I have trouble identifying a lot of my photographic subjects, but skipper butterflies are among the toughest. Wikipedia says that are more than 3500 recognized species of skippers worldwide, so I don’t feel too bad about my difficulties.
As I perused photos on the internet, I came across a few shot of butterflies that looked at lot like the one that I photographed, and on that basis I am going to tentatively identify it as a Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus).
I like the way in which the skipper was lit and he stayed perched long enough to permit to use my macro lens.
Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved
Fabulous shot, Mike. I also have a time with identifying my butterfly (and dragonfly) friends – a good field guide is my best friend at those moments.
Thanks, Sid. Ideally I’d have a bird guide, a butterfly guide, a dragonfly and damselfly guide……I’d hardly have room for my camera.
I feel your pain. Butterflies always seem very hard to identify for me as well.
Nice one! Did you ever get to see the pattern on the upper side of the wings? Sometimes that is a help to their ID, but I know that skippers don’t pose like that for you.
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