Wing span: 2.3 cm.
Flight time: A single yearly flight from mid to late May.
Status: Very rare breeding resident.
Distinguishing features: The Pepper and Salt Skipper is very small and dark. A series of small white dots exist on the upper wing surfaces, with unworn individuals exhibiting a brown and white checkered margin. The brown lower surface is overscaled with gray, with an arc of white patches on both the fore and hind wings.
Distribution and habitat: Except for a more than a century collection from Crawford County, this species is known only from Allamakee County. The first 20th Century sighting of this species in Iowa occurred May 20, 1978 at Yellow River State Forest. Only one other station has been subsequently discovered. In both sites it frequents moist, grassy trails or roadsides passing through mesic upland forest.
Natural History: Little is known of this species ecology in Iowa. Its larvae are reported to eat various grasses (including Kentucky Blue Grass), but it likely feeds on other species.
Record # | Date | Locale | State | Lat/Lon | Collected By | Count |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
317195 | 2022-06-18 | Lee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | Frank Olsen | 1 |
331274 | 2022-06-18 | Lee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | Chris Edwards | 2 |
351819 | 2022-06-18 | Lee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | Mark Madsen | 2 |
317820 | 2022-05-29 | Lee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | Jay Gilliam | 1 |
331169 | 2022-05-28 | Lee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | Chris Edwards | 1 |
308011 | 2021-06-19 | Lee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | Chris Edwards | 1 |
307822 | 2021-06-04 | Lee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | Chris Edwards | 1 |
289700 | 2021-05-24 | Van Buren County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | Brandon Caswell | 1 |
277893 | 2020-06-21 | Lee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | Mark Brown | 1 |
280282 | 2020-06-21 | Lee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | Chris Edwards | 1 |
280281 | 2020-06-08 | Lee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | Chris Edwards | 1 |
183766 | 2016-05-29 | Lee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | Chris Edwards | 1 |
7578 | 2012-05-19 | Lee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | Tom Jantscher | 1 |
50142 | 1988-05-30 | Allamakee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | J. Nehuevaj | 1 |
355109 | 1988-05-30 | Fayette County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | John G. Nehnevaj | 1 |
1627 | 1950-06-01 | Allamakee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
1628 | 1950-06-01 | Crawford County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | USGS - NPWRC | 1 |
50143 | 1950-06-01 | Allamakee County, Iowa | Iowa | Location Protected | J. Nehuevaj | 1 |