Silver-Spotted Skipper Butterfly: 5 Things to Know

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What Does a Silver-Spotted Skipper Look Like?

To identify these small butterflies, it’s important to know their size and markings. Silver-spotted skippers have a wingspan of 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 inches. The upperside of the wings is dark brown with a long golden orange section toward the center. The hindwings have a prominent silver-white spot.

Meet the vast (and fast!) skipper butterfly family.

Range Map and Habitat

251463167 1 Gayle Nelson Bnb Bypc2020 — Blazing star is a favorite nectar flower for this butterfly.

The silver-spotted skipper is found in most of the continental U.S. and southern Canada near roadsides, gardens, fields and woodland edges.

“Since I started gardening, I have discovered several skipper species. At the neighborhood teaching garden, the kids like learning about the butterflies that visit. They get a kick out of trying to say ‘silver-spotted skipper’ fast three times,” says Birds & Blooms reader Eva Bellinger of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

Meet the tiny fiery skipper butterfly.

How to Attract Silver-Spotted Skippers

Plant common milkweed, blazing star and thistles to attract more silver-spotted skippers to your garden.

Learn how to identify and attract a long-tailed skipper butterfly.

Host Plants

Their host plants include black locust, false indigo, American wisteria and honey locust. Females lay single green (sometimes appearing white) eggs on or near the plants.

Learn what a pearl crescent butterfly looks like.

What Do Silver-Spotted Skipper Caterpillars Look Like?

A silver spotted skipper caterpillar sitting on a leaf. — Unlike the butterfly, the caterpillar is primarily yellow in color.

A yellow body and a brown-red head with bold eye spots help skipper caterpillars stand out.

Next, discover fascinating butterfly facts you didn’t know.

Author

Molly Jasinski

Molly Jasinski worked as an editor, writer, and social media manager for Birds & Blooms. She has a degree in print journalism and is a member of the nonprofit Friends of Wehr Nature Center in Franklin, Wisconsin.

Reviewer

Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman

As a teenager in the 1970s, Kenn Kaufman hitch-hiked all over North America in pursuit of birds, an adventure later chronicled in his cult-classic book Kingbird Highway. After several years as a professional nature tour leader, taking groups to all seven continents, he transitioned to a career as a writer, editor, and illustrator. His 14 books incl...

Fact Checker

Kirsten Schrader

Now Birds & Blooms' content director, Kirsten has been writing about birding and gardening for 17 years. Her writing and editing roles have spanned the print and digital landscape. Although she has traveled to see amazing birds throughout the U.S., Kirsten has one dream bucket list bird—the male painted bunting.