White Checkered Skipper Butterfly, Pyrgus albescens

The White Checkered Skipper Butterfly is nearly identical to the Common Checkered Skipper P. Communis they differ only in genitalia and range. The Common Checkered Skipper Butterfly is found in Northern California.

The Larva of the White Checkered Skipper Butterfly feeds on plants in the Mallow family (Malvaceae). They especially like plants of the Malacothamnus Genus. Some of their favorites are Malacothamnus Palmeri, they also like species of the Genus Sphaeralcea. So if you would like to attract this cute little butterfly to your garden just plant some of our colorful California Native mallows. Most mallows are extremely drought tolerant. The most drought tolerant probably being the showy orange species from the desert, Desert mallow (picture above). These mallows should not be confused with the annual species seen along road sides. These are not aggressive or weedy, and like most natives cannot tolerate weeds in their midst.

Like all Skippers, the White Checkered Skipper butterfly has a typical folded wing position when at rest. Instead of just moving up and down the wings actually fold up like a fan or more appropriately like a paper airplane.