Draco Skipper
(Polites draco)
Grass Skippers
Appearance: Upperside of male is dark brown with reddish-orange markings; forewing with a short black stigma. Below, hindwing brown with a greenish tint and a cream spot band showing central jagged white patch bisecting the spot band. Female is similar but lacks a stigma and has lighter colored markings. Underside of both sexes is brown with a greenish tint and cream spots, and has the upperside markings repeated. As with all grass skippers, often found with hindwing open more than forewings (called the jet plane position).
Wingspan: Small; 1 to 1 1/4 inches.
Habitat: High mountain grasslands and meadows; foothills, montane, alpine.
Flight Times: June to August.
Larval Foodplant: Grasses.
Did You Know…
“Draco” in Latin means dragon and therefore it seems appropriate that a lightening bolt like patch appears crossing the crescent of white spots on the underside of the hindwing (Glassberg, 2001).
