Twin-spot Skipper - Alabama Butterfly Atlas

Butterfly: Wingspan: 1¼ to 1¾ inches (3.5 - 4.2 cm) UPPER SURFACE (dorsal) Uniformly dark brown. Several small, pale dots on forewing including "wrist bracelet." UNDER SURFACE (ventral) Chestnut brown with three pale spots on hindwing. Two are paired ("twins") below the other.

Egg: Pinkish brown. An extensive network of pale horizontal and vertical ridges come together at points to create a dotted effect.

Caterpillar: Varies from light beige to pinkish green; body segments separated by light pink rings. Head tannish brown. Collar black. First three pairs of legs (thoracic) pale. Partially grown caterpillars overwinter.

Chrysalis: Light tan with rusty head and posterior color; slender.

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Twin-spot Skipper's name seems descriptive until a look at the hindwing reveals three, rather than two, distinct spots. Apparently the lower two spots occur so close together that they are "twins." Noted lepidopterist James Scott proposed changing the name to "Three-spotted Skipper," but that name was already in use, so "Twin-spot" remains.

Twin-spot Skipper is the sole member of its genus, Oligoria. Although it was initially described in 1861, details of its life history are only now beginning to be filled in. For years it has been commonly seen but little known.

Twin-spots are avid nectarers and are often seen visiting thistles, blazing stars/liatris, and Spanish Needles/bidens. Males patrol in search of mates. Females deposit their complexly patterned eggs singly on host grasses. First instar caterpillars are pale with two red lateral stripes and very dark heads. Growing caterpillars retain a rosy or pinkish hue. They devise shelters from grass blades and may also incorporate other leaves into their nests. Partially grown caterpillars are thought to overwinter, completing development the following spring.

Populations are concentrated in states bordering the Gulf and southern Atlantic coasts. More data is needed to understand this poorly understood skipper's range in Alabama.

A dot on the county map indicates that there is at least one documented record of the species within that county. In some cases, a species may be common throughout the county, in others it may be found in only a specific habitat. The High Count information shows the highest numbers recorded for this species as well as when and where they occurred.

The sightings bar graphs depict the timing of flight(s) within each of three geographic regions. Place your cursor on a bar within the graph to see the number of individuals recorded during that period.

The abundance calendar displays the total number of individuals recorded within each week of the month. Both the graphs and the calendar are on based data collection that began in 2000.

The records analyzed here are only a beginning. As more data is collected, these maps and graphs will paint a more accurate picture of distribution and abundance in Alabama. Submit your sightings to albutterflyatlas@gmail.com.

Sightings in the following counties: Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Bullock, Calhoun, Dallas, Hale, Jefferson, Macon, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Perry, Pike, Randolph, Russell, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Tuscaloosa, Washington

Sightings in the past 5 years
Sightings in the past 5 - 10 years
Sightings more than 10 years ago

High count(s):

41 - Mobile - 9/6/2021
26 - Washington - 8/14/2020
24 - Baldwin - 8/20/2016

View county names by moving the mouse over a county or view a map with county names

Jan				Feb				Mar				Apr				May				Jun				Jul				Aug				Sep				Oct				Nov				Dec
1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4
												4	2	2	4		11	38	65	1		1	3	6	18	1	24	30	84	48	74	55	11	14	21	12	12	2			1					2

Many wetland habitats including freshwater to slightly brackish marshes, ditches, wet areas along utility right-of-ways, wet pinewoods, open marshy and grassy fields, savannas, and margins of wet woods.

Twin-spot Skipper (*Oligoria maculata*)

County

© Paulette Haywood Ogard

Wetland edge

Reports from nearby states list grasses that include Broom Sedge (Andropogon virginicus), Lopsided Indian Grass (Sorghastrum secundum), and the highly invasive Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica).

The following hosts have been documented in Alabama:

For more information about these plants, please visit the Alabama Plant Atlas using the links above.

Twin-spot Skipper (Oligoria maculata) Photos

Click on individual photos to view a larger version that includes photo credits, county, and date.
Photos with comments are indicated by a small, tan dot on the bottom right.