Small, quick, and closely tied to our native grasslands, meet the Dotted Skipper (Hesperia attalus)!
This warm-toned skipper may be easy to overlook as it darts through sunny, open habitats, but it has an important connection to something we highlighted this week—native grasses. 🌾
🐛 Sideoats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) is a larval host plant for the Dotted Skipper. Its caterpillars feed on native grasses, giving us another great reminder that grasses aren’t simply background plants. They can be an essential part of a butterfly’s life cycle.
🦋 As adults, Dotted Skippers visit flowers for nectar, while their caterpillars depend on grasses for food. Maintaining diverse grasslands with both native grasses and native wildflowers can therefore provide resources for multiple stages of their lives.
🌾 That’s one reason native grasslands are so important. Beneath all those waving grasses and colorful flowers is a complex habitat supporting insects, birds, and countless other organisms.
💚 Plant for the butterfly—and don’t forget to plant for the caterpillar.
Native grasses deserve a place in our pollinator gardens, too!
Photo: Maryland Butterflies
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