Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius) is in the Skippers family (Hesperiidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 33,735 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in August.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: summer visitor / breeder. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Peck's Skipper: observations by month (U.S.)
About Peck's Skipper
Polites peckius, the Peck's skipper, is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae (skippers), subfamily Hesperiinae (grass skippers). This skipper ranges across Canada from British Columbia, as far north as Cartwright, Labrador; Moar Lake, Ontario; Leaf Rapids, Manitoba; and the Hay River area in Alberta. In the US, it ranges in most of the northern and central states, except on the west coast.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Peck's Skipper by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 5,599 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Pennsylvania | 3,227 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Illinois | 3,028 | August | Jul–Sep |
| New York | 2,506 | August | Jun–Sep |
| Maryland | 2,345 | September | Jul–Sep |
| Massachusetts | 2,082 | August | Jun–Aug |
| Michigan | 1,936 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Minnesota | 1,907 | August | Jun–Aug |
| Virginia | 1,420 | September | Jul–Sep |
| New Jersey | 1,399 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Indiana | 1,168 | September | Jul–Sep |
| Wisconsin | 1,052 | August | Jun–Aug |
| Connecticut | 949 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Vermont | 791 | August | Jun–Aug |
| New Hampshire | 776 | August | Jun–Aug |
| Kentucky | 578 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Missouri | 448 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Colorado | 399 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Maine | 386 | July | Jun–Sep |
| West Virginia | 327 | August | Jun–Sep |
| Iowa | 257 | September | Jun–Sep |
| Delaware | 247 | September | Jul–Sep |
| North Carolina | 167 | August | Jun–Sep |
| Nebraska | 154 | September | Jul–Sep |
| Rhode Island | 111 | August | Aug–Aug |
| Tennessee | 106 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Kansas | 103 | September | Jul–Sep |
| District of Columbia | 96 | September | Jul–Sep |
| South Dakota | 71 | August | Jun–Sep |
| Arizona | 27 | July | Jul–Jul |
| North Dakota | 23 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Washington | 14 | June | Jun–Aug |
| Wyoming | 13 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Montana | 10 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Idaho | 8 | July | Jun–Jul |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related butterflies (Skippers)
Fiery Skipper
Silver-spotted Skipper
Huron Skipper
Zabulon Skipper
Horace's Duskywing
Clouded Skipper
Long-tailed Skipper
Common Checkered-Skipper
Photography tips
- Butterflies are sluggish on cool mornings — the best time for close approaches.
- Keep the sensor parallel to the wings for edge-to-edge sharpness.
- Nectar plants in bloom are reliable places to wait.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Peck's Skipper?
Nationally, August has the most observations, with the main season from June to September.
Where is Peck's Skipper most often seen?
The most observations come from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois.