Mardon Skipper (Polites mardon [W. H. Edwards])
Wing span: 7/8 - 1 inch (2.2 - 2.5 cm).
Identification: Upperside of male is dark brown with reddish-orange spots; forewing has a short black stigma. Female is darker with spots lighter and more apparent. Underside is similar to upperside.
Life history: Males perch to wait for receptive females. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One brood from May-July.
Caterpillar hosts: Grasses.
Adult food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Grasslands at low elevations in the Cascades; the alpine, especially on serpentine soil.
Range: Local and uncommon in western Washington, western Oregon, and northwestern California.
Conservation: All populations should be conserved wherever they are found.
The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G2 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 to 20 occurrences), or because of other factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range. (Endangered throughout its range).
