Morrison's Skipper (Stinga morrisoni [W. H. Edwards])
Wing span: 1 - 1 1/8 inches (2.5 - 2.9 cm).
Identification: Upperside is orange-brown with a very wide brown border. Male has a black stigma on the forewing; female has a black bar. Underside of hindwing is dark brown; lower edge is orange-brown; the angled postmedian band and the band from the base to the middle of the wing are white.
Life history: To wait for females males perch on the ground or rocks near shrubs or trees on hilltops.
Flight: One flight; from May-June in the foothills, May-July at higher altitudes. Several flights from April-May and September in west Texas.
Caterpillar hosts: Not reported.
Adult food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Grassy openings in Ponderosa pine, pinyon forest, and oak woodlands.
Range: Very local. Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas, and northern Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually required.
The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management needs: None reported.
References:
Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press, Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates. Stanford, R. E. and P. A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of western USA butterflies including adjacent parts of Canada and Mexico. Denver and Fort Collins, CO. Tilden, J. W. 1986. A field guide to western butterflies. Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass. 370 pages, 23 color plates.
Author: Jane M. Struttmann
State and Regional References:
Brown, F.M., Eff, J.D., and B. Rotger. 1957. Colorado Butterflies. Denver Museum of Natural History, Denver. Ferris, C.D. and F.M. Brown. 1980. Butterflies of the Rocky Mountain States. University of Oklahoma Press. Norman. Layberry, R.A., Hall, P.W. & Lafontaine, D.J., 1998. The Butterflies of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, ON. 280 pp. Opler, Paul A. 1999. Peterson Field Guide to Western Butterflies, revised edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass. Stanford, R.E. and P.A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of Western USA Butterflies. Privately published, Denver, Colo. Tilden, J.W. and A.C. Smith. 1986. A Field Guide to Western Butterflies. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.