Oligoria maculata

(Edwards, 1865)

Twin-spot Skipper

A small with rounded, brown-black wings marked by distinctive transparent spots. fly from spring through late summer, with multiple per year. The is restricted to coastal and near-coastal of the southeastern United States, where larvae feed on grasses and adults visit flowers for nectar.

Oligoria maculata by (c) pondhawk, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.Oligoria maculata 152219761 by Andrew Durso. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.Oligoria maculata 2190098 by Charles T. and John R. Bryson, , Bugwood.org. Used under a CC BY 3.0 us license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Oligoria maculata: /ɒlɪˈɡɔːriə ˌmækjʊˈleɪtə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

The combination of rounded brown-black wings with four transparent spots on the forewing upperside separates this from other southeastern skippers. The three white spots on the pale red-brown underside of the hindwings provide a confirming character. Similar skippers in the region lack this specific spot arrangement or show different wing shapes.

Images

Habitat

Coastal and near-coastal environments including salt marshes, coastal prairies, and adjacent open areas. Associated with grassy vegetation in these settings.

Distribution

Coastal North Carolina south through Florida and west along the Gulf Coast to east Texas. Strays occasionally recorded as far north as Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey.

Seasonality

active April to September. Two or possibly three per year.

Diet

feed on flower nectar, including Pontederia . Larvae feed on various Poaceae (grass) species.

Life Cycle

Two or possibly three per year. Larvae feed on grasses. emerge in spring and continue through late summer with overlapping .

Behavior

visit flowers for nectar. period extends across warm months with multiple .

Ecological Role

; larval herbivore on grasses.

Similar Taxa

  • Other Hesperiidae in coastal SoutheastMay share and general brown coloration; distinguished by transparent spot pattern and hindwing underside markings
  • Panoquina speciesSimilar coastal skipper ; differ in wing shape and spot patterns

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Sources and further reading