Crystal skipper Crystal skipper Atrytonopsis quinteri, the crystal skipper is a newly described butterfly (family Hesperiidae) that is found only along a 30-mile (50 km) stretch of barrier islands in North Carolina. The skipper was first discovered in 1978 and the paper describing it as a full species was published in 2015. The crystal skipper is endemic to Bogue Banks and Bear Island in North Carolina, USA. Bogue Banks is approximately 25 miles long and Bear Island is about 3.5 miles long. The skipper is also found on several human-made dredge spoil islands within the vicinity of these two natural barrier islands.
Crystal skipper in the spring of the second year are the grandchildren of the brood from the previous spring. The crystal skipper lays its eggs on seaside little bluestem, "Schizachyrium littorale", and the caterpillars feed on this grass. The crystal skipper is found along primary and secondary sand dunes where its hostplant, seaside little bluestem ("Schizachyrium littorale"), is present. Although the largest and most dense populations of the skipper are usually on undisturbed sand dunes, the skipper can also persist in small patches of sand dune habitat, such as undeveloped lots in urban areas. Additionally, the crystal skipper is found on several