All adult skippers have moth-like bodies that are thick and furry. Their wings are triangular and their antennae end in knobs with tiny hooks. Skippers get their name from their flight pattern of darting from one place to another.

The Monk Skipper has a broad body, pointed wings, and a brown color. The male is brownish-black above with orange-edged silver patches of sex scales on the wings. These specialized scales produce scent hormones. The female is golden brown with light patches on the forewings. The fringes of its wings are buff colored.

These skippers are found in southern Florida and Cuba. The host plants for the caterpillars are several species of palms.

The photograph above is of a female in Garden #1. This skipper was sunning itself on a thatch palm leaf. To date, no Monk skipper eggs or caterpillars have been found in the gardens along the Lagoon Trail.

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Links:

Index to Butterfly and Moth Visitors to the Conservancy Ecotone Trail

Index To Photographs of Plants in the Gardens

Plant Lists by Garden

Conservancy of Southwest Florida Ecotone Home Page

Conservancy of Southwest Florida Home Page.

Please report errors to Susan Snyder at susanleachsnyder@gmail.com