The Delaware Skipper is a bright orange butterfly. This small grass skipper has triangular-shaped, bright golden orange wings on the undersides, with a thin brown margin to the hindwing. The upperside of the wings is mostly orange with black along the margins. A wide black band crosses the lower margin of the forewings.

 

“Delaware Skipper” by Ken Slade, licensed under (CC BY-NC 2.0)

 

Delaware Skipper Facts

Butterfly Family: Skipper (Hesperiidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Hesperiinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 1 – 1 11/16 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Moist areas including marshes, prairies, fields, roadsides, and suburban yards

 

Delaware Skipper Host and Nectar Plants

Host Plants:

• Big Bluestem Grass
• Switch Grass
• Wooly Beard Grass
• Broomsedge Grass
• Redtop Panic Grass
• Giant Cane Grass
• Maiden Grass

Nectar Plants:

• Nectar from various flowers
  • Fleabane
  • Swamp Milkweed
  • Common Milkweed
  • Mountain Mint
  • Buttonbush
  • Thistles
  • Sweet Pepperbush
  • Pickerelweed
  • Purple Coneflower
  • Phlox
  • Zinnia