Ocola Skipper!!!

I had a delightful start to my Friday when I found an Ocola Skipper. I contacted some local butterfly enthusiasts who were able to see it as well! It was a "lifer" species for both of them! I surprisingly had seem one in my backyard 3 years ago.

Ocola Skippers are a largely tropical species. Their permanent range extends from Argentina north through Central America and the West Indies to Texas and Florida. It periodically strays farther north, even arriving in Ontario some years!

The ROM Field Guide to butterflies of Ontario; Peter W. Hall et al, 2014

Adults are large skippers with unusually elongated forewings. The upper side is dark brown with several white patches on the forewing. One of the patches is an arrowhead shape!!

The ROM Field Guide to butterflies of Ontario; Peter W. Hall et al, 2014

More Pinery Pics from last week:

An itty bitty Dekay's Brownsnake!

A Hickory Tussock Moth caterpillar successfully walked across a strand of spider webbing, just like a tight-rope walker!

Darling Underwing, wings closed.

We initially found 2 Darling Underwings close to each other, but this individual flew to a tree and spread its wings.

Ten, Four-humped Stink Bugs huddling on a bench. They have spines on their "shoulders" helping to separate them from other Stink Bugs which lack the spiny shoulders.