The Hobomok Skipper is a small butterfly with slim, triangular wings. The underside of the hindwing features rectangles of golden yellow outlined in rusty brown, with a rusty brown wing border and base. The borders are lightly dusted with whitish gray to violet.

The upperside of the wings is golden orange with irregular brown borders. On the male forewing, a black bar appears at the end of the cell. Hobomok Skipper females occur in two distinct color forms: the lighter form closely resembles the male, while the darker form, known as “Pocahontas,” superficially resembles the female Zabulon Skipper.

 

“Hobomok Skipper” by Douglas Mills, licensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

 

Hobomok Skipper Facts

Butterfly Family: Skipper (Hesperiidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Hesperiinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 1 – 1 11/16 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Openings and edges of damp woods, edges of bogs, light gaps along streams, and city parks

 

🪴 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.)

• Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

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

• Bee Balm (Monarda spp.)

• Blackberry (Rubus 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.)

• White Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)

• Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)