Crab Spider vs Moth - BugGuide.Net

Looks like Delaware

Delawares are all orange underneath as this one is. Europeans usually (at least in MN) have some white dusting underneath. This one also appears to have orange fringe which also helps ID a Delaware. I always like photos of the upper wings to confirm, but it looks like a Delaware to me.

… Mo Whalen, 1 August, 2007 - 11:47pm

Moved

Moved from Spiders.

… Jeff Hollenbeck, 20 July, 2007 - 5:01pm

Tough call

On the skipper. Though it is not a Tawny-edge. Perhaps a European Skipper but I cannot be sure. Great crab shot though.

… Herschel Raney, 2 July, 2007 - 1:03pm

Not a moth

Hi Edith,
Welcome to bugguide! That's not a moth, it's a butterfly. A skipper to be more specific. I'm also from Thornhill and I see an abundance of skippers as well. I have yet to get a confirmed ID for them but skippers are notoriously difficult to ID to species. My best guess for the common ones thus far is the Tawny-Edged Skipper (Polites themistocles) though your specimen doesn't appear to match. You've submitted beautiful images! I'm also quite jealous because I've search for a long while for a crab spider in this area to no avail. I've only found them in Kingston.

Out of curiosity, are you talking about the ravine by John and Leslie? Or Pomona valley by chance? These are some of my regular photographing locations.

… David Kleiman, 2 July, 2007 - 1:03am

Not a moth

Hi David,

Thank you so much for your replies. I did not know they were butterflies and I appreciate the ID. I was in the field by the water and the butterflies were everywhere and they were fast. So when I saw one just hanging there I thought it was enjoying that particular flower. The crab spider was so camouflaged that it took me a while to notice the butterflies predicament.

The ravine in question is John and Leslie. I find a lot of species as you can well imagine.

Being new to this site I have not checked out your images, but will enjoy it as I may see some things in common.

Thanks again

… Edith Kangas, 2 July, 2007 - 7:29am