Southern Skipperling

  • Family name: Hesperiidae/Skippers
  • General description: Wings bright orange with narrow black border; forewing elongated. Male with narrow black forewing stigma. Female with black scaling along veins and broader black border. Ventral hindwing orange with narrow white ray through center
  • Field Marks: Very small. Forewing elongated, ventral hindwing orange with narrow white ray through center.
  • Sexes: Appear similar
  • Wingspan: 18-24 mm
  • Life Cycle: Egg: White, laid singly on host leaves Mature larva: Whitish-green with darker green dorsal stripe. Head green. Chrysalis: Green with small point off the head.
  • Number of Generations: Three or more
  • Flight Season: All year
  • Abundance: common
  • Habitat: Moist meadows, roadsides, disturbed sites, pastures, old fields
  • Larval Host Plants: Various grasses (Poaceae) including Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon)
  • Similar Species:
  • Additional Information: Our smallest North American skipper.
  • Range in Florida

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