The Ocola Skipper, also known as the Long Winged Skipper, is easily recognized by two key features visible from the underside: the forewing is much longer than the hindwing, long, slender, and pointed, and the body is distinctly striped.

In very fresh individuals, the underside of the hindwing may show a purplish iridescent sheen. The upperside of the wings is yellowish-brown. The outer third of the forewing contains a bullet-shaped yellowish white spot in the middle, along with a few smaller pale spots nearby.

 

“Ocola Skipper” by Roy Cohutta, licensed under (CC BY-SA 2.0)

 

Ocola Skipper Facts

Butterfly Family: Skipper (Hesperiidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Hesperiinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 1 3/8 – 1 11/16 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Low, damp fields and pastures

 

🪴 Host Plants

These are the plants where females lay eggs and caterpillars feed:

• Rice Cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides)

• Southern Cutgrass (Leersia hexandra)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

Adult Ocola Skippers feed on nectar from the following native flowers:

• Asters (Symphyotrichum spp.)

• Blazing Star (Liatris spp.)

• Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

• Dune Camphorweed (Heterotheca subaxillaris)

• Elephant’s Foot (Elephantopus spp.)

• Groundsel Tree (Baccharis halimifolia)

• Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)

• Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium spp.)

• Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)

• Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)

• Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata)

• Shepherd’s Needle (Bidens alba)

• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

• Vanilla-leaf (Trilisa odoratissima)