southern and central California, distinguish it from a White species. , western New Mexico, western Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Life History: parts of Idaho, eastern Washington, Single eggs are laid on the young leaves of and eastern Oregon. Lepidopterist host plants, which include species in the Robert Michael Pyle states, “It mallow family and Fremontia. The appears sporadically and can caterpillars are pale green with yellow seldom be predicted.” stripes and black heads. The caterpillars feed on the leaves of the host plant and can Did You Know? build mummy­bags of rolled leaves and The Northern White Skipper is the silk to hibernate in over winter. The pupa only one of its group (White (chrysalis) is tan, pink, and blue. The adult Skippers) to occupy a temperate butterflies emerge in two or three broods. region. All other White Skippers Adult Northern White Skippers feed on the of North America (five species) nectar of many different flowers and More Information: occur in Mexico and barely into rotting fruit, and they visit mud puddles Butterflies and Moths of North America: the United States (southern and dung to gain essential nutrients. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org California, southern Arizona, Males are territorial and patrol around host southern New Mexico, or southern plants. These butterflies are on the wing Digital Atlas of Idaho: Texas). from May through September. http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/bio/insect s/butrfly/famhesp/heer/heerf.htm