# Delaware Skipper (*Anatrytone logan*) The Delaware Skipper is a small, colorful butterfly that flutters around fields and meadows. With its bright orange and brown wings, it loves to sip nectar from flowers. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Delaware Skipper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Delaware_Skipper_%28Anatrytone_logan%29_%289287432529%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Aaron Carlson from Menomonie, WI, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Delaware_Skipper_%28Anatrytone_logan%29_%289287432529%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Delaware Skipper is a medium-sized butterfly with striking, bright orange-yellow wings that have distinctive dark brown borders. Males are often brighter and feature a prominent dark, oval-shaped stigma on their forewings, which helps distinguish them. Their antennae are hooked at the tips, a classic skipper trait. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Hesperiidae - **Genus:** Atrytone ## Interesting facts - Baby Delaware Skippers are very picky eaters and only munch on specific types of grass, like switchgrass. - Did you know Delaware Skippers have super strong flight muscles for their size, letting them zip through the air! - They don't just use their mouths; Delaware Skippers actually "taste" plants with their feet to find tasty leaves! - Unlike most butterflies, skippers have thick bodies and hooked antennae, making them look a bit like moths! ## Special abilities - **Skipping Flight:** Delaware Skipper can fly with a unique 'skipping' motion using powerful flight muscles to quickly dodge predators. - **Nectar Sucker:** Delaware Skipper has a long, coiled proboscis, like a tiny straw, that helps them drink nectar from deep flowers. - **Grass Dweller:** Baby Delaware Skippers build tiny shelters by tying grass blades together, which helps them hide from hungry birds. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 30-40 mm - **Size:** 13-17 mm - **Lifespan:** 7-14 days - **Flight Speed:** 25 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adult Delaware Skippers sip sweet flower nectar, while their babies munch on leafy grasses. - **Age differences:** Larvae feed on specific types of grass leaves, while adults exclusively consume nectar from various flowers. - **Primary Foods:** flower nectar, switchgrass leaves, big bluestem leaves, Indian grass leaves - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Switchgrass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/switchgrass) (*Panicum virgatum*) — Larvae munch on its leaves. - **Pollinates:** [Common Milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) — Drinks nectar and helps spread pollen. - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Kingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-kingbird) (*Tyrannus tyrannus*) — A common bird that hunts adult skippers. - **Eats:** Indian Grass (*Sorghastrum nutans*) — Larvae use its blades as food and shelter. ## Traits - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch butterflies from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Delaware Skipper? Compare the wing outline, spots, bands, eyespots and wing edges. The underside can look completely different from the top. Check for tails, the antennae and where the markings sit instead of relying on color alone. Butterfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Delaware Skipper's wingspan? 30-40 mm ### How big is Delaware Skipper? 13-17 mm ### How long does Delaware Skipper live? 7-14 days ### How fast can Delaware Skipper fly? 25 km/h ### What does Delaware Skipper eat? Adult Delaware Skippers sip sweet flower nectar, while their babies munch on leafy grasses. ### Where is Delaware Skipper usually found? Grasslands ### How does Delaware Skipper hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Goethe State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/goethe-state-forest) — Florida, US · Forest - [Sioux County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sioux-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Delaware Skipper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/delaware-skipper)