Alpine Cat'S-Tail vs Common Least Skipper

Phleum alpinum compared with Ancyloxypha numitor

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alpine Cat'S-Tail	Common Least Skipper
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Poales (Grasses)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Poaceae (Grass Family)	Hesperiidae
Genus	Phleum	Ancyloxypha
Species	Phleum alpinum	Ancyloxypha numitor

Conservation Status

Alpine Cat'S-Tail

LC — Least Concern

Common Least Skipper

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alpine Cat'S-Tail	Common Least Skipper
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alpine Cat'S-Tail

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and North America (Canada, Mexico, United States).

Common Least Skipper

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Canada and United States.

Alpine Cat'S-Tail

The Alpine Cat'S-Tail (Phleum alpinum) is a species in the genus Phleum. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes. Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and North America (Canada, Mexico, United States).

Common Least Skipper

The Common Least Skipper (<em>Ancyloxypha numitor</em>) is a small butterfly in the family Hesperiidae, classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is native to Canada and the United States, where it typically inhabits virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats within its range, showing a particular affinity for moist, grassy areas near water. The species is among the smallest skippers in North America, characterized by orange and brown wing coloration and a rapid, low-flying flight pattern close to vegetation. Adults typically nectar on small flowers while larvae feed on grasses, particularly those in wet meadows, marshes, stream margins, and disturbed grassy areas. The Common Least Skipper is frequently observed in wetland margins, wet prairies, and roadsides with rank grass growth. Its wide distribution across North America and habitat generalism across moist grassland and wetland types support its stable population and Least Concern conservation status. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.