 Male |
Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae Irvine Park, Orange County, CA Photos copyright: Peter J. Bryant (pjbryant@uci.edu).
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 Female |
 Female |
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Characteristics: Dorsal wing surface yellow brown with brown markings. Dorsal hindwing a uniform yellow-brown. Forewing length: 11-14 mm. Similar Species: Very similar to Ochlodes agricola agricola. The Woodland Skipper can be distinguished from that species, however, by the absence of hyaline (translucent) spots on the dorsal forewing. Habitats, Behavior: The Woodland Skipper occurs most often in undisturbed sites. Moist wooded canyons are good potential areas to look for sylvanoides. The species appears rather localized at Upper Newport Bay (east side) and has been taken there at only one or two spots, nectaring at Haplopappus blossoms. Distribution: Canyons in the Santa Ana Mountains and foothills, Aliso Canyon, VillaPark Dam, the Laguna Lakes, and Upper Newport Bay encompass the present known distribution of the species in Orange County . Flight Period: Our records range from late May into October. Most records are from July, although the species is abundant in Silverado Canyon during September. Larval Foodplants: Unidentified species of grasses. Other Remarks: The Woodland Skipper is probably fairly common in the canyons of the Santa Ana Mountains and foothills of Orange County. The fire closure period, however, prevents lepidopterists from exploring much of this range during the Woodland Skipper's peak flight period. From Orsak, L. J. (1977). The Butterflies of Orange County, California. Center for Pathobiology Miscellaneous Publication #3. University of California Press, New York. 349pp. Return to Butterflies and their larval foodplants |
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