Bugland: Hello There, Delaware

The Delaware Skipper is a bright orange and yellow butterfly with a small wingspan of 1–1 ½ inches. It’s a member of the grass skipper subfamily Hesperiinae — there are an estimated 130-140 species in North America alone. The species was originally discovered near Philadelphia, and likely named for the Delaware (Lenni Lenape) tribes of Native Americans who lived in that area. The butterflies are often seen sipping the nectar from purple and white flowers, including milkweeds, thistles, and mountain mint. This Delaware Skipper was photographed at the Bluff Lake Nature Refuge by Mark Silverstein.