University of Alberta Museums Search

Scientific Name Oarisma garita Common Name Garita Skipperling Habitat Parkland and prairie grasslands, particularly native fescue and mixed grass prairie. Seasonality Peak flight activity is in late June to early July. Identification

This small skipper (wingspan 19 - 25 mm) is most likely to be confused with the European Skipper (Thymelicus lineola). Garita has a greenish hindwing underside with pale-coloured venation, while the European Skipper…

This small skipper (wingspan 19 - 25 mm) is most likely to be confused with the European Skipper (Thymelicus lineola). Garita has a greenish hindwing underside with pale-coloured venation, while the European Skipper has an orange-brown hindwing underside without marked veins. The upperside is tawny brown, compared to bright orange-brown with dark veins in lineola.

Read More + Life History

The egg has been variously reported as being green (Bird et al. 1995) or creamy white (Gibson 1910); larvae are green with pale lines and bands, with short black bristles on the head and body (Gibson 1910, Bird et al.…

The egg has been variously reported as being green (Bird et al. 1995) or creamy white (Gibson 1910); larvae are green with pale lines and bands, with short black bristles on the head and body (Gibson 1910, Bird et al. 1995); the overwintering stage is either as a partially grown (Bird et al. 1995) or mature larva (Gibson 1910, Scott 1986). There is one generation annually.

Read More + Conservation No conservation concerns. Diet Info

The larval host plant has not been recorded in Canada; Larvae will eat Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) in captivity (Gibson 1910). Adults take nectar at flowers of legumes (Hooper 1973), and at Polygala alba,…

The larval host plant has not been recorded in Canada; Larvae will eat Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) in captivity (Gibson 1910). Adults take nectar at flowers of legumes (Hooper 1973), and at Polygala alba, Potentilla fruticosa, and Oxytropis lambertii in North Dakota (McCabe & Post 1977).

Read More + Range Alberta east to Manitoba and south to Texas (Opler 1999). There is a disjunct population in the Peace River parkland.