Small skipper Small skipper The small skipper ("Thymelicus sylvestris") is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It has a rusty orange colour to the wings, upper body and the tips of the antennae. The body is silvery white below and it has a wingspan of 25–30 mm. This butterfly is very similar in appearance to the Essex skipper ("Thymelicus lineola"). In the small skipper, the undersides of the tips of the antennae are yellow orange, whereas they are black in the Essex skipper. The black area on the lower edge of the upper wings also differs. Like the other orange grass skippers
Crystal skipper human-made dredge spoil islands that have been colonized by seaside little bluestem. The crystal skipper is globally rare but locally abundant. Much of the sand dunes on Bogue Banks have been destroyed by development, leaving little habitat for the crystal skipper outside the two state parks. The crystal skipper is a federal species of concern. A “species of concern” is an informal designation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is not a term that is defined under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The crystal skipper is not federally listed as threatened or endangered. Insects cannot be listed under