Fiery Skipper sleeping in the sunflower

A few evenings ago, I noticed this lovely little butterfly sleeping in one of the Delta Sunflowers. What great camouflage!

I had never seen one of these butterflies before.

It is a Fiery Skipper Hylephila phyleus

The butterfly was still sleeping in the same place the next morning while we still had some light fog, but as soon as the air got warmer, it flew away.

These butterflies can be found in the Southern United States south through the West Indies and Central America to Argentina, and in the Western United States including California.

Various grasses are host plants for their caterpillars.

Asters are some of their nectar plants.

I can't wait for our climbing aster plant to start producing flowers!