Minnesota and the Dakotas are the remaining strongholds for this species which requires native prairie habitat. It is listed as state threatened by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Survey work in Minnesota has been ongoing since the 1960s and has resulted in the Science Museum of Minnesota likely having the largest collections of the Dakota skipper in any museum. The Science Museum collection has 49 specimens with 17 date and locality records from 8 Minnesota counties.

I was called upon to represent the Science Museum on KARE 11 to comment on this butterfly when it was proposed as a candidate for status as a federally endangered species.
– Dick Oehlenschlager, Biology