Butterflies of North Carolina

Common Name begins with:
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Scientific Name begins with:
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Once on a species account page, clicking on the "View PDF" link will show the flight data for that species, for each of the three regions of the state.
Other information, such as high counts and earliest/latest dates, can also been seen on the PDF page.

Related Species in HESPERIIDAE:
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Common Name

Silver-spotted Skipper by Paul Hart => Raven Rock State Park, 2006-07-15
[View PDF]

Click to enlarge
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Scientific Name

Epargyreus clarus

Link to BAMONA species account.

Map

Click on a county for list of all database records for the species in that county.

Distribution

DISTRIBUTION: Statewide; occurs in every county in the state.

Abundance

ABUNDANCE: Common to abundant; one of the most often encountered skippers anywhere in NC, from the high Mountains to the coast. It is often abundant in the Mountains, and is least common in the eastern counties, but it is certainly common in the latter region.

Flight

FLIGHT PERIOD: Two, to probably three, broods; however, downstate it is continuously on the wing from mid-March to late October, and sparingly into mid-November. The first flight in the Mountains begins in early to mid-April, rarely late March.

Habitat

HABITAT: Extremely widespread, in nearly all "skipper" habitats, except for salt marshes. Found along woodland borders, clearings, old fields, savannas, coastal scrub, high mountain rocky areas, gardens, etc. It is quite common at sunlit spots and at wet spots along dirt roads through hardwood forests, especially in the Mountains.

See also Habitat Account for General Leguminous Forb and Shrublands

Plants

FOOD AND NECTAR PLANTS: The foodplants are legumes (Fabaceae) -- favoring woody species or larger herbaceous species -- such as locusts (Robinia spp.), sennas (Senna spp.), wisterias (Wisteria spp.), etc. The species nectars on a very wide variety of flowers, including butterfly-bushes (Buddleja spp.) in gardens. It often perches on damp ground to sip moisture.

Comments

COMMENTS: Along with the Pearl Crescent, this is probably the most widespread butterfly in the state, in terms of range from mountaintop to shore and in choice of habitats. It is one of the few NC skippers, along with the Long-tailed, that can be identified in flight at great distances, because of the conspicuous large white (not silver!) under wing patch.

State Rank

State Status

Global Rank

Federal Status

Synonym

Other Name

Links to other butterfly galleries: [Cook] [Lynch] [Pippen] [Pugh]
Photo Gallery for Silver-spotted Skipper
	Photo by: Floyd Williams Comment: Gates Co., Merchants Millpond State Park, Caterpillar in shelter of rolled hickory leaf. 2005-Sep-13 Silver-spotted Skipper - Click to enlarge	Photo by: Roger Rittmaster Comment: Durham Co. Silver-spotted Skipper - Click to enlarge
	Photo by: M. McCloy Comment: Moore Co., Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature-Preserve; 2006-Sep-09 Silver-spotted Skipper - Click to enlarge	Photo by: David L. Heavner Comment: 16 July 2019. Buncombe County Silver-spotted Skipper - Click to enlarge
	Photo by: W. Cook Comment: Clay Co.; 21-May-2005 Silver-spotted Skipper - Click to enlarge