SILVER-SPOTTED SKIPPER, WILD BERGAMOT AND CRIMSON BERGAMOT

An area we often go to has a garden bed in front of the old house full of flowers for pollinators. I was hoping to see butterflies and I did (sort of), but not the kind I was hoping for. The lady closing up the visitor center saw me looking and started chatting to me. I asked her if she had seen any butterflies. She mentioned a couple of swallowtails earlier in the day but there were none to be found. I instead found Skippers and I was delighted that they appeared for a little while. I am hoping once it gets warmer, I will be there to see other flutter-byes. 

This was a Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus). Skippers are a type of butterfly and belong to the butterfly family Hesperiidae, but there are a few generalities about skippers that set them apart from other butterflies. They are much smaller, usually with wingspans no more than 1-1/4 inches. They also have short, stocky bodies compared to butterflies and fly much faster, reaching speeds of over 30 mph while flying. (Butterflies clock in between 5 mph and 12 mph.) 

Skippers in general get their name because of their fast, darting flight pattern, which makes it look like they are skipping through the air. The Silver-spotted Skipper get its name because of the striking, metallic-silver patch on the underside of their hindwings. This particular type of Skipper is widely regarded as the most recognized and widespread skipper in North America, stretching from southern Canada down into northern Mexico. 

This one landed on a Wild Bergamot flower, also called Beebalm. It is native to North America and naturally widespread across the continent, covering most of the United States and southern Canada, ranging from the East Coast to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. These looked a little past their peak blooming time, but the little skipper was happy.  

I very much enjoyed finding information online about these flowers and learned that Wild bergamot has been a plant of cultural significance, particularly among Native American tribes. It was commonly used in ceremonies and believed to have protective and purifying properties. One remarkable legend speaks of wild bergamot being used by the Lakota people as a spiritual safeguard during the Sun Dance, one of the most important traditions for Plains Indians. 

Above is the Crimson Bee Balm, also native to North America. Its colors can be brilliant crimson, scarlet red or deep pink. It is also called Oswego Tea because early American colonists and Native Americans brewed its fragrant leaves for tea.

I hope you have enjoyed looking, thank you so much for visiting!  I wish you a very enjoyable continued week.