Paintbrush Swift
Common NamePaintbrush Swift
Scientific NamePanoquina panoquinoides
FamilyHesperiidae
SubfamilyHesperiinae
Wingspan (mm)30
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsbrown, white
HabitatCoastal salt marshes, brackish marshes, wet grasslands
Geographic RangeSoutheastern United States (North Carolina to Texas, Florida), Caribbean
Host PlantsSpartina alterniflora, Spartina patens, other marsh grasses
Flight PeriodMarch to November (multiple broods)
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on host grasses. Larvae are green with a dark head, constructing shelters by rolling leaves. Pupation occurs in a silken cocoon within a leaf shelter.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its uniform dull brown coloration with minimal white forewing spots, stout body, and hooked antennae. It is strongly associated with coastal salt marsh habitats.
Description
A small to medium-sized skipper with dull brown wings, featuring a few small, translucent white spots on the forewings and typically unmarked hindwings. The head and thorax often exhibit a subtle greenish-blue sheen.
