Arctic Skipper

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The Arctic Skipper is a small skipper found in forested areas along the Northern tier of the United States.

The bottom picture shows its propensity to rest, or bask in the sun, with open wings. That trait puts it into a separate subfamily, Heteropterinae, a group of butterflies whose larvae feed on grass and whose adults rest with open wings.

It's inclusion in the Hesperiinae section is for convenience only. The yellow-orange spots on a dark background make it an easily identified skipper.

The top picture shows a classic side view with the skipper's prominent spots on a lighter background.

© 2008 Patricia A. Michaels