Yehl Skipper - Alabama Butterfly Atlas

Butterfly: Wingspan: 1¼ - 1½ inches (2.8 - 3.8 cm). UPPER SURFACE (dorsal) Male forewing orange with wide dark borders; black stigma. Female forewing browner with wrist bracelet, transverse spot band, and other pale marks. UNDER SURFACE (ventral) Orange. Three pale hindwing spots that form crescent; often bisected by pale ray. Female often browner.

ID Tip: This species is extremely variable: five spots may occasionally occur on the ventral hindwing; a ray may present, absent, or faint; color ranges from dark cinnamon to golden orange. Ventral spots are typically pale and softly defined, but particularly in females, may be white and crisp.

Egg: Dome shaped. Initially white; turns pale peach with variable dark salmon splotches along rim.

Caterpillar: Body pinkish tan with pale lateral stripes; dark line on back. Tiny green speckles and fine hairs give a velvety appearance. Head dark with short pale hairs; orange patches around eyes. Collar white with thin black ring. First three pairs of legs (thoracic) light brown. Partially grown caterpillars overwinter.

Chrysalis: Straw-colored body; thorax with cinnamon colored shield. Head and tip of abdomen very dark.

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Yehl Skipper is named for William Yehl, but another common name gives a clue to its habitat: Southern Swamp Skipper. These bright, robust skippers are found in or near swamps and other wetland areas that support cane (Arundinaria spp.), their presumed caterpillar host. Often described as reclusive and wary, Yehls may be easily approached when they are nectaring, and they will travel some distance to find prime nectar sources. Males perch on sunlit vegetation about 3 feet off the ground as they wait for receptive females to fly by.

Canes have long been considered the primary, if not sole, host plant, even though Yehls are often found long distances away from the nearest canebrake. Eggs are deposited singly on host leaves with no apparent effort to place them on tender foliage; however, early instar caterpillars hide under the curled edges of new growth when not eating. Older caterpillars stitch leaf edges together and rest within the tube. Chrysalides are formed within the leaf shelter. In Alabama, there are two broods.

Yehl Skippers occur throughout much of the Southeast. Although they are widespread, Yehl Skippers reports in Alabama have been sparse. Whether they are rare or only rarely encountered and identified is not known.

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, Bibb, Colbert, Escambia, Jefferson, 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):

10 - Baldwin - 9/19/2023
8 - Baldwin - 9/15/2023
5 - Colbert - 9/7/2012

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
																		1	6	4	1	1										6	3	20	7	8		1	1

Open areas in moist or swampy woods, canebrakes, and other wetlands that support cane.

Yehl Skipper (*Poanes yehl*)

County

© Paulette Haywood Ogard

Sunny wetland with canebrakes

This skipper probably uses cane (Arundinaria spp.) as its caterpillar host, but other grasses are also suspected.

No host has been documented in Alabama.

Yehl Skipper (Poanes yehl) 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.