19 June 2009
European skipper on ox-eye daisy
Those of you who enjoy butterflies know that skippers are hard to photograph because they are the epitome of short-attention-span fliers (and thus their common name). I was lucky to get this shot yesterday at Goose Lake park south of Madison. I don't know whether this is the common European skipper or the seldom-seen Ottoe. I'll be hiking with some experts tomorrow, so I'll seek an opinion then and will update the post thereafter. Click to enlarge to fullscreen.
Addendum: An experienced butterfly enthusiast assured me that the above is a European skipper (Thymelicus lineola), not the Ottoe. There is a nice photo gallery of Skippers at this link.
good catch... I am tempted to say common just because of the area and the wing coloring but I would definitely hold out for the experts.
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