Summary ⁵

The Ocola Skipper or Long-windged Skipper (Panoquina ocola) is a species of butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found in Paraguay north through tropical America and the West Indies to South Texas. Strays north to southeast Arizona, west Texas, central Missouri, Ohio, central Pennsylvania, and Long Island.

Description ⁶

Forewings are long, projecting far beyond the hind wings when the butterfly is at rest. Upper side of wings is dark brown; forewing with some pale spots. Underside of hind wing is brown with no markings; female has a blue-purple iridescent sheen.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 1 11/16 inches (3.5 - 4.3 cm).

Larva Description ⁶

Head pale green with faint white dots. Body pale green with faint white mottling; many distinct, thin white stripes caudally.

Larval Host Plants ⁶

Rice (Oryza sativa), sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), and trompetilla grass (Hymenachne amplexicaulis) in Puerto Rico.

GTM Occurrence ⁶

The Ocola Skipper is considered a frequent species at the GTM. Most observations are in the open habitat along Transect A. In the forest it has been found along the Marsh Pond Overlook (Transect B). This is mainly a fall species flying from late August to December with peak abundance from September to November. There have been 128 specimens observed as of December 28, 2015.

Distribution ⁶

Along the Gulf Coast of Texas to Florida and north to eastern North Carolina. Migrates north in the fall to Virginia, Indiana, and New York.

Habitat ⁷

Comments: Low damp fields and pastures (Opler, 1992); probably also weedy lawns. Adults visit gardens. During fall movements can turn up in almost any open habitats within a few hundred kilometers of their normal range.

National nature serve conservation status ⁸

United States

Sources and Credits

1. (c) pondhawk, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://www.flickr.com/photos/38686613@N08/4747750064
2. (c) Mary Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/38514062@N03/22130196571/
3. (c) Mary Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/38514062@N03/6306224209/
4. (c) GTMResearchReserve, all rights reserved, uploaded by GTMResearchReserve
5. Adapted by GTMResearchReserve from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panoquina_ocola
6. (c) GTMResearchReserve, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
7. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28762343
8. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28762338

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• BugGuide
• Butterflies and Moths of North America
• CUIC Insect Images
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• Maryland Moths
• Mass Moths
• Moth Photographers Group
• Moths of North Carolina
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0

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