Silver-Spotted Skipper Butterflies: 5 Things to Know
Updated: Nov. 12, 2020
Learn more about silver-spotted skippers, including how to identify these butterflies and how to attract them to your backyard.
1. What Do Silver-Spotted Skippers Look Like?
To identify these 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.
Need more help identifying butterflies? Here’s a cheat sheet.
2. Where to Find Silver-Spotted Skippers
The silver-spotted skipper is found in most of the continental U.S. and southern Canada near roadsides, gardens, fields and woodland edges.
3. How to Attract Silver-Spotted Skippers
Plant common milkweed, blazing star and thistles to attract more silver-spotted skippers to your garden. Check out these 16 long-blooming flowers for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.
4. Where Do Silver-Spotted Skippers Lay Eggs?
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.
5. What Silver-Spotted Skipper Caterpillars Look Like
A yellow body and a brown-red head with bold eye spots help skipper caterpillars stand out. To attract more butterflies to your backyard, plant at caterpillar cafe in your garden.
