Skipper Butterfly (possibly Zabulon or Hobomok) on a leaf at Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve in Alexandria, Virginia.
Here is a small Skipper butterfly I photographed at Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve in Alexandria, Virginia. I believe it is a Zabulon Skipper, but it might be a Hobomok Skipper. There are so many species of Skipper and some can be difficult to tell apart.
Skippers tend to be small butterflies, and they have a distinctive look when they land, often folding up their wings in little triangular patterns. They are called skippers because of how they fly, quickly skipping around.
I found this one perched on a leaf in some brush along a trail that parallels the edge of the Potomac River, with a small wooded area just beyond. I’ve read the males often sit on leaves watching for females, so perhaps this was a male Skipper.
If you happen to know exactly what species of Skipper this is please comment below and let me know. What markers did you use to identify it?
