These videos are designed to help you learn to identify the skippers of Northeastern North America.
Frankly, many butterfly enthusiasts are stymied by the skippers. Their small size, muted coloration,
and the reality of differing forms may account for this difficulty. Most skippers, however, are readily
identifiable in the field with the aid of close focusing binoculars. While there are a few legitimate
identification problems among our skippers, most have definitive markings that will enable you to
identify these butterflies quickly and with confidence.
I have arranged this presentation not in the typical taxonomic order of field guides, but rather,
in learning groups. Similar looking skippers as well as species that regularly fly together in the
same habitat are placed together to allow for contrast and comparison. While this video presentation
will give you an important head start in skipper identification, the printed field guide is still the
best and most effective field tool. So keep your field guide close at hand while viewing the video;
compare the video presentation to the still image format of the field guide making annotations that
will be helpful in the field.
Besides a familiarity with basic butterfly terminology such as forewing and hindwing and dorsal (upper)
and ventral (lower) wing surfaces, an awareness of relative size is an extremely useful tool in identifying
skippers. While measurements and comparative descriptions offer some help, field experience is the most
effective teacher of each species relative size. Knowing the flight periods for the various species in
your area is also important.
Good luck - and enjoy the skippers!
All video is the property of Richard K. Walton and all rights are reserved.
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