Description
The Ottoe Skipper (Hesperia ottoe) is a small, golden-orange butterfly with faint dark markings and a short, robust body, typically found in dry prairies and grasslands across the central United States, where it is associated with native tallgrass ecosystems. I haven’t seen this species in Minnesota but did find one in Colorado where it is also very rare. That one is seen in the images above.
Range
Historically the southern half of the state, but it hasn’t been seen since 2012.
Similar Species
None.
Host Plants
Fall witchgrass (Leptoloma cognatum), little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius), other prairie grasses
Flight
Mainly June and July