Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Garita Skipperling
Oarisma garita (Reakirt, 1866)


Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Identification: Upperside ranges from orange to black. Underside of forewing is orange; hindwing is light brown with orange on the inner edge.
Wing Span: 3/4 - 1 3/16 inches (1.9 - 3 cm).
Life History: Adults are weak fliers. To find receptive females, males patrol all day in grassy areas. Females lay eggs singly on grass stems or blades. Fourth-stage caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: One brood from June-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various grasses including bluegrass (Poa pratensis) and blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Short-grass prairie knolls, swales, limestone openings, open woodland, mountain meadows.
Range: High plains from central Alberta east to southern Manitoba, south through the Rocky Mountain region to northern Mexico. Strays east to central Ontario.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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