This golden skipper has a wingspan of approximately 1 to 1 3/8 inches. Dorsally, the forewing of the male is golden with black on the outer margin and a large square black stigma. His hindwing is golden with an inverted black “V” formed by the veins, and a partial black border. The dorsal forewing of the female is mostly brown with glassy spots, and the dorsal hindwing is mostly brown with a wide black margin. On the ventral hindwing the female is brown with pale chevrons. The antennal club is gold with a black line.
This grass skipper is a southern emigrant that can be seen as early as July, but is most common in late summer and fall. It can be seen almost anywhere nectaring on flowers.
The larval foodplants are various grasses including crab grass and Bermuda grass. The caterpillar is olive-green with black hair on the dark tubercles. It spins a silken “tent” at the grass roots where it retreats to eat after it has clipped off the grass tips.
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