• Butterflies
• Dragonflies
• Damselflies
• Tiger beetles
• Hike with Mike

• The butterflies:
• Skippers
  • Spread-wing Skippers
  • Skipperlings
  • Grass-Skippers
• Grass-Skippers
  • Swarthy Skipper
  • Least Skipper
  • Poweshiek Skipperling
  • European Skipper
  • Fiery Skipper
  • Common Branded Skipper
  • Ottoe Skipper
  • Leonard’s Skipper
  • Cobweb Skipper
  • Indian Skipper
  • Peck’s Skipper
  • Tawny-edged Skipper
  • Crossline Skipper
  • Long Dash
  • Northern Broken-Dash
  • Little Glassywing
  • Sachem
  • Delaware Skipper
  • Byssus Skipper
  • Mulberry Wing
  • Hobomok Skipper
  • Broad-winged Skipper
  • Dion Skipper
  • Black Dash
  • Two-spotted Skipper
  • Dun Skipper
  • Dusted Skipper
  • Pepper and Salt Skipper
  • Common Roadside-Skipper
  • Eufala Skipper
  • Arogos Skipper

Least Skipper

(Ancyloxypha numitor)

The Least Skipper is aptly named, as it is the smallest skipper in the state. This skipper is often seen flying very low through the tall grasses adjacent to ponds, small lakes, rivers, or streams. It rarely gets higher than a couple feet above the ground as it slowly and somewhat choppily moves through vegetation. They do nectar on a variety of species, but because of their small size, they are more likely to be seen nectaring on much smaller flowers than the larger skippers that may be seen flying with it.

Identifying characteristics: A small, orange and black skipper. Below, this skipper is a solid orange with somewhat lightened veins. Above, the Least Skipper is orange with a variable amount of black, sometimes even nearly all black, and without any spots.

Similar species: Once you are familiar with this species it is somewhat easily identified based upon size and habitat alone. I have seen people misidentify a photo of a European Skipper as this species, because it also is an orange and black skipper, which often can be seen in large numbers, and flies low to the ground. The Least Skipper has a much wider black margin on the wings above, while below this skipper is very orange with lightened veins, while the European Skipper has somewhat lightened wings without prominent veins

Habitat: Edges of streams, ponds, and lakes. This species is rarely found far from water, even when nectaring.

Flight: There are at least two generations per year, and possibly three, especially in the southern counties. In 2006 it was first reported on June 1 and last seen on September 6.

Abundance: The Least Skipper may become fairly abundant and I counted over 300 while walking less than a half mile on dikes at Poygan Marsh in Waushara County.

Early Least Skipper sightings, all years

Date seen	County	Reported by
05–27–2007	Iowa	Karl and Dorothy Legler
05–27–2007	Sauk	Todd Sima
05–30–2007	Lafayette	Todd Sima
06–01–2006	Dane	Joan Braune
06–01–2006	Iowa	Todd Sima
06–01–2007	Iowa	Ann Thering

Submit a Least Skipper sighting »