The Swarthy Skipper is a tiny, uniform dark brown skipper with very subtle lighter veins on the hindwing below, one of the smallest grass skippers in the East. It flies low and fast through grassy areas and is easily missed due to its small size and dull coloring. It is a steady, multiple-brooded species in meadows and roadsides throughout the Southeast.
Best time to see a Swarthy Skipper
The best time to see a Swarthy Skipper is June–August, when about 62% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 2,074 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Swarthy Skipper? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Swarthy Skipper sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
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