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Butterflies of
Britain & Europe
Silver-spotted
Skipper
Hesperia comma
LINNAEUS, 1758
Family - HESPERIIDAE
subfamily -
HESPERIINAE
introduction
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habitats |
lifecycle |
adult behaviour
Text and images protected by Copyright © Adrian
Hoskins 2007-2008, ( unless stated otherwise ) and must not be reproduced or published in part
or in whole elsewhere in any form without written permission from
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Silver-spotted Skipper
Hesperia comma, male, Hampshire, England
Introduction
The
Silver-spotted Skipper is widely distributed in Europe, but absent from northern
Britain, lowland areas of Spain and Portugal, southern Italy, the Mediterranean
islands, and the Balkans. Beyond Europe it occurs in the Atlas mountains of
Morocco, and across Asia to Amurland. It is also widespread in Canada and the western USA, where it is known as the Holarctic Grass
Skipper.
The
upperside pattern is typical of Hesperiines throughout the world, but in Europe
it cannot be confused with any other species except the Large Skipper
Ochlodes venata,
which is more brightly marked on the upperside, and lacks the distinctive silver
spots on the underside hindwings of
comma.
Silver-spotted Skipper
Hesperia comma, Hampshire,
England
Habitats
In Europe this butterfly
can be found in a very wide range of grassy habitats, and even occurs high on
mountains at altitudes of up to 2300m.
In Britain the butterfly
was formerly found across most of southern and central England, but contracted
it's range severely during the 20th century, largely as a result of the
elimination of it's larval foodplant, sheep's fescue grass, from many former
sites as a result of agricultural improvement, afforestation, and urbanisation.
The spread of myxomatosis, which greatly reduced the populations of rabbits
during the latter half of the 20th century also resulted in a mass of local
extinctions, as sites on deeper soils quickly became overgrown with rank
grasses.
Silver-spotted Skipper
Hesperia comma, male, Hampshire, England
At it's sites in southern
Britain the species is restricted to well drained and thinly soiled calcareous
grasslands where sheep's fescue grass grows sparsely. Extensive areas of bare
ground are a vital element - Silver-spotted Skipper sites are typified by the
sward being pock-marked with myriads of small bare patches exposed by rabbit
excavations.
Silver-spotted Skipper
Hesperia comma, male, Hampshire, England
At most sites the
populations are restricted to a limited area, typically on the upper slopes of
south or east facing hillsides. However, at sites which are particularly exposed
to the wind, or at higher altitudes, the populations tend to be limited to
sheltered areas at the base of hills.
Silver-spotted Skipper
Hesperia comma, male, Hampshire, England
Lifecycle
In Europe and most of North
America the butterfly is single-brooded, but in Alaska the
lifecycle takes 2 years to complete - the first winter spent as
an egg, and the second as a fully grown caterpillar or
chrysalis. In the hotter parts of the Mediterranean the species
over-winters as a fully grown larva, amongst grass roots.
In Britain the butterflies emerge in
mid-late
July, and have a short flight period - no more than 2 or 3
weeks. At higher altitude sites such as Old Winchester Hill in
Hampshire, the emergence time is generally about a week later
than elsewhere.
Silver-spotted Skipper
Hesperia comma, female ovipositing, Hampshire, England
When ovipositing
females extend their abdomen forward and probe about for about
30 seconds until they locate a suitable blade of grass to lay
on. The large
straw-coloured eggs are laid singly, or occasionally in two's
and three's, on the narrow leaf blades of sheep's fescue grass Festuca ovina.
They are usually, but not always, laid on grasses at the edge of
rabbit scrapes or other bare soil patches.
The larvae are fully developed
within the eggs by early autumn, but do not hatch until the
following March. They feed nocturnally on the fine tender leaf
blades, sheltering by day in a flimsy silken tent spun at the
base of a grass tuft. When fully grown they are dark green,
with a black head, and very wrinkled in appearance.
The pupa has a dark brown
abdomen, and blackish wing cases and head. It is formed within a
cocoon of coarse silk,
at the base of grass tufts. The butterfly
develops very quickly, emerging after only about 7 days.
Silver-spotted Skipper
Hesperia comma, female, Hampshire,
England
Adult behaviour
Silver-spotted Skippers only fly on warm sunny days. They are then extremely active, having a very rapid darting flight, zig-zagging just above the surface of the ground, and are very difficult to follow with the eye.
In warm but hazy or lightly overcast conditions, they sometimes bask in rabbit scrapes, hoof prints, or on the leaves of sprawling brambles.
Silver-spotted Skipper Hesperia comma, male, Hampshire, England
Both sexes nectar avidly at low growing flowers including stemless thistle, carline thistle, eyebright, stonecrop, bird's foot trefoil, self heal, small scabious, lady's bedstraw, red clover, hawkbit, devil's bit scabious and autumn gentian. However, by far the most highly favoured nectar source is wild basil - in August 2007, at Broughton Down, I watched one particular male visit 17 different wild basil flowers in quick succession, while completely ignoring all other flower species.
Silver-spotted Skipper Hesperia comma, male, Hampshire, England
Males occupy loosely defined overlapping territories, where they fly continuously from flower to flower, stopping periodically to bask on patches of bare ground, or on low herbage. They fly up instantly to intercept and investigate almost any small, rapidly flying insect, including flies, small bees, moths and other butterflies, but completely ignore Burnet moths and larger butterflies.
During male / male encounters, the butterflies zigzag rapidly, close to the ground, and then spiral upwards in tight circles until the weaker male is ousted, whereupon the other male returns to within a few metres of it's original position.
When the sexes meet, the female is forced to land on the ground, usually in a tuft of grass, where she vibrates her wings rapidly. The male lands alongside her, and buzzes excitedly around her, showering her with pheromones from his androconial scales. The female then flies in a series of short hops, until she finds a comfortable spot to settle, and the male then settles by her side, curving his abdomen round until he engages her. He then slowly turns to face away from her, after which the pair remain stationary in copulation for about 2 hours.
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