 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source .(October 2025) |
| Saffron skipper | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Hesperiidae |
| Genus: | Poanes |
| Species: | P. aaroni |
| Binomial name | |
| Poanes aaroni (Skinner, 1890) | |
Poanes aaroni, the saffron skipper, is a North American butterfly from the skipper family (Hesperiidae) which occurs in salt marshes along the Atlantic coast.
The upperside of the wings are vivid orange, with broad black borders. The underside of the hindwing is a paler orange with a pallid stripe in the center.
The larva feeds exclusively on smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora).
Four subspecies are recognized:
- P. a. aaroniSkinner, 1890– Aaron's skipper
- P. a. bordeloni– Bordelon's skipper
- P. a. howardi– Howard's skipper
- P. a. minimus– swamp skipper