Russet Skipperling
(Piruna pirus)
Grass Skippers
Appearance: Above, dark brown with a few transparent white spots, some of which form a short bar near the tip of the forewing and show through to the underside. Below, reddish-brown; hindwing is unmarked above and below.
Wingspan: Small; 7/8 to 1 inch.
Habitat: Moist, grassy areas in meadows and along streams and canals; plains, foothills.
Flight Times: June through July; one brood. Late-stage caterpillar overwinters.
Larval Foodplant: Wide-leaved grasses. Caterpillars live and feed within nests of rolled leaves.
Did You Know…
The name skipperling derives from their “bouncy” flight that makes them appear to be “skipping along” (Pyle, 2002).
