The Ocola Skipper butterfly is also known as the Long-winged Skipper. The Ocola Skipper is easily identified from the underside by two characteristics: (1) the forewing is much longer than the hindwing, being long, slender, and pointed, and (2) the body is striped. Very fresh individuals have a purplish iridescent sheen on the underside of the hindwing. The upperside of the wings is yellowish-brown. The outer one-third of the forewing has a bullet-shaped, yellowish-white spot in the medial portion of the wing along with a couple of other smaller spots.

 

“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

 

Ocola Skipper Host and Nectar Plants

Host Plants:

• Sugarcane Grass
• Rice Cut Grass
• Torpedo Grass

Nectar Plants:

• Nectar from various flowers
  • Lantana
  • Shepherd’s Needle
  • Swamp Milkweed
  • Buttonbush
  • Pickerelweed
  • Aster
  • Mistflower
  • Ironweed
  • Sage
  • Joe-Pye Weed