North American Butterflies and Moths List

The definitive website on wildbirds & nature

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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of New Jersey

Aaron's Skipper (Poanes aaroni)

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Aaron's Skipper (Poanes aaroni [Skinner])

Wing span: 1 5/16 - 1 11/16 inches (3.3 - 4.3 cm).

Identification: Upperside is bright orange with wide black borders; male has a faint narrow stigma on the forewing. Underside of hindwing is orange-tan with a pale streak in the center from the base to the outer margin.

Life history: Not reported.

Flight: Two broods from May-September in the north; probably several broods from April-October in Florida.

Caterpillar hosts: Possibly smooth cordgrass (Spartina alternifolia var. glabra).

Adult food: Nectar from flowers including pickerelweed, salt marsh fleabane, and coreopsis.

Habitat: Coastal salt marshes.

Range: Patchy distribution along the Atlantic coast from New Jersey south to south peninsular Florida.

Conservation: Not usually required.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management needs: None reported.

References:

Opler, P. A. and G. O. Krizek. 1984. Butterflies east of the Great Plains. Johns 
     Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. 294 pages, 54 color plates.

Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern butterflies. Peterson 
     field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston. 396 pages, 48 color plates.

Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press, 
     Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:

Glassberg,  J.  1993.  Butterflies Through Binoculars: A Field Guide to 
     Butterflies in the Boston-New York-Washington Region.  Oxford Univ. Press, 
     New York, N.Y.  160 pp.

Gochfeld, M. and Burger, J.  1997.  Butterflies of New Jersey - A Guide to 
     Their Status, Distribution, Conservation, and Appreciation.  Rutgers Univ. 
     Press, New Brunswick, N.J.  327 pp.

Iftner, D.C. and Wright, D.M.  1996.  Atlas of New Jersey Butterflies.  Special 
     Private Publication, Sparta, N.J.  28 pp.

Layberry, R.A., Hall, P.W. & Lafontaine, D.J., 1998.  The Butterflies of 
     Canada.  University of Toronto Press, Toronto, ON.  280 pp. 
     
Opler, P.A. 1998. A field guide to eastern butterflies, revised format.
     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.     

Shapiro, A.M. 1966.  Butterflies of the Delaware Valley.  American Entomological 
     Society Special Publication.  Philadelphia, PA.  79 pp.   

Aaron's Skipper (Poanes aaroni)

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