Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae)

Family: Hesperiidae Checklist: 57.002

 
Description
Wing span: 23-29 mm. The Grizzled Skipper looks rather like a moth. The black and white pattern on the wings, from which this species gets its name, is unmistakable. It is mainly found in southern England. It has been declining generally, probably because of habitat loss. This species occurs in habitats that are characterised by warmth, shelter, and sparse vegetation, such as chalk downland, woodland edges, woodland clearings, large woodland rides, unimproved grassland, hillsides, valleys and occasionally heathland.
 
Images (click to enlarge)
Grizzled Skipper ♂ © David Hastings
Grizzled Skipper ♂ underside © David Hastings
Grizzled Skipper ♀ © David Hastings
Grizzled Skipper ♀ underside © David Hastings
Male Male underside Female Female underside
 
Life Cycle
Adults are usually on the wing from mid-April to the end of June. There can be a small second brood in favourable years. The species over-winters as a pupa.
 
Larval Foodplants
The primary larval foodplants are Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), Creeping Cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans) and Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca).
 
Nectar Sources
Spring flowers such as Bugle are used as nectar sources.
 
UK Conservation Status
Vulnerable
 
Earliest UTB first sighting (since 2004) : 8th April
Mean UTB first sighting (since 2004) : 18th April
 
Species Champion
David Hastings
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Reports
 
Distribution and Sites
 

Key
1 sighting 2-9 max seen 10+ max seen
This species is a habitat specialist. It can be found at these sites:
Berkshire
Crookham Common
Greenham Common
Lardon Chase
The Holies
Buckinghamshire
Blue Lagoon
Calvert Jubilee
Dancersend
Finemere Wood
Grangelands
Holtspur Valley
Homefield Wood
Howe Park Wood
Incombe Hole
Ivinghoe Beacon
Lodge Hill
Pitstone Quarry
Prestwood LNR
Yoesden Bank
Oxfordshire
Ardley Wood Quarry
Aston Rowant NNR
Aston Upthorpe Downs
Radley Lakes
Warburg Reserve

 
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