The Butterflies of the World Foundation

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Hobomok Skipper

Poanes hobomok, T. Harris, 1862

Subfamily Hesperiinae

Tribe Hesperiini

Taxonomy

The family Hesperiidae includes all butterflies that are collectively called skippers because of their fast skipping flight.  This family is the sole member of the Superfamily Hesperioidea.  Whereas, the other five families of butterflies belong to the Superfamily Papilionoidea.  So, skippers are considered butterflies, but they have a few traits different than the species of “True” butterflies found in the Superfamily Papilionoidea.  Some of these traits include large eyes, short antennae (often with hooked clubs) and stout bodies.  Most also have a very rapid flight with a fast, almost blurred, wing beat.  There are about 3,500 species of skippers and they’re further divided into seven subfamilies.  They occur worldwide with more found in the tropics. Most species are brown or tan, but some tropical members can be quite colorful.

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Poanes hobomok, Strawberry Lake Recreation Area, Turtle Mountain State Forest, North Dakota, 1 June 2003                                                                   Ref #:  I-161-15.2

Poanes hobomok, Strawberry Lake Recreation Area, Turtle Mountain State Forest, North Dakota, 1 June 2003                                                                      Ref #:  I-161-20

Poanes hobomok, Denbigh Experimental Forest, McHenry County, North Dakota, 11 June 2003                                                                                          Ref #:  I-167-3.3

Poanes hobomok, Little Missouri State Park, Dunn County, North Dakota, 13 June 2003

                                                                                                  Ref #:  I-170-7

Poanes hobomok, Denbigh Experimental Forest, McHenry County, North Dakota, 11 June 2003                                                                                          Ref #:  I-167-7.2

Poanes hobomok, Strawberry Lake Recreation Area, Turtle Mountain State Forest, North Dakota, 1 June 2003                                                                    Ref #:  I-161-16.1

General Information:

Poanes hobomok belongs to the subfamily Hesperiinae.  This species is found from Nova Scotia west across southern Canada to central Alberta then south to New Jersey, northern Georgia, Arkansas, central Kansas and eastern Oklahoma.  An isolated population ranges from central Colorado to northern New Mexico.  Its preferred habitat includes openings and edges of damp woods, edges of bogs, light gaps along streams and city parks.

Lifecycle:

The larval food source includes various grasses such as panic grasses, Panicum sp. and bluegrasses, Poa sp.  To await receptive females, males perch about 6 feet above ground on vegetation in woodland clearings.  Females deposit eggs singly on or near the host grass leaves, which are eaten by the caterpillars.

Poanes hobomok, J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge, McHenry County, North Dakota, 23 June 2002                                                                               Ref #:  I-113-13

Poanes hobomok, Strawberry Lake Recreation Area, Turtle Mountain State Forest, North Dakota, 1 June 2003                                                                        Ref #:  I-162-1

Poanes hobomok, Denbigh Experimental Forest, McHenry County, North Dakota, 11 June 2003                                                                                            Ref #:  I-167-1

Poanes hobomok, Square Butte, Little Missouri National Grassland, Golden Valley County, North Dakota, 2 July 2004                                                              Ref #:  I-268-18