Skippers

Family Hesperiidae

Silver-spotted skipper (Epargyreus clarus). Photo:Stephanie Boucher

Adults feed on nectar or are scavengers on decaying matter and wet mud. Larvae feed on a variety of plants. Unlike most butterflies, skippers pupate in a cocoon made of leaves attached together with silk. The adults have a rapid and powerful flight. Usually small sized, stout bodied with small short wings. Most skippers are dull colored brown or grey, and they have the tip of the antennae recurved or hooked. The larvae are plain, often with a large head, and the last segment of the body is often divided into two tails.

Distribution of Silver-spotted skipper (Epargyreus clarus) in Canada