Hesperia leonardus
Large, late-season grass skipper with a wingspan up to 45 mm. Flies from August to October, later than most other skippers. Larvae feed on native prairie and woodland grasses. Widespread and secure across eastern and central North America.
Seasonal Activity
Diet
Nectar from late-blooming flowers including blazing star, thistles, asters, and teasel (adult); foliage of native grasses including little bluestem, blue grama, and bentgrass (larva)
Lifecycle
One generation per year with adults on the wing from August through October — making it one of the latest-flying grass skippers in eastern North America. Females lay eggs on or near grass host plants. Larvae hatch in autumn and construct silk shelters at the base of grass clumps, where they overwinter as partially grown larvae. Feeding resumes in spring and pupation occurs in summer. Adults nectar on late-blooming prairie composites.
Ecology
Pollinates
Native Habitats
Details
Description
Leonard's Skipper (Hesperia leonardus) is a relatively large grass skipper with a wingspan of 32-45 mm, making it one of the largest members of its genus. The upperside is bright orange-brown with dark wing margins and a distinctive pattern of dark markings, including a prominent dark stigma on the male forewing. The undersides are warm golden-brown with a subtle pattern of pale spots. The antennae have the sharply hooked tips characteristic of the Hesperiinae. Several subspecies are recognized, including the Pawnee Skipper (H. l. pawnee) of the western Great Plains and the federally threatened Pawnee Montane Skipper (H. l. montana), endemic to the South Platte River drainage of Colorado.
Lifecycle
One generation per year with a notably late flight period. Adults fly from August through October — substantially later than most other grass skippers, allowing them to exploit late-season nectar resources when few other butterflies are active. Females lay eggs on or near grass host plants. Larvae hatch in autumn, construct silk-tied shelters at the base of grass clumps, and overwinter as partially grown larvae. Feeding resumes in spring, and pupation occurs in summer. The extended larval stage spans approximately ten months.
Ecology
Leonard's Skipper is a generalist grass-feeder with a broad geographic range, making it more ecologically flexible than the prairie-specialist Dakota Skipper or Poweshiek Skipperling. Adults nectar aggressively on late-summer and autumn flowers, with a strong preference for blazing stars (Liatris spp.), thistles (Cirsium spp.), asters (Symphyotrichum spp.), and teasel (Dipsacus). Larvae feed on a variety of native grasses including little bluestem, blue grama, and bentgrasses. This host breadth, combined with tolerance of a range of open habitats from dry prairies to woodland openings, contributes to the species' overall security despite widespread prairie habitat loss.
Host Plants
Larvae feed on a variety of native grasses. The species is a generalist grass-feeder with broad host breadth.
- Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
- Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
- Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis)
- Bentgrasses (Agrostis spp.)
Habitat
Occupies a range of open, grassy habitats including tallgrass and mixed-grass prairies, oak savannas, dry woodland openings, and barrens. The nominate subspecies ranges from Nova Scotia and Maine west through southern Ontario and the Great Lakes region to Minnesota, south to North Carolina, Louisiana, and Missouri. In Ontario, the species is found in prairie remnants and savanna openings in the southern portion of the province. The Pawnee subspecies occupies the western Great Plains from Montana and Saskatchewan south to Colorado and Kansas. NatureServe ranks the species as G4 (Apparently Secure), and it is not listed under the Species at Risk Act in Canada.