• 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

Dusted Skipper

(Atrytonopsis hianna)

The Dusted Skipper is not a very common species in Wisconsin. In fact, in 1970, Ebner excluded this species from the list of butterflies. It has now only been reported from 11 counties most in the western half of the state. This skipper is often seen in areas where the Cobweb Skipper is also seen.

Identifying characteristics: Above, this skipper is dark brown, with three spots near the apex of the forewing and a couple of other white spots in the middle of the forewing. These spots are usually larger in the female. Below, it is a dark brown skipper with frosting on the edges of both wings. There are often several scattered white spots on the hindwing but not always (see the bottom photo).

Similar species: If you see this species from below, it is somewhat similar to the Common Roadside-Skipper which also is a dark skipper with frosting on trailing edges of the wings, but the Dusted Skipper often has several white spots and a white “eyebrow” above the eye which is distinctive. Above, both the male and the female could be mistaken for a Cobweb Skipper, but the Cobweb Skipper usually has some yellowish areas, while the Dusted Skipper is always dark.

Habitat: Mainly barren areas but also dry prairies.

Flight: One generation from the middle of May through the middle of June.

Abundance: Not common, but may see twenty or more in a single day where found.

Early Dusted Skipper sightings, all years

Date seen	County	Reported by
05–12–2007	Jackson	Jeff Belth
05–17–2006	Grant	Todd Sima
05–17–2007	Jackson	Ann Thering
05–19–2006	Grant	Todd Sima
05–19–2007	Jackson	Southern Wisconsin Butterfly Association field trip: 12 participants
05–21–2006	Jackson	Mike Reese

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