Thursday, September 12, 2013

Corralitas Public Staircase: Skipper

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 6, 2013.  I am not an expert, but I'm guessing this might be a Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus) drinking pollen from the native dandelions on the Corralitas Public Staircase.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

However, the Bugman of Mt. Washington on What's That Bug? admits in post after post,  identifying the species of Skipper is a job best left to the Skipper experts, because there are just too many similar species
Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 6, 2013.  Check out the long curling tongue as it takes off from the flower.
Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 6, 2013.  In flight, the tongue rolling into a perfect spiral, as it "skips" off to the next flower.

There must have been dozens of these small (inch-long), orange & brown butterflies fluttering around the dandelions toward the bottom of the Corralitas Public Staircase. 

In general, this summer, I've noticed way more butterflies of all species than ever before.