Glassy-winged Skipper
Common NameGlassy-winged Skipper
Scientific NameEpargyreus clarus
FamilyHesperiidae
SubfamilyEudaminae
Wingspan (mm)55
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsdark brown, pale green, silvery-white
HabitatOpen woodlands, forest edges, fields, gardens, roadsides, meadows
Geographic RangeSouthern Canada, most of the United States, Mexico, Central America
Host Plantsblack locust, honey locust, American wisteria, bush clover
Flight PeriodMay to October (multiple broods)
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on host plant leaves. Larvae are green with a dark head, constructing leaf shelters for feeding and pupation. Multiple generations occur annually.
Identification TipsKey features include the prominent, somewhat translucent, pale yellowish-green or silvery-white rectangular spots on the forewings, which give it its 'glassy-winged' name. The underside of the hindwing often shows a large silvery patch.
Description
A medium-sized skipper with robust, hairy dark brown body and wings. The forewings feature distinctive, somewhat translucent, pale yellowish-green or silvery-white rectangular spots.
