Common Checkered Skippers in the Morning

It's already a treat to discover a Common Checkered Skippers Pyrgus communis resting in the morning, but to see two of them perched in the same vicinity is not common in our area.

First I saw the male in the photo above, very still, in a Lambs Ear patch.

Then the second one landed close by, in another Lambs Ear patch.

Both of the skippers are male.

Males have a bluish sheen, while females are black and white without any sheen.

This skipper is considered a common species, although I read recently that they are no longer seen as frequently as in previous years. They are found in most of the temperate region of the United States through California, as well as through parts of southern New England and Canada. Their host plants are checkerblooms Sidalcea, globemallow Sphaeralcea, velvet-leaf Abutilon and hollyhocks Althaea.

Some of their favorite nectar plants are lavender and mint.