Inside the drop zone of the Fort McCoy Army installation is one of the nation’s last remaining refuges of mixed-grass prairie, reduced to nearly one percent of its historic range. In an unlikely partnership, military grounds exist at the forefront of conservation, supporting more than 500 threatened and endangered species, including the critically imperiled Ottoe skipper butterfly (Hesperia ottoe). My work assessed the role of disturbance from military operations in the unexpected success of Ottoe skippers within the drop zone, which proved to be a difficult feat. Aptly referred to as grass skippers, these butterflies have an affinity for flitting flight patterns and prairie grasses, which thrive under the disturbance of training activities. Furthermore, male Ottoes are differentiated by their black stigma, a cluster of specialized scent scales located on the inside wings but add to the challenge as they prefer to nectar with their wings closed. Their small size, elusive behavior, and lack of clear defining features make finding one akin to playing a grassland version of “Where’s Waldo.” I found photography to be not only an effective tool in their identification, but also a valuable resource in showcasing the beauty of this rare butterfly.
