Hobomok skipper
Some females of this skipper are dark brown instead of orange, an alternative form long known by its own separate name.
| Where | Woodland edges, clearings and trails |
|---|---|
| Size | 25 to 43 mm wingspan |
| When | May to July |
The Hobomok skipper is a medium sized orange and black skipper, with males showing mostly orange upperwings bordered in dark brown. Some females appear in a dark brown form once called Pocahontas, identified by smaller glassy spots near the forewing tip. A broad yellow patch on the underside of the hindwing is the most reliable field mark.
Caterpillars feed on grasses such as panic grass and bluegrass, and the species flies in a single brood each year, peaking in June across much of its northern range.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Orange, Brown
Active
Day
To people
Feeds on flower nectar and bird droppings; harmless to people.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Similar orange and black pattern, but the Zabulon skipper flies later in the season, favors a more southerly range, and males show thinner dark wing margins than the Hobomok skipper.
Questions
Is the Hobomok skipper dangerous to people?
Feeds on flower nectar and bird droppings; harmless to people.
When can you see the Hobomok skipper?
The Hobomok skipper can be seen from May to July, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by Bernie Paquette, CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist Licence
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Butterflies and moths›Skippers›Lon
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.