This is an Aaron’s Skipper. I found it resting on a Spartina stem on a cool day last week. Its one of three skipper species that are dependent on salt marshes. The other two are Salt Marsh Skipper and the Rare Skipper. As caterpillars, all three species feed on grasses found only in the salt marsh. We are lucky to have an abundance of all three butterflies along the Delaware Bay. Both the Rare and Aaron’s are uncommon throughout much of their range. Indeed, that’s how the Rare Skipper got its name. The Rare Skipper wasn’t even known to occur in New Jersey until 1989. Cromartie and Schweitzer did a groundbreaking study on this species during this time.
Thanks to Dale Schweitzer for teaching me everything I know about skippers of the salt marsh!