Swarthy Skipper (Nastra lherminier [Latreille])
Wing span: 1 - 1 1/8 inches (2.5 - 2.9 cm).
Identification: Upperside is dark brown; forewing may have 2 very faint light spots. Underside of hindwing is yellow-brown with lighter veins.
Life history: Males perch near the ground on grass stems; most mating occurs in the late afternoon.
Flight: Two broods from May-September, earlier in the south.
Caterpillar hosts: Little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius).
Adult food: Nectar from low-growing flowers including selfheal, red clover, tick trefoil, purple vetch, New Jersey tea, and peppermint.
Habitat: Grassy, open areas such as sand barrens, meadows, hillsides, fields.
Range: Eastern United States from Missouri east to southern New York; south to eastern Texas, the Gulf states, and southern Florida. Strays north to northern Minnesota, southern Michigan, and western Kansas.
