Host Plant Relationships Between Native Lepidoptera and Three Native Grasses Diane M. Narem, Mary H. Meyer Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities Table 1. Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) Lepidoptera use native grasses for: Introduction COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Oslar’s roadside skipper Amblyscirtes oslari Oviposition adults lay eggs directly on grasses Native grasses are host plants, providing food and shelter, for Arogos skipper Atrytone arogos numerous Lepidoptera species during their larval stage. However, dusted skipper Atrytonopsis hianna Shelter these benefits to Lepidoptera are not typically known to many common wood nymph Cercyonis pegala larvae build shelters using silk horticulturists, let alone the average consumer. We reviewed the Cosmopterigidae moth Cosmopterix callichalca larvae hide in the base of grasses literature to document specific associations between native Assiniboia skipper Hesperia assiniboia larvae overwinter as larvae in grasses Dakota skipper shelter by Diane Narem Lepidoptera species and native grasses. Dakota skipper Hesperia dacotae Leonard’s skipper Hesperia leonardus Food cobweb skipper Hesperia metea larvae feed from shelter Methods Ottoe skipper Hesperia ottoe larvae feed camouflaged in the open Indian skipper Hesperia sassacus larvae feed by leaf mining 15 swarthy skipper Nastra lherminier larvae feed by boring into stem or roots Three native prairie grasses, common in the horticulture trade: little Poweshiek skipperling Oarisma poweshiek larvae feed on seeds bluestem, [Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash], blue grama, crossline skipper Polites origenes Dakota skipper larvae by MN Zoo (Bouteloua gracilis Willd. ex Kunth), and big bluestem (Andropogon Gelechiidae moth Stereomita andropogonis gerardii Vitman) were reviewed as host plants. Records which Ottoe skipper by Bryan Reynolds identified these grasses as host plants for native Lepidoptera Discussion species in the upper Midwest region (ND, SD, MN, IA, WI, MI, IL) Table 2. Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis) were included. COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Oslar’s roadside skipper Amblyscirtes oslari Additional grass skipper species that feed on native grasses were found. Simius skipper Notamblyscirtes simius However, their host plants were listed only to genus, or were not listed in Results Mead’s wood nymph Cercyonis meadii the plant community reference that defined the scope of our study. Blake’s tiger moth Grammia blakei Further research on grass skippers and moths may reveal additional Assiniboia skipper Hesperia assiniboia Lepidoptera species that use these native grasses. Lepidoptera that use native common branded skipper Hesperia comma This information can assist horticulturalists, ecologists, landscape prairie graminoids: Leonard’s skipper Hesperia leonardus planners, land managers, and homeowners in their decisions to buy and plant native grass species. Ottoe skipper Hesperia ottoe Butterflies This knowledge provides increased awareness about the larval life stage Pahaska skipper Hesperia pahaska Family Hesperiidae, Subfamily of butterflies and moths to concerned citizens and green industry and Uncas skipper Hesperia uncas Hesperiinae 13 further supports the importance of conserving native prairie to maintain Dion skipper by Bryan Reynolds Hesperiinae larvae eat grasses and/or Ridings’ satyr Neominois ridingsii Lepidoptera. sedges. Garita skipperling Oarisma garita Most larvae build shelters, overwinter in Rhesus skipper Polites rhesus larvae stage. Uncas skipper by Bryan Reynolds Adults have short bodies, fly in bursts. Acknowledgements Family Nymphalidae, Subfamily Nicole Roth,; Kimberley Shropshire; Dr. Karen Oberhauser and Dr. Robert Satyrinae Table 3. Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) Dana; James Scott, Ann Swengel, Scott Swengel, Eric Metzler, Ron Huber, Most Satyrinae larvae eat COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME Eric Quinter, Chris Schmidt, and John Brown and the Minnesota Department grasses/sedges. of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant for funding this research. Ottoe skipper by Bryan Reynolds Oslar’s roadside skipper Amblyscirtes oslari Larvae are camouflaged. Delaware skipper Anatrytone logan Adults have “hopping” flight pattern, Arogos skipper Atrytone arogos mostly feed on sap. dusted skipper Atrytonopsis hianna References wheat head armyworm Faronta diffusa Moths Dakota skipper Hesperia dacotae Narem, D. M. and Meyer, M.H. 2017. Native Prairie Graminoid Host Plants of Species from multiple different families: cobweb skipper Hesperia metea Subfamily Arctiinae (tiger moths) Minnesota and Associated Lepidoptera: A Literature Review. Journal of the Ottoe skipper Hesperia ottoe Subfamily Cosmopteriginae (cosmet Lepidopterists’ Society. https://www.lepsoc.org. (In press). moths) Indian skipper Hesperia sassacus Subfamily Anomologinae 11 Newman’s borer Meropleon ambifusca Subfamily Noctuinae – contains Byssus skipper Problema byssus generalists Common wood nymph by Karl Foord Arogos skipper by Bryan Reynolds.