General: Northern White-Skippers (Heliopetes ericetorum) have white wings with dark scallops along the trailing edge of the fore- and hindwings. The underside of the wings are white with light-tan marks. Males are mostly white, but females have darker marks on the wing edges and the base of the wings is black. Note the arch on the leading edge of the forewing.

Taxonomy: Family: Skippers (Hesperiidae); Subfamily: Spread-wing Skippers (Pyrginae)

Wing span: 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches.

Hosts: Caterpillars feed on mallows, including Desert Globemallow.

Habitat: Open woodlands, desert mountains, arid land, dry washes.

Comments:

Six male Northern White-Skippers drinking at Mormon Well on the Desert National Wildlife Range (Clark County, Nevada; 22 May 2007).