No Skippers in Michigan are considered endangered, but some species in other parts of the country are in danger of extinction because their habitats are being changed or destroyed. They are common butterflies even in urban areas, and people often like to see them. Skippers don't have strong negative or positive affects on humans. The silver-spotted skipper, Epargyreus clarus (Cramer), characterized by a large white spot on the underside of each hind wing, is one of our largest, most. spiders, especially crab spiders and orb-weavers (eat adults).Many species make nests of leaves and silk for additional protection.Īdults are quick flyers, but have no special defense. Three white dots are near the tip of the forewing on the underside. There is a white dot on the underside and near the base of the hindwing. A dark skipper with blackish-brown wing coloration.The undersides of the hindwing is 'dusted' with tiny white specks. An online resource devoted to North American insects, spiders and their kin, offering identification. Our California skippers fall into two or three subfamilies: the spread-wing skippers (Pyrginae), the. What eats them and how do they avoid being eaten?Ĭaterpillars are camouflaged and often hide during the day. Butterfly: Wingspan: 1 - 1 inches (3.2 - 3.9 cm). Silver-spotted Skipper Caterpillar - Epargyreus clarus. The clubs on the tips of the antennae are usually hooked. Most species are limited to a single group of food plants.Īdults mostly drink nectar, and sometimes mud (for minerals). Skipper caterpillars eat the leaves of grasses, reeds, shrubs or trees. Males fly to females and each species has its own set of actions and scents used to attract mates. Like most butterflies, they communicate mainly through sight and scent. Skippers tend not to travel too far, few if any species migrate, the most often stay in the same area their whole lives.
How do they behave?Īdult skippers are only active during the day, but Skipper caterpillars may feed mainly when it is dark or partly light. Skippers only live for about a year or less. In this family, it is usually the larval stage that survives the winter in cold climates. See More Information on Butterflies and Moths for an explanation of this. Like all Moths and Butterflies, this family has complete metamorphosis. Habitat: Gardens-Places with abundance in Canna Plants. While in pictures 4-5 is shown a caterpillar weaving its own cartridge. In pictures 1-3 is shown an opened cartridge with the caterpillar.
They are most common in meadows and on the edges of woods, but can be found in in many habitats. the caterpillars create nests out of a leaf or several leaves. Most North American species feed on grasses, but some common species eat shrubs and trees, especially in the bean family. Silver Spotted Skipper butterflies (Epargyreus clarus) are found in all 48 mainland states. There are about 300 species in North America, and 47 of them occur in Michigan.Īs usual for Lepidoptera, these species are usually found near their host plants. Species in this family are found all around the world. They have a distinctive "collar", a narrow ring around the body right behind the head. Skipper caterpillars are usually green or brown, sometimes yellowish, never brightly colored. Michigan species are mostly brown or tan, with black, orange, or yellow markings. It is equipped with green and yellow stripes along the body and has a frontal horn.These are short stout insects, with shorter wings than most butterflies.
The caterpillars construct shelters of rolled leaves tied together with silk strands.Ĭhrysalis: The light green chrysalis is elongate and slim. The head is white, with a rim of brown, with a brown vertical stripe in the middle of the facial region, edged with a broad brown inverted V-shaped mark. The upperside of the wings is similarly colored as the underside.Įgg: Females lay their pale green eggs singly on or near the host plants.Ĭaterpillar: The caterpillar is pale green with a dark green mid-dorsal stripe and light lateral stripes. The hindwing is plain gray brown except in some individuals which have very obscure, faint pale spots forming a sideways “U”.
This distinguishes this skipper from the similar Swarthy Skipper which lacks such spots. The forewing has three to five squarish, translucent-whitish spots in the subapical area. The underside of the wings is grayish-brown.
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