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Three-spotted Skipper

Cymaenes tripunctus · Skippers

Three-spotted Skipper (Cymaenes tripunctus)
(c) Sean McCann, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA) · CC BY-NC-SA · via iNaturalist

Three-spotted Skipper (Cymaenes tripunctus) is in the Skippers family (Hesperiidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 2,248 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in September.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Three-spotted Skipper: observations by month (U.S.)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

About Three-spotted Skipper

Cymaenes tripunctus, known generally as the three-spotted skipper or dingy dotted skipper, is a species of grass skipper in the family of butterflies known as Hesperiidae. It is found in the Caribbean, Central America, North America, and South America.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Three-spotted Skipper by state

StateObservationsPeak monthMain season
Florida2,248SeptemberJun–Apr

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related butterflies (Skippers)

Photography tips

  • Butterflies are sluggish on cool mornings — the best time for close approaches.
  • Keep the sensor parallel to the wings for edge-to-edge sharpness.
  • Nectar plants in bloom are reliable places to wait.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Three-spotted Skipper?
Nationally, September has the most observations, with the main season from June to April.
Where is Three-spotted Skipper most often seen?
The most observations come from Florida.