The Tawny-edged Skipper is a small butterfly, similar in size to the Peck’s Skipper. The underside of the forewing is brown with a distinct tawny-orange edge, while the hindwing is an unmarked olive to brown. The male’s upperside is olive-brown with a prominent tawny-orange margin on the forewing. The female’s upperside is dark brown, featuring an orange costal margin and a band of yellow spots near the outer forewing.

 

“Tawny-edged Skipper” by Aaron Carlson, licensed under (CC BY-SA 2.0)

 

Tawny-edged Skipper Facts

Butterfly Family: Skipper (Hesperiidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Hesperiinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 7/8 – 1 7/16 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Moist grassy areas, including prairie swales, pastures, lawns, roadsides, and vacant lots

 

🪴 Host Plants

These are the native grasses where females lay eggs and caterpillars feed:

• Deertongue Grass (Dichanthelium clandestinum)

• Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

• Panic Grasses (Panicum spp.)

• Slender Crabgrass (Digitaria filiformis)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

Adult Tawny-edged Skippers feed on nectar from the following native flowers:

• Bee Balm (Monarda spp.)

• Blazing Star (Liatris spp.)

• Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata)

• Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

• Dogbane (Apocynum spp.)

• Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)

• Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)

• Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium spp.)

• Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum)

• Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)

• New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)

• Phlox (Phlox spp.)

• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

• Thistles (Cirsium spp.)