Lerema accius
Size:
Wingspan is 1
1/4 - 1 3/4 inches.
Similar Species:
Zabulon Skipper (female)
Dun Skipper
Dusted Skipper (in
spring)
Ocola Skipper (in
late summer/fall)
Habitat:
Open areas, damp grassy areas, gardens, power lines, and woodland edges.
Range/Abundance:
Common to abundant
in the piedmont and coastal plain. Uncommon in the mountains with only
a few records in WV.
Flight Period:
Adults fly in several broods from early April until early November. It
can be much more common in late summer and fall.
Larval Host Plants:
St. Augustine Grass Stenotaphrum secundatum, Wooly Beard Grass
Erianthus alopecturoides, and Echinochloa povietianum.
Comments:
This plain brown skipper usually is the first skipper seen in the morning
as it likes damp grass. It becomes more common in late summer and fall
and can be confused with Ocola
Skipper which has a very long forewing.
The top photo was taken in Orange Co., NC on June 24, 2002. The center photo was taken in Pickens Co., SC on May 03, 2003. The third photo was taken in Orange Co., NC on September 07, 2003. The bottom photo was taken in Orange Co., NC on October 15, 2003.
