Peck’s Skipper Butterfly ID’d

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Posted in Raccoon Creek State Park, PA, Skipper

Skipper Butterfly photographed by Jeff Zablow at Raccoon Creek State Park in Pennsylvania
This one was so pert, so distinctly marked and so willing to pose for me. The image I captured here, good enough to share, does though reveal my limited knowledge of the numerous species of Skippers that make Raccoon Creek State Park their home. September 5, 2014, and we’ve not been formally introduced.

We now know that she is a Peck’s  Skipper (Polites Peckius). Skippers keep me company on the trails that we share. Their mixes of browns, tans, creams and white just tantalize my eyes. That, somehow lessens the isolation felt by those of us who search for common and very uncommon butterflies. I also devote good thinking time to trying to understand how these tiny fliers survive weeks in the wild, especially during the nights, when they remain hidden in foliage, at the mercy of the legions of creepy crawlies that spend the dark hours, hunting for prey. Scary business that, when there is no front door to lock out the beasts of prey.

Jeff

3 thoughts on “Peck’s Skipper Butterfly ID’d”

  1. Hi there Jeff,
    Can any of us know every butterfly that we come across? Highly unlikely right?
    A fellow I know in the real world, and on the computer gave me some great advice on a book you may or may not have?? “The butterfly book”, by W.J.Hooland. New and thoroughly revised edition (1952 edition I believe), anyhoo it is crammed packed full of plates,info,caterpillars even!
    I am recommending it to you if you do not already have the book? It was a tad bit of looking to find it….. We all make mistakes, however ….. we try not to right?

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    • Thanks.This reflects a challenge for those of us who seek to learn butterflies. In the several books I have read, written by butterfly seekers, many retell how they came to bump into major figures in the butterfly ‘world,’ and how those folks were so down-to-earth and helpful, and how they remained life-long friends, and supported one another’s efforts. With the growth of interest in butterflies, there apparently are so many about, that, for me, those preeminent show no interest in connecting. If I bump into them, and they seem to mostly spend time in Texas, Florida and the West, I don’t know it. All this by way of saying that gaining feedback in beyond challenging. Yes, I belong to the organizations. So, add this to our other out-there challenges. Thanks again.

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