Ochlodes yuma scudderi

Photo Life History: Ochlodes yuma scudderi

Habitat:  Valley Wet Meadows; Valley Lakes & Rivers; Wetlands (Look for large hectares of Phragmites australis.)

Host Plants:  Phragmites australis

Suitable Lab Host Plants: 

Caring for Live Female Butterflies:  Nectaring techniques

Methods of Female Oviposition:  Portable Cages; Open Screen Cages. 

How to Find Eggs:  Look on grass blades of common reed.  Can be very difficult when host plant is super abundant.

How to Hatch Eggs:  Consolidate eggs into one container.

How to Find Caterpillars in the Field:  Finding fifth instar caterpillars is the most effective and practical strategy for rearing the yuma skipper.  Look for unique skipper nests.  Watch this video for more information on how to find larvae of the yuma skipper within larger hectares of its host plant, Phragmites australis.

Caterpillar setups:  Open terrariums; Open Bucket.  (Using double-decker terrariums is sometimes helpful because of the height of the host plant.  As is true with many other skippers that feed on tall-bladed grasses, it is wise to only select cuttings of the first two or three grass blades from the top of the host plant.  In water, these cuttings stay useable the longest.)

Larva to Pupa:  Fifth instar larvae will leave their feeding nest and build a new one where it will silk the entrance/exit and pupate.

How to Find Pupae in the Field: Look for Skipper Nests.  (Sometimes O. yuma pupal nests can be found further down the plant than their larval feeding nests.  Again the silk the pupal nests heavily on the entrance and exit.)

Number of Broods per Year:  1-2; depending upon location.

Overwintering Stage:  First instar. 

Overwintering Strategies: 

Post-Hibernation Strategies:

Avoiding Diapause Techniques:  

Disease Prevention: Change out host plant and remove frass every three to four days. 

Emergence:  Emergence Container

Field Notes: