Huron Sachem/Eastern Sachem (Atalopedes huron, Atalopedes campestris huron)

This is a very common species in North Carolina.

Genomics studies published in Zhang et al. (2022) determined that the subspecies of Sachem in the eastern US should be elevated to species level (Atalopedes huron) and that the subspecies in the northwestern US is the true Atalopedes campestris. It will take some time for new field guides and others to accept and adopt this change. Assuming widespread acceptance, the English name for "our" Sachem here in the eastern US may become "Eastern Sachem" or "Huron Sachem."
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), male
Edge of field & woods in Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
11 Aug 2008

Males and females show different patterns and can have many different looks depending on the amount of scale wear on the individual. Males: Below, note dull blotchy orange with a dark squarish block at middle of the bottom edge of the underwing. Above, note the large square black patch.


Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Male
Orange Co., NC
24 Sep 2004
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Male
Orange Co., NC
5 May 2004

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)

Females: Below, note variable chevron-shaped series of light marks on mustard-orange-brown ground color. Above, note large pale spots with concave outer edges.

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Female
Duke Gardens
Durham Co., NC
18 June 2003
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Female
Korstian Division of Duke Forest
Orange Co., NC
5 May 2004

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Orange Co., NC
14 Aug 2011

Bright males lacking dark smudges are often confused with Delaware Skippers. See images below as well.


Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Female
Orange Co., NC
21 Aug 2004
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Female
Orange Co., NC
16 July 2004

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Male
Caswell Co., NC
4 May 2006
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Male
Orange Co., NC
1 May 2006

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Female
Durham, NC
9 Sep 2005
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Male
Avery Co., NC
26 July 2006

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Male
Durham Co., NC
20 Aug 2006
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Female
Durham Co., NC
30 Sep 2007

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Female
Durham Co., NC
17 Oct 2007
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Female
Durham Co., NC
10 Aug 2008

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Female
Durham Co., NC
10 Aug 2008
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Female
Durham Co., NC
10 Aug 2008

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron), Male
Orange Co., NC
11 Aug 2008
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Fresh brightly colored males may be confused with Delaware Skippers.
Orange Co., NC
14 Aug 2011

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Rowan Co., NC
22 Sep 2012
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Durham Co., NC
5 July 2013

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Clay Co., NC
20 May 2007
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Sandhills Game Lands, Scotland Co., NC
4 Aug 2016

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Blue Ridge Pkwy, Alleghany Co., NC
24 Aug 2016

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Pea Island NWR, Dare Co., NC
22 Oct 2017

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Big Cypress, Collier Co., FL
4 Mar 2017
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Duke Forest Durham Division, Durham Co., NC
14 Sep 2019

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Quail Roost, Durham Co., NC
19 Aug 2019

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Duke Forest, Durham Co., NC
2 Oct 2018
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Quail Roost, Durham Co., NC
20 Aug 2017

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Duke Forest Durham Division, Orange Co., NC
21 Sep 2019
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Hillsborough, Orange Co., NC
16 Aug 2018

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Durham Co., NC
6 July 2013
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Durham Co., NC
6 July 2013

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Durham Co., NC
6 July 2013

Sachems (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Riverbend Park, Catawba Co., NC
4 Aug 2012

Lower left individual is the male; upper right is the female


Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Durham Co., NC
3 Sep 2010
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Alamance Co., NC
5 Sep 2020

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
18 Aug 2022

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Cate's Farm Park, Alamance Co., NC
6 Sep 2023
Nectaring on Verbesina
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Alamance Co., NC
6 Sep 2023
Nectaring on Zinnia

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Alamance Co., NC
6 Sep 2023
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Alamance Co., NC
6 Sep 2023
Nectaring on marigold

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Hocking Hills, Logan Co., OH
2 Oct 2020

Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Male
Durham Co., NC
5 Aug 2006

This fresh male Sachem is unusually lightly marked.


Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Durham Co., NC
6 July 2013


Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron) Sachem (Atalopedes campestris huron)
Durham Co., NC
9 Oct 2004

Male (right) "sneaking up on" Female (left)



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Created on ... July 17, 2003 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com