GRASS SKIPPERS

Grass skippers are mostly small brown, yellow, or orange butterflies. Most have a unique configuration of dots and other marks. Many are sexually dimorphic. They have large bodies, relative to wing size, more like moths. Most land with their wings partially open. They are usually the most abundant butterflies of late summer and fall. Most nectar at garden flowers and wild flowers. Their host plants are the various grasses of fields, roadsides, and powerline clearings. First learn the Fiery Skipper, the more variable Sachem, and the dark Cloudy Skipper. Then you'll be able to identify over 90% of the skippers you encounter in our area.

SWARTHY SKIPPER- rare to uncommon, two broods with numbers peaking June and August. ear bluestem grasses Light brown with paler veining. p. 164 plate 65

CLOUDED SKIPPER- Dark brown with frosting (see below) on fresh individuals. Uncommon to common in open habitats and gardens, especially late summer into fall when they are often the most common dark garden skipper p. 166 plate 64

See similar Dusted Skipper below.

LEAST SKIPPER- Very small. Found in wetland vegetation and nearby flowers, May through September where they can be locally common p. 166 plate 56

SOUTHERN SKIPPERLING- Very small, rare to locally uncommon, in grassy and brushy habitats, late summer into fall p. 168 plate 56

FIERY SKIPPER- Common summer to abundant late summer into autumn. Sexually dimorphic. Male left and middle. Female top right. Over 90% of our late summer/autumn, yellow/orange Skippers are this species and the also common Sachem. If you learn this Skipper and the more variable Sachem, you'll be able to identify 90% of the skippers you encounter. p. 168 plate 57

COBWEB SKIPPER- Rare one brood late April and May. Look in fields, hillsides, power line cuts p. 172 plate 58

This one Blue Wall Preserve, Greenland County- My photo missing. See Glassberg

TAWNY-EDGED SKIPPER- Widespread and common to our north, but apparently rare in our area, and difficult to identify. Very similar to more common Crossline Skipper. Sexually dimorphic. Peak numbers August to October. Open grassy areas, two broods, late spring and late summer p. 177 plates 60 and 61 Photo below may be a Tawny-

CROSSLINE SKIPPER- Uncommon, similar habitat and dates to Tawny-edged, above p. 178 plates 60 and 61

WHIRLABOUT- Occasional late summer/autumn immigrant, not every year. Compare its large dark spots to the smaller ones of the very common Fiery Skipper p. 179 plate 57

SOUTHERN BROKEN DASH- Rare to uncommon late spring and late summer. Look for along woodland trails and moist woodland edges and nearby gardens or flowers. Compare its reddish brown color to the darker brown of similar Northern Broken Dash below. p. 178 plate 62

NORTHERN BROKEN DASH- Rare in our area, occurring to our north. Prefers s similar moist habitats p. 180 plates 61 and 62 see Glassberg for photo

LITTLE GLASSYWING- Very dark skipper. Uncommon in our area. Like the Broken Dash, it prefers most fields near woodlands. Two broods with numbers peaking late spring and late summer p. 181 plates 61 and 62

SACHEM- Occasional spring, becoming a common or abundant late summer and autumn skipper in your garden and at wild flowers. Sexually dimorphic and quite variable, especially female which is similar to and often confused with other less common Skippers. This and the Fiery Skipper comprise over 90% of our late summer yellow/orange Skippers. Sachem populations crashed around 2020, but are returning to former numbers. male-left and female- center, including the ventral photo below p. 181 plate 57

DELAWARE SKIPPER- Rare, unmarked yellow-orange skipper becoming common to our north. Brushy and overgrown fields, meadows, marshes. Two broods, June to September. p. 183 plate 63

RARE SKIPPER- Coastal species not found in our area and restricted is to brackish marshes. Usually rare, but colonial with several often found together. These were found mid-May at Savannah NWR, the southeast corner of South Carolina. p. 184 plate 63

HOBOMOK SKIPPER- An uncommon mountain skipper here, and deciduous woodland skipper to our north. Single brood, May into June. This one found nectaring at 3000' ASL, Caesar Head State Park p. 185 plate 64

ZABULON SKIPPER- Fairly common and similar to Hobomok. Sexually dimorphic. Two broods, mainly May and August. Prefers in moist habitats. Even though I don't find Zabulons at gardens, it's probably our our third or fourth most common Skipper. p 186 plate 64 The quite different looking female is 4th photo below-

Broad-winged Skipper- Not in our area. This large skipper found in fresh water and brackish marshes of coastal Carolinas.

These found at Savannah NWR in mid-May p. 187 plate 65

DUN SKIPPER- Uncommon in our area late spring and late summer p. 191 plate 61 and 62

Most have "golden heads" like one below.

Probable Dun Skipper without golden head.

DUSTED SKIPPER- Rare in our area. Single brood, April and May. Found in dry fields and barrens. Like Cloudy Skipper, but prominent white dot forward of other markings. p. 192 plate 71 see Glassberg for photo

PEPPER AND SALT SKIPPER- Rare in our area. Two broods, April and July. Found woodland edges and watercourses p. 194 plate 69

LACE-WINGED ROADSIDE SKIPPER- Uncommon and local, moist woodlands and wetlands with Cane. Two broods, May/June and August p. 194 plate 68

REVERSED ROADSIDE SKIPPER- very rare wetland species in our area. Occurs near Cane. p. 195 plate 68 See Glassberg or photo

COMMON ROADSIDE-SKIPPER- Another rare skipper of grassy areas and barrens, near woods. p. 196 plate 69

This one Thickety Mountain, Cherokee County, April 16, 2016-

BELL'S ROADSIDE SKIPPER- Another very rare skipper in our area, more common to our west and northwest. First Spartanburg County sighting below p. 197 plate 69

EUFALA SKIPPER- Rare to uncommon late summer immigrant from south to weedy fields and other open areas, August to early September. p. 198 plate 55

OCOLA SKIPPER- Another uncommon, late summer immigrant to open areas and gardens from south p. 201 plate 70 first individual more richly marked than most