I was watching a huge Monarch nectar the Dianthus when this wee little skipper came to join him....
Silver Spotted Skipper
And I actually got a shot with the wings open .....
They use several host plants, one of which is also used by the Dogfaced Sulphur.. It is a Texas Native plant called Amorpha fruiticosa, or False Indigo. http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1613/index.html
I just aquired this plant from a dear friend here at DG...Can't wait to see it bloom! Looks like a super duper butterfly plant to have, even if you don't live in Texas.
Deb
Here is the Monarch...He spent about an hour on the Dianthus, boy he must have been thirsty!!
Beautiful pics, Deb. I've not grown Dianthus before. Will it tolerate our long hot summers or is it more of a springtime plant? I may have to add it to my flowerbeds.
Carla
Thx Carla~ Dianthus is really hardy...Blooms all year. These I planted last fall and they lived through the winter really well too. Good one to have!
Deb
wee little skipper? Ain't those guy big as far as the skipper world goes? It looks like the Gold Spotted Aguna we get down south...and that's a big skipper which uses bauhinia as a larval host (gotta put that on my list of larval hosts to get :o)
~ Cat
Nice pics, Deb! Glad many of the butterflies are returning to your yard!
I had some pink Dianthus in my front garden bed. Don't know why, but they didn't survive after about 3 months. But I do have wild carnations that looks similar and they grow like weeds in the garden bed. I just love them! And the scent is lovely. But I haven't noticed anything using them as a nectar plant. :-/
http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=silver+spotted+skipper&search=Search
SSSkipper ^^^^
Cat find me a pic of the GSAguna..
None of the pics I have seen of either have the wings spread like my open winged pic above. I caught that one in flight. Resting position usually doesn't reveal the top of the hind wing.
Deb
Thanks Becky!
Looks like it's gonna be a great year for BFs! Plus I'm way more prepared this year than in previous years. The Diantus are nice.. took me a while to get attached to them, but they won me. Especially seeing how they bounce back. If they get shabby, I just snip snip on them and they recover very fast.
Cat, I use the term "wee" a lot, but in the case of above was for how the skipper was in relation to the big Monarch I was watching when I happend to see it. lol.
Deb
Deb, in the open winged pic, is that pink spots on the wings? Or is it a refection from the pink Dianthus? Your exactly right about the Dianthus blooming all year, never took a break even below freezing! Mine started out as one plant from a cell pack of 3 last year (Only 1 survived my inexperience of starting out new transplants). Now it's a clump that has widened to about three feet across. Hope to see some butterflies drinking from this beauty this year.
Deborah
Yes Deborah, Those are coral pink spots on the hind wing. I suppose it is only visible when they are in flight, aparantly when they are nectaring or resting this spot isn't visible..
I bet your Dianthus is gonna be a hit this year!
Deb
Deb,
The only photo I have are of the underside of the wings as it rarely perches with it's wings open. You got a good shot of the topside. Even our local NABA website has closed wing shots ;o)
Here's my photo on my community webshots. Am at work...or else I would've uploaded it from the home computer.
~ Cat
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2449555950096214582eaoLmR
http://www.registryofnaturehabitats.org/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/usa/576.htm
Note it says "blurry": [quote]Identification: Wings are chestnut brown. Forewing has pale spots that are all about the same size. Underside of hindwing has a blurry rectangular silver patch.
The Silver-spotted Skipper has a more prounounced silvery spot. Yours is definatly a Gold-spotted Aguna.
Any additional opinions are welcome too.... anyone?
You may need to send in your photo for publication in the interest of the species!
I think MissSherry posted photos of a Silver Spotted Skipper on another site last year...perhaps Network54's butterfly one...I can't remember. Will have to check when I get home.
~ Cat