This tiny butterfly is the Southern Skipperling (Copaeodes minima), the smallest of all Skippers in North America. With a wingspan around 5/8 to 7/8 of an inch (1.6-2.2 cm) this diminutive butterfly is easy to overlook.
This Southern Skipperling was spotted in our BackWoods Forest Preserve, nectaring on the equally tiny flowers of Mock Bishop's Weed. Members of this species can be found year-round in Florida and their caterpillars host on Bermuda Grass.
Identifying tiny skippers can be a bit of a challenge. Many of them look similar and are similar in size. For this butterfly, there are two other species with which it may be easily confused.
The Least Skipperling (Ancyloxypha numitor) is just slightly larger. To tell the two species apart, look at the underside of the hind wing. Southern Skipperlings have a line of white that extends the length of their wing while the Least Skipperling does not. The Orange Skipperling (Copaeodes aurantiaca) looks very similar as well, but it only ranges as far east as eastern Texas, so it is unlikely to be spotted in this area. By using range maps and small markings, we can usually find our mark.
This Southern Skipperling was spotted in our BackWoods Forest Preserve, nectaring on the equally tiny flowers of Mock Bishop's Weed. Members of this species can be found year-round in Florida and their caterpillars host on Bermuda Grass.
Identifying tiny skippers can be a bit of a challenge. Many of them look similar and are similar in size. For this butterfly, there are two other species with which it may be easily confused.
The Least Skipperling (Ancyloxypha numitor) is just slightly larger. To tell the two species apart, look at the underside of the hind wing. Southern Skipperlings have a line of white that extends the length of their wing while the Least Skipperling does not. The Orange Skipperling (Copaeodes aurantiaca) looks very similar as well, but it only ranges as far east as eastern Texas, so it is unlikely to be spotted in this area. By using range maps and small markings, we can usually find our mark.
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