Golden Banded-Skipper Autochton cellus

A large and luminous skipper. Actually fairly rare in the east. A separate population in the west. The gold bands glow in good light. Can be mistaken only for the much more common Silver-spotted Skipper and the Hoary Edge which both have duller bandings above. Found in rich woods where the Hog Peanut, Amphicarpa, its foodplant, grows.

Exterior flash shot showing the luminescence level of the band making this butterfly look like a duskywing with a fourteen karat racing stripe.