Keep Your Eyes Peeled For A Dakota Skipper In ND.

If you are out and about in the prairie, keep your eyes peeled for the Dakota Skipper - for literally if you blink a couple of times you will miss it. This is an endangered butterfly - and it is quite popular with many who are trying to track them down. According to Amy R. Sisk, The Bismarck Tribune  One of those surveyors is Luke Toso, who in early July can often be found among "a bunch of guys with hats and cameras stumbling around the prairie looking for butterflies,"

                     "It's a very limited amount of time to get to know this species,"

Unfortunately, for those that are out there trying to locate the Skippers, they will have a very small window to do so - Bismarck Tribune reported that the Dakota Skipper can be seen flying around the prairie for about two to three weeks in the early summer. In that short time, the Skipper will have enough time to mate, lay their eggs and then die - a rather short life span wouldn't you say?

                    So now where can you find these butterflies?

The loss of habitat has essentially grounded the Skippers from flying around in other areas of the country - they used to be found in Iowa and in some parts of Illinois - but now their home is in the plains of North Dakota.

                   How long have the butterflies been endangered?

Bismarck Tribunes reports that back in 2014 the Skipper was listed as threatened, meaning it's on the verge of becoming endangered -  Here is hoping you will see a Dakota Skipper someday!