Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma) and Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado)

Jeffrey S. Pippen

North American Butterflies | Jeff's Nature Page


This page is a combination of these two groups of organisms. Some authorities (e.g. NABA) treat them as the same species (lumped under Hesperia comma), yet most Lepidopterists that study them split them into two different species, each with many subspecies. I'm including them on this page together because they are very difficult and sometimes impossible to distinguish in the field. Many individuals must be collected and studied under a microscope to determine their identity.

Most of the individuals here were photographed in Missoula Co, MT, where the two taxa co-occur. In this location as a rule of thumb, Hesperia comma flies mostly in June/July and Hesperia colorado flies mostly in Aug/Sep. However, this varies according to elevation and seasonal weather. For example, 2015 was a VERY warm early season such that many adult butterflies emerged 2-3 weeks earlier than usual. I've mostly arranged these images by date. Theoretically therefore, true H. comma will be the earlier individuals while true H. colorado will be the later individuals. Note that many of the identities of the middle date individual are best guesses, particularly for 2015.


#9070
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Whaley Draw below Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
25 June 2014

Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma) #9163a, #9163b
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
30 June 2014

Male on right, female on left


Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma) Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma) #9080
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
25 June 2014

Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma) Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma) #7441
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Woodchuck Creek, Missoula Co., MT
15 June 2015

Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma) Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma) #9088
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Bitterroot floodplain below Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
29 June 2014

Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma) Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma) #9171
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Whaley Draw below Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
30 June 2014

#9312
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2014
#0012
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2014

#9328
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2014
#9489
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2014

#9474
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2014
#9519
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2014

#9496
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2014

#9503
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2014
#0019
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2014

#0017
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2014

#9628
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2014
#9631
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2014

#9637
Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2014

#9664
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2014
#9717
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2014

#9844
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2014
#9998
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2014

#0347
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
3 July 2014
#0368
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
3 July 2014

#0454
Missoula Co., MT
4 July 2014
#0030
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2014

#0462
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
4 July 2014

#0772
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
9 July 2014

#0901
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
10 July 2014
#7777
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Woodchuck Creek, Missoula Co., MT
26 June 2015

#8539
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Davis Creek, Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2015
#8549
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Davis Creek, Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2015

#8561
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Davis Creek, Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2015

#8566
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Davis Creek, Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2015
#8584
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Davis Creek, Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2015

#8517
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Davis Creek, Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2015
#8545
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Davis Creek, Missoula Co., MT
1 July 2015

#2895
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
14 July 2013
#9204
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Woodchuck Creek, Missoula Co., MT
4 July 2015

Note that these may superficially resemble Juba Skippers (Hesperia juba) with their dark scalloped borders, but the scalloping is not complete to the trailing edge of the wing and other spot patterns do not fit quite right. Plus, Juba is two-brooded and flies primarily in May and Sep here. Female comma/colorado frequently show this pattern as seen in many examples below.

#2907
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
14 July 2013
#2902
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
14 July 2013

#2889
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
14 July 2013

#2991
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
15 July 2013

#3014
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
15 July 2013
#3086
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
15 July 2013

Might this individual on the right be a Western Branded Skipper?

#3124
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
15 July 2013
#3241
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
17 July 2013

#3122
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
15 July 2013
#3779
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
20 July 2013

#2501
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
22 July 2014

#2902
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
22 July 2014

#2942
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
26 July 2014

#2992
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
26 July 2014

While most Common Branded Skippers are fairly worn by late July, the dark venter on this moderately fresh individual still suggests it's a Common.


#2968
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma)
Missoula Co., MT
26 July 2014

While most Common Branded Skippers are fairly worn by late July, the dark venter on this fresh individual still suggests it's a Common.


#3820
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado)
Missoula Co., MT
20 July 2013

Perhaps we are now transitioning to Western Branded Skippers with this fresh male in late July? It's slightly lighter yellow ventrally.


#2498
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado)
Missoula Co., MT
22 July 2014

#3137
Missoula Co., MT
26 July 2014

I'm not sure about this fairly fresh male.


I'm not sure about these two either. They seem "dark" for colorado and late for comma.

#3159
Missoula Co., MT
26 July 2014
#3814
Missoula Co., MT
5 Aug 2014

#3521
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado)
Missoula Co., MT
2 Aug 2014

#1827
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Woodchuck Creek, Missoula Co., MT
18 Aug 2015

#1815
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Bitterrot River floodplain, Missoula Co., MT
25 Aug 2015
#2189
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Ridge 404 below Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
25 Aug 2015

#2184
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Ridge 404 below Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
25 Aug 2015
#2181
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Ridge 404 below Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
25 Aug 2015

#2202
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Ridge 404 below Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
25 Aug 2015
#2279
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Davis Creek, Missoula Co., MT
26 Aug 2015

Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado) Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado) #4437
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Missoula Co., MT
1 Sep 2013

#4160
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado)
Missoula Co., MT
25 Aug 2014

By date and location, this should be Hesperia colorado. This illustrates how female H. colorado (like H. comma above) can have juba-like dark scalloping on the dorsal forewing border. Below are many more examples.


#4175
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado)
Missoula Co., MT
25 Aug 2014

Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado) Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado)
#4795
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Missoula Co., MT
2 Sep 2013
#4804
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Missoula Co., MT
2 Sep 2013

Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) #4453
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
1 Sep 2013

Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) #4542
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
1 Sep 2013

Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) #4550
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
1 Sep 2013

Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
#4582
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
1 Sep 2013
#4616
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
1 Sep 2013

Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
#4664
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
1 Sep 2013
#4665
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
1 Sep 2013

Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) #4784
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
2 Sep 2013

Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
#4951
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
4 Sep 2013
#4435
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
1 Sep 2013

Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) #4850
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
4 Sep 2013

Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) Or perhaps this individual on the right is a Juba Skipper?
#5435
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
15 Sep 2013
#5251
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
11 Sep 2013

Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) #5258
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
11 Sep 2013

Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho) #5271
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado idaho)
Near Mt. Baldy, Missoula Co., MT
11 Sep 2013

#5709
Western Branded Skipper (Hesperia colorado)
Missoula Co., MT
18 Sep 2014


Below are Common Branded Skippers from Quebec
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma laurentina)
Common Branded Skipper (Hesperia comma laurentina)
Reserva Faunique Mastigouche, Quebec
5 Aug 2005

same Common Branded Skipper with a blurry Peck's Skipper (Polites peckius)
Reserva Faunique Mastigouche, Quebec
5 Aug 2005





North Carolina Butterflies | North American Butterflies | Jeff's Nature Page


Created on ... Mar 10, 2015 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com