• Butterflies
• Dragonflies
• Damselflies
• Tiger beetles
• Hike with Mike

• The butterflies:
• Skippers
  • Spread-wing Skippers
  • Skipperlings
  • Grass-Skippers
• Grass-Skippers
  • Swarthy Skipper
  • Least Skipper
  • Poweshiek Skipperling
  • European Skipper
  • Fiery Skipper
  • Common Branded Skipper
  • Ottoe Skipper
  • Leonard’s Skipper
  • Cobweb Skipper
  • Indian Skipper
  • Peck’s Skipper
  • Tawny-edged Skipper
  • Crossline Skipper
  • Long Dash
  • Northern Broken-Dash
  • Little Glassywing
  • Sachem
  • Delaware Skipper
  • Byssus Skipper
  • Mulberry Wing
  • Hobomok Skipper
  • Broad-winged Skipper
  • Dion Skipper
  • Black Dash
  • Two-spotted Skipper
  • Dun Skipper
  • Dusted Skipper
  • Pepper and Salt Skipper
  • Common Roadside-Skipper
  • Eufala Skipper
  • Arogos Skipper

Hobomok Skipper

(Poanes hobomok)

This is the early bright yellow skipper of the woodland trails and openings. It is always fun to see these skipping around and then alighting and sunning themselves near the end of May. This species, the Arctic Skipper, and the Pepper and Salt Skipper are the trio of woodland butterflies that are often flying together throughout the northern half of the state in late May or early June.

Identifying characteristics: Above, the male is bright orange with a dark margin and a dark mark at the cell bar end of the forewing. The pattern on the hindwing is similar to the hindwing below. The female is similar but darker towards the margins and nearer the body, giving the female a much darker appearance than the male. Below, the yellowish orange post-median band is very broad and contrasts with the brownish color of the wing. In fresh specimens there is a noticeable purplish sheen to the wing margins. There is a dark female, called form pocohontas, which is sometimes found. The last two photos show this form. Notice that the post-median band is still obvious on the hindwing.

Similar species: None in Wisconsin. A little farther south this species is very similar to the Zabulon Skipper, a species that hasn’t been found in Wisconsin.

Habitat: Woodland trails and open areas near woodlands.

Flight: Single brooded and flying from late May and June, and sometimes into July.

Abundance: This species can be common. I saw over 30 of these in a four-hour period along a forest road in Florence County where I took the photo of the nine individuals on scat.

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