Description
The Crossline Skipper (Polites origenes) is a small butterfly with orange-brown wings bordered in dark brown and faint pale streaks resembling “crosslines,” commonly found in grassy fields, meadows, and woodland edges across eastern and central North America. This is not a common species in Minnesota with no recent sightings.
Range
Southern half of the state
Similar Species
Tawny-edged Skipper is similar.
Host Plants
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), Other warm-season grasses common in prairies and meadows.
Flight
June, July, and August