Silver-spotted Skipper

Here's another Silver-spotted Skipper I met a couple months back. They're a moderately early season butterfly since they overwinter as pupa in a chrysalis, so they're ready to emerge as adult butterflies when the weather warms.

Many of our skippers are small and predominantly brown/tan with similar markings, but these guys with their (relatively) large size and white and gold spots on a dark brown background make them distinctive/recognizable. 

Common names can be confusing. If you were discussing Silver-spotted Skippers with your British lepidopterist friend, he'll be talking about this butterfly, a rare and less distinctively colored butterfly. (The two butterflies aren't considered to be particularly closely related.)
May 27, 2021 at Sourland Mountain Preserve
Photo 133212569, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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