Stories

Eulogy for a Skipper

Today I said goodbye to a small Peck’s Skipper. She measured less than an inch.

A Peck’s Skipper on the Butterfly Bush

Today I said goodbye to a small Peck’s Skipper. She measures less than an inch.

I picked her up as she lay on the cement in my driveway, unable to fly. She clung onto the leaf I offered, and I placed her on the sage, close to the ground, but she wasn’t really able to hold on.

I took her inside, fully aware that the only thing I could do for her was to protect her from scavengers and predators, and nothing more than that.

She kept twitching for a long time, and it occurred to me that she might have been exposed to a pesticide, but I pushed the thought away. Fortunately this is not a wealthy neighborhood, and lawns are minimally manicured (or sprayed).

I reminded myself that skippers only live for a few weeks - a month, maybe. She may just have reached the end of her lifecycle.

But nonetheless, she deserved a eulogy. Here it is.

But a few days of summer
Is all my life's worth
Led as I am -
Despite myself-
By a drive
To no end.

I didn’t take any pictures, because it didn’t feel quite right. So the pictures you see are of what may or may not be a different skipper, shot on a different day.

I really suck at this acceptance thing, don’t I? I guess this could be a good reason to be into spiders. They live much longer.

(And yes, I already see a therapist, in case you were wondering.)