Appalachian Grizzled Skipper not in NJ

[Michael Gochfeld]

The Appalachian Grizzled Skipper  (Pyrgus wyandot) has not been recorded 
in NJ despite lots of searching, for many many years.  Dale Schweitzer 
and Art Shapiro provided evidence that wyandot is specifically distinct 
from centaurae (a primarily Old World butterfly with a race freija in 
Canada. 

Even in the days of Beutenmuller (1893) this was considered "exceedingly 
rare".  It occurred in trap rock glades in northern and northwestern New 
Jersey, at least through the 1930's (Rutgers specimens 1937 1938), but 
Comstock (1940) already considered it rare.  I think it was one of the 
species that disappeared during the heavy pesticide use era of mosquito 
control of the late 1940's early 1950's (after which there are no 
records). But I understand the species continues to disappear over a 
much wider area of the northeast (perhaps accelerated by anti-Gypsy Moth 
campaigns), or something else. 

In addition to (or perhaps in preference to the strawberry (Fragaria 
virginiana), Schweitzer lists the Cinquefoil (Potentilla canadensis) as 
its local host. 

Mike Gochfeld