Sunday, December 26, 2010

Silver-Spotted Skipper

This little butterfly is a silver-spotted skipper. It is a part of the Hesperiidae or skipper family. There are approximately 3500 different species of skippers around the world and about 230 species in North America. Skippers usually have large stocky bodies in comparison to the size of the wings and fly in a quick darting pattern, which is how they got their common name.
The skipper family is divided into three subfamilies, the spreadwing skippers, the grass skippers and the skipperlings. The silver-spotted skipper is a member of the spreadwing subfamily. The silver-spotted is one of the larger skippers and is named for the large irregularly shaped white or silver spot on the bottom side of the hind wing. Adult silver-spotted skippers feed on a variety of different flowers, including red clover as in the pictured above which were taken at Eagle Bluff, while the larval food consists of black lotus tree leaves as well as different types of legumes.

8 comments:

Judy said...

I love red clover! And the skippers just make it even better!

Kim, USA said...

Awesome and stunning shot!
Ornament

Unknown said...

I miss all the flutterers!

Jama said...

The skipper is so pretty!

David said...

Hey! A butterfly I recognize! We have these everywhere all summer long in Houston. Thanks for the macro. I enjoy your blog.
Happy MM.
David/ :0)

Muhammad khabbab said...

I love butterflies and i love these shots. Happy new year!!!!

namaki said...

nice pictures ! Butterflies are so difficult to catch !

Artlover said...

Great pics on this butterfly. Otherwise are they difficult to catch.