The Cobweb Skipper is a year-round resident of the eastern United States, though it is absent from the Midwest. This light brown skipper features touches of orange near the tip of the forewing and around the area above and below the stigma.

A distinctive white V-shaped band points toward the outer margin on the underside of the hindwing. White also traces along the wing veins on the underside, creating the delicate cobwebbed appearance that gives this butterfly its name.

 

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Cobweb Skipper Facts

Butterfly Family: Skipper (Hesperiidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Hesperiinae

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

Butterfly Habitat: Dry, grassy openings in woods, pine barrens, oak savannah, open sandy scrub, burned areas, and old pastures

 

🪴 Host Plants

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

• Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)

• Broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus)

• Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

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

• Bird’s-foot Violet (Viola pedata)

• Blackberry (Rubus spp.)

• Carolina Larkspur (Delphinium carolinianum)

• Hoary Puccoon (Lithospermum canescens)

• Vervain (Verbena spp.)

• Wild Hyacinth (Camassia scilloides)

• Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

• Winter Cress (Barbarea vulgaris)