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Woodland Skipper

Eastern Washington

Picture of woodland skipper ir Ochlodes sylvanoides
Woodland skipper or Ochlodes sylvanoides

Woodland skipper or Ochlodes sylvanoides caterpillars feed on a variety of grasses including bluebunch wheatgrass and great basin wild rye, while the adult butterflies live on nectar from mint, phlox, and thistle among others.

Woodland skippers are small, orange, quick flyers with a wingspan of about an inch. The upper wing surface of the forewing has a staggering, dark diagonal that ends at the wingtip, while the hindwing on the underside usually has a light, connected band of offset, squarish spots.

Woodland skipper butterfly picture
Woodland skipper
nectaring on a weedy thistle

Picture of woodland skipper butterfly nectaring on thistle
Woodland skipper