Dun Skipper

Euphyes vestris

Identification: Very small—FW ~0.5". Above: Male FW and HW plain dark brown. Head and thorax often with a golden-olive sheen when fresh. Female similarly dark, but FW usually with two very small, pale, central spots and a two-spot "bracelet." Below: Both wings plain dark brown. Female sometimes has a faint postmedian spotband on the HW. Similar skippers: Little Glassywing has prominent glassy spots in FW above, a band of tiny spots in HW below; male lacks golden-olive head and thorax; both sexes have white at base of antennal clubs. Northern Broken-Dash male FW above has tawny leading edge with 2-part stigma; female has prominent tawny marks in FW above. Both sexes have postmedian band on HW below in shape of a 3.

NJ Status and Distribution: Resident. Widespread and common to abundant throughout the state.

Habitat: Damp to wet marshes, meadows, fields, roadsides. Readily attracted to garden flowers.

Flight Period: In North Jersey, one or two broods from late May through September, peaking in July. Extreme dates: 5/25-10/9. In South Jersey, two broods, peaking mid-May to early July and again late August to late September. Extreme dates: 5/19—10/18.

Caterpillar Food Plants: A wide variety of sedges (Carex, Cyperus, and Scirpus).

Overwintering Stage: 3rd-instar caterpillar.

Good Locations: Delaware Water Gap NRA (Blue Mtn. Lakes, Flatbrookville), Newark Watershed, Willowwood Arboretum, White Lake, Riverwinds Scenic Trail, Tall Pines Preserve, TNC Eldora Preserve, Palmyra Cove Nature Park, North Burden Hill Road Preserve.

Comments: Dun Skipper, Little Glassywing, and Northern Broken-Dash are called the "3 witches"—3 small, dark, difficult-to-separate skippers that fly at the same time in similar habitats.

Male, Vernon Twp., Sussex Co., NJ, 6/27/10.

Female, Sparta Mt. WMA, Sussex Co., NJ, 7/16/04.

Male, Crater Lake Rd., Sussex Co., NJ, 7/9/08, on Birds Foot Trefoil.

Female, Stillwater Twp., Sussex Co., NJ, 7/21/12, on Purple Coneflower.