unidentified butterfly

[Stelenes at aol.com]

Christina, hmmmm...not much to go on!  Did you check Pyrgus communis, the 
Common Checkered Skipper?  This butterfly is quite small and can give the 
appearance of a browinish tinge in its usually grayish checkers, can be quite 
beautiful an overlooked...I don't know if it is around in Phila at this time, 
but I am near that latitude (OK that may be a lousy comparison) and there are 
plenty flying around...any Hollyhock in the garden?  It's one of their host 
plants though they aren't too picky.

Doug Dawn
Woodland, CA

in CA andIn a message dated 5/9/00 4:45:56 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
ciprit at snip.net writes:

> Subj:  unidentified butterfly
>  Date:    5/9/00 4:45:56 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>  From:    ciprit at snip.net (ciprit)
>  Sender:  owner-leps-l at lists.yale.edu
>  Reply-to:    <A HREF="mailto:ciprit at snip.net">ciprit at snip.net</A>
>  To:  leps-l at lists.yale.edu
>  
>  I hope you all don't mind a casual butterfly observer asking for help
>  identifying a species.
>  
>  In Philadelphia on Sun., May 7 at very approximately 2PM , I saw a
>  little (maybe 1-11/2" wingspan) butterfly on my lawn.  It was brownish
>  and whitish (maybe some other color, too) with a kind of checkered
>  pattern.  I couldn't get a very close look at it.  Every time I tried to
>  lean near it, it went fluttering through the grass and also landed it
>  some wet dirt (puddling?).  I had just watered some of my plants.  If
>  this information helps, sage, lavender, and tulips--all in bloom-- were
>  nearby.  Also, the leaves of various perennials are up in my garden--
>  two types of echinacea, shasta daisy, speedwell, two types of coreopsis,
>  New England aster, lilies, and various mums.  I tried to consult my
>  Audobon Society Field Guide, but the only butterflies that looked
>  anything like it mostly have a range on the west coast (or at least far
>  west of here).
>  
>  I would appreciate any ideas about what species I may have seen.