Essex skipper Essex skipper The Essex skipper ("Thymelicus lineola") is a butterfly in family Hesperiidae. In North America, it is known as the European skipper. With a wingspan of 2.5 to 2.9 cm, it is very similar in appearance to the small skipper "Thymelicus sylvestris". They can be told apart by the undersides of the tips of their antennae: the Essex skipper's antennae are black, whereas those of the small skipper are orange. This butterfly occurs throughout much of the Palaearctic region. Its range is from southern Scandinavia through Europe to North Africa and east to Central Asia It was only identified
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