Silver-spotted skipper

Description:

The wingspan of an adult is 43–67 mm. The adult has translucent gold spots on the forewings and silvery bands on the hindwings. The caterpillar's head is large and brown with two orange dots mimicking eyes. It has a long, narrow, green body. Adults fly throughout the warm part of the year. They have one brood per year in the North and West, two in the East, and three or four in the Deep South. Females lay single eggs near, not on, the caterpillars' food plants. The caterpillars must find their own way to the plants. Young caterpillars fold leaves to make shelters, and older ones stick leaves together with silk. They overwinter as chrysalids.

Habitat:

My yard

Notes:

I don't recall having seen so many silver-spotted skippers, both in my yard and other areas of town, in one summer. (The Eastern tiger swallowtails have also been abundant.) Other butterflies I'm used to seeing haven't been around so much. I wonder if this has anything to do with our weather - we've had a mild and extremely wet summer here.