Hesperia comma

Hesperia comma is a year-round resident across much of Canada and from Alaska south to California and west to Texas, and is also in northern Africa, Europe and Asia (Scott 1986). Habitats are open woodland and grassland. Host plants are multiple genera of grasses and sedges (Cyperaceae) in Japan. Eggs are laid haphazardly on or near the host plant. Individuals overwinter as eggs, and as older larvae or pupae in the Arctic. There is a variable number of flights each year depending on latitude with one flight between June 1-Sept.30 in much of the range, two flights between June 15- Oct. 15 in southern Nevada, and flying biennially in the Arctic, between July 1-July 31 (Scott 1986).

The flight period occurs between late July and early September. This species is single-brooded; eggs are laid singly on the leaves of sheep's-fescue growing in a short sward next to patches of bare soil. The eggs remain un-hatched through winter; larvae emerge in early spring and feed beneath small protective webs. Pupation occurs in a cocoon at ground level (3).

This butterfly is orange-brown in colour with pale spots that are more noticeable on females. The underside is pale brown with silvery spots, and males have a black band on the upperside of the forewing (1). The caterpillar reaches 2.6 centimetres in length, and has a dull olive-green body with a black collar behind the large black head (2).

Distinguishing species of the genus Hesperia can be a challenge even to the experienced lepidopterist; differences in wing markings are subtle, and are best appreciated by looking at series of individuals from any given locality. The Common Branded Skipper can usually be separated from the Plains Skipper (H. assiniboia) and the Nevada Skipper (H. nevada) by habitat, since both of the latter species are primarily prairie inhabitants; The Nevada Skipper can also be distinguished by its larger size, pale greenish underside ground colour, and by the ventral hindwing maculation: the spot nearest the abdomen is more or less in line with the adjacent spots in H. comma, whereas this spot is offset towards the wing base in H. nevada. Additional characters that distinguish comma include the darker underside ground colour and a 'stubbier' forewing shape. H. comma was described from Europe, and our subspecies, manitoba (Scudder), may prove to be distinct at the species level from the true comma.

Hesperia comma manitoba occurs throughout most of the boreo-montane region of western Canada, south to Montana and Washington state (Layberry et al. 1998, Guppy & Sheppard 2001). Nominate H. comma (L.) was originally described from Europe, and as such the Common Branded Skipper is considered to range from northern Africa across Eurasia into North America, and south to California.

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

The rare silver-spotted skipper is found across Europe and throughout temperate Asia. In Britain it is restricted to chalk downland in southern England following a substantial decline which resulted in its extinction in Yorkshire, the Cotswolds, the northern parts of the Chilterns and much of the North Downs (3).

Mountain grasslands and meadows, including alpine and subalpine habitats.

Comments: Habitat depends to some extent on what taxa are included in this species. Eastern populations often in old fields, along roadsides, in forest clearings in generally boreal forest regions. Also westward in alpine meadows and forest. openings. Tundra and taiga northward. In forests confined to openings.

Breeds on warm, south facing slopes in open chalk grassland with short turf and patches of bare soil. The presence of the larval foodplant, sheep's-fescue (Festuca ovina), is essential (3).

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.

There are no reported larval host plants for H. comma manitoba, but the larvae likely feed on native grasses.

Adults feed on flower nectar and mud. Males perch for females (Scott, 1986).

Flies in even-numbered years, with peak activity from early July to early August.

Undescribed for Alberta populations. Larvae are green with brown or black heads (Opler 1999). The closely related taxon oregonia (W.H. Edwards) overwinters as an egg on Vancouver Island, BC (Hardy 1954). The Common Branded Skipper's biennial life cycle in the mountains indicates it overwinters twice, likely once as an egg and again as a larva. Larvae of oregonia construct silken cells and use these as shelters (Hardy 1954). In addition to the cordilleran records of this species, there are also a few isolated records from the northern boreal region, where it should be looked for in open, grassy areas. Unlike the mountain populations, boreal H. comma manitoba fly every year (McNeill 1964).

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 15
Specimens with Barcodes: 324
Species With Barcodes: 1

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

There are 15 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.

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Not of concern.

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N4 - Apparently Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Protected in Great Britain by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, with respect to sale only (4).

Habitat loss and fragmentation has been a key factor in the decline (4). Agricultural intensification has removed much habitat, but neglect and a decline in grazing results in the sward growing too high for the species. Grazing by rabbits decreased the effect of abandonment, but myxomatosis caused a crash in rabbit populations in the early 1950s. The silver-spotted skipper went into rapid decline as a result of the decrease in grazing (3). A combination of the recovery of rabbit populations and targeted conservation work resulted in a partial recovery of this butterfly in the 1980s and 1990s (3).

Targeted conservation work continues on a number of nature reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). Agri-environment schemes such as Countryside Stewardship and Environmentally Sensitive Areas, include measures to encourage farmers to manage their land in ways that benefit this species (3). An increase in stock grazing, preferably by cattle, in important sites will decrease this skipper's dependency on rabbit grazing, which is often unpredictable (3). Conservation of the silver-spotted skipper requires a landscape-scale approach, as the species persists in 'metapopulations', occupying discrete habitat patches connected by dispersal over quite large areas (3). A number of reintroductions to nature reserves in Kent have been attempted, as natural recolonisation was unlikely (3). The silver-spotted skipper is a priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) (4).