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european skipperThymelicus lineola
Identification: Wingspan 1 - 1 1/8 inches. Wings are brassy burnt orange; upperside of both wings with black borders and black on the outer portions of the veins. The male forewing has a narrow black stigma. A pale form (pallida) is very rare. Habitat: Open grassy places including meadows, hayfields, pastures, abandoned homesteads, grassy road edges. Garden Habit: To find receptive females, males patrol grassy areas with a low meandering flight. Females lay eggs in strings on the host plant stem; the eggs overwinter and hatch the following spring. Caterpillars eat leaves and live in shelters of leaves tied together with silk. Adult skippers roost at night on grass stalks and in the morning bask with their wings at a 70 degree angle. Host Plants: Timothy and other grasses. |