Observation date: July 25, 2022
Submitted by: Joshua C
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: I counted eight individuals of this species along the trail, which was a lifer for me today! This was by far the most cooperative skipper I found, it let me get close up for photos unlike other individuals which were for the most part more skittish. Others I saw today were considerably more active than nearby russet skipperlings they were sitting in the shade next to. On the butterfly I'm submitting here I captured an interesting behavior which I didn't notice in the field. I saw that it was excreting waste from it's abdomen when I was out there, and one of my photos show's it's proboscis touching or very nearly touching the tip of the abdomen in the middle of this process (the last photo shows this). Might it have been recycling nutrients from the waste?
Status: Resident
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: July 31, 2022
Coordinator notes: Yes, Dun Skipper! The behavior you observed (many butterflies do this) is thought to include siphoning electrolyte-rich fluids from damp soil, internally removing electrolytes from the liquid, then excretion (for lack of a better term) of the "waste" liquid. Use of the proboscis to "taste" the waste has a less clear purpose, but perhaps checking to see if there are more electrolytes to be extracted. thanks for the detailed field notes!
