St. Cecilia Principal and STEM Coordinator Estela Valdez and President Lydia Torrez aren’t afraid to get a little silly if it helps connect with students, but they’re serious about learning and the strong relationship the school has built with Twelve Hills. We regularly welcome students from the pre-K to 8th grade Catholic school as they explore nature and conservation, particularly the interconnected ecology of North Texas. From urban mammals and edible plants to the role of insects in the food chain, these young learners gain hands-on knowledge.
One such insect is the often-overlooked and misidentified skipper. Skippers, a group of butterflies in the Hesperiidae family, differ from moths and other butterflies in their stout, hairy bodies, hooked antennae, and rapid, skipping flight. While butterflies typically rest with their wings upright, skippers fold their hindwings flat and keep their forewings slightly raised, resembling a “jet plane” posture.
Though small, skippers play an outsized role in the Blackland Prairie ecosystem. These darting butterflies are vital pollinators, enabling wildflowers like goldenrod, coneflowers, and blazing stars to reproduce. Their stocky bodies collect and transfer pollen, supporting the prairie’s food web. Unlike honeybees, skippers can pollinate plants that other insects can’t reach, making them critical to biodiversity.
Their impact goes beyond pollination. Skipper caterpillars feed on native grasses like little bluestem and sideoats grama and, in turn, become sustenance for birds, frogs, and small mammals. Even their quirky habit of sleeping in rolled-up grass blades highlights the need for native grasslands as shelter.
With less than 1% of the Blackland Prairie remaining, skippers face habitat loss, pesticide use, and declining wildflowers. Restoration projects like ours are essential to ensure these tiny butterflies continue their big role in the ecosystem. Skippers are small but mighty champions of biodiversity and balance.
Speaking of silly, check out our bonus edit at the end with community organizer, Jason Roberts, and former OC resident Zac Lytle! We miss the whole Lytle family!
