Leonard’s skipper

Description

Leonard’s skipper is a large, late season, branded skipper. It occurs in North America east of the Rocky Mountains. It is listed as a Special Concern species in Minnesota, where it is declining due to habitat loss, insecticide drift from nearby croplands, and prescribed burning of managed prairies and savannas.

There are three subspecies of Leonard’s skipper, two of which occur in Minnesota. The western subspecies, Pawnee skipper (Hesperia leonardus pawnee), is found in prairies in the west. The eastern subspecies, Leonard’s skipper (Hesperia leonardus leonardus), is found in dry prairies, savannas, open woodlands, and woodland openings in the east. The ranges of the subspecies overlap in eastern Minnesota, western Iowa, and western Wisconsin. In these areas the subspecies interbreed, producing “blended” offspring that are closer in appearance to Leonard’s skipper. The Leonard’s skippers in eastern Minnesota are all or mostly “blended”.

Adults fly from early August to mid-September. They feed on nectar from many flowers, especially blazing stars in the west and New England aster in the east, but also on other asters, wild bergamot, heal-all, round-headed bush clover, goldenrods, spotted knapweed, prairie ironweed, thistles, Joe-pye weed, and sunflowers. Larva feed on grasses.

Adults have a 1¼″ to 1¾″ (32 to 45 mm) wingspan. On the male the forewings are angular and narrow. The upper side of the forewing on the male is reddish-orange with broad black borders. Near the middle of the wing there is a narrow, pointed area of black, specialized, scent scales (stigma). This is the “brand” that gives the genus its common name. On the female the basal area is darker and there is a row of squarish, orangish-yellow spots. As with many skippers, there is also a row of three small pale spots, the “wrist bracelet”, near the costal margin in the subapical area. The upper side of the hind wing on both sexes has a row of orangish-yellow spots.

The underside of both wings is rust-red. On the hind wing there is a row of prominent light brownish-yellow or white spots.

The antennae are short and barred. Each antenna has a swelling (club) at the tip, and a pale, thin, hooked extension (apiculus) at the end of the club. There is not a white band below the club.

Size

Wingspan: 1¼″ to 1¾″ (32 to 45 mm)

Similar Species

Habitat

Leonard’s skipper: dry prairies, savannas, open woodlands, and woodland openings

Pawnee skipper: prairies

Ecology

Season

One generation per year: early August to mid-September

Behavior

Leonard’s skipper is a fast flier. In flight the wings appear as a blur.

Life Cycle

First stage (instar) larvae overwinter. They continue feeding in the spring and pupate in July. Adults emerge in August.

Larva Food/Hosts

Grasses

Adult Food

Nectar from many flowers, especially blazing stars in the west and New England aster in the east, but also on other asters, wild bergamot, heal-all, round-headed bush clover, goldenrods, spotted knapweed, prairie ironweed, thistles, Joe-pye weed, and sunflowers.