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Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.
Butterflies of Britain & Europe
 
Grizzled Skipper
Pyrgus malvae LINNAEUS, 1758
Family - HESPERIIDAE
subfamily - PYRGINAE
Tribe - PYRGINI
 
 introduction | habitats | lifecycle | adult behaviour
 
Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae, male, West Sussex, England
 
Introduction
 
The Grizzled Skipper flies very rapidly, usually very close to the ground, and is difficult to follow in flight. As a result of it's small size, rapid and erratic flight pattern, and lack of bright colours, it is easily overlooked and certainly under-recorded. Transect analysis however provides evidence of the butterfly's decline in the UK, where it is now regarded as a localised and fairly scarce species.
 
It is distributed throughout most of Europe but absent from Scotland, Ireland, northern Scandinavia and most Mediterranean islands. Beyond Europe it occurs from northern Turkey, across temperate Asia to northern China and Korea.
 
The sexes can be distinguished easily - males have a fold along the leading edge of the forewings. This fold contains androconia which release pheromones. Over a period of several days these become exhausted. Females are able to assess the age and virility of the males by "reading" the strength of the remaining pheromones.
 
The Grizzled Skipper cannot be mistaken for any other species in Britain, but there are a large number of very similar Pyrgus, Spialia and Muschampia species found in other parts of it's range with which it can very easily be confused.
 
Grizzled Skippers like broken ground with lots of rubble. This provides a warm microhabitat and encourages germination of the larval foodplants Potentilla, Fragaria and Agrimonia
 
Habitats
 
In Britain this species is widespread throughout central and southern counties, but it's range has contracted dramatically in recent years. It is now very localised, but can still be found in reasonable numbers on many chalk grassland sites; and small colonies persist in certain woodlands, where it breeds in clearings, and along the edges of forest tracks. Other habitats include disused railway cuttings, abandoned quarries, scree slopes, and limestone pavements.
 
Grizzled Skipper sites are always in sheltered sunny situations, and are characterised by having substantial areas of broken ground in the form of rabbit scrapes, eroded banks, or disturbed ground. These bare areas encourage germination of the larval foodplants, and provide the warm microclimate which is essential to the butterfly.
 
Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae, Stockbridge Down, Hampshire, England
 
Lifecycle
 
The flight season tends to be greatly affected by climatic conditions in early spring. In forward seasons the butterflies can appear in early April, but they may not emerge until May in a late season. Numbers tend to build up gradually throughout May, and in late seasons the butterfly can often still be found in mid-June. In Europe there is a partial 2nd brood emerging in August, but records of a 2nd brood in Britain are extremely rare.
 
The greenish white eggs are laid singly in May on the undersides of leaves of creeping cinquefoil Potentilla repens, tormentil P. erecta, wild strawberry Fragaria vesca, or agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria.
 
When small, the caterpillar is yellowish, and rests along the midrib on the upper surface of leaves. It produces characteristic blotches nibbled out of the upper cuticle. When older it becomes dark green with narrow brown stripes along the back and sides. It lives within a folded leaf spun together with a few strands of silk.
 
Pupation takes place in August. The pupa is formed within a thin net-like cocoon spun near the base of the foodplant. It is very distinctive, with the abdomen and thorax dark brown, and the wing cases greenish white. The pupal stage lasts from August until the following April or May.
 
Adult behaviour

 

Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae, male at roost on plantain

 

The butterflies are extremely active, usually seen zigzagging or buzzing in tight circles just above the surface of the ground, but they seldom fly more than a few metres from their emergence site. They are very difficult to follow with the eye, and in flight can very easily be mistaken for large flies.

 

Grizzled Skippers are usually seen in small groups, with 2 or 3 males having overlapping territories. Each male perches on it's own particular leaf or stone - a lookout post from which it will instantly dart up to challenge any fly, bee or butterfly that comes within range. When 2 males meet, they spiral rapidly together to a height of about 2 metres, after which each male returns to it's original perching place.

 

Courtship is very brief. When a male intercepts a female, he flies close behind her until she settles on the ground. He then lands next to her, buzzing excitedly around her during which time she is able to assess his virility by evaluating the strength of his pheromones. If the female is receptive she raises her wings, allowing the male to move alongside her. The male then curves his abdomen around to make sexual contact. The pair then adjust position to face away from each other, and bask with their wings almost fully outspread. Copulation takes place in the late morning, and lasts for about an hour.

 

Favourite nectar sources of the Grizzled Skipper include bird's foot trefoil, bugle, ground ivy, buttercups, daisies, violets, hawkbit and dandelions.

 

Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae, male perching on ribwort plantain

 

Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae, male at roost on bramble

 

In overcast but warm weather the butterflies often bask on bare soil, stones or low herbage, but in sunny conditions they prefer to bask on grass-heads.

 

In late afternoon they go to roost on dead flower-heads, particularly favouring St John's wort and marjoram, but will also roost on grass heads or at the tips of bramble sprigs.

 

                                                       
Almost every British and European species of butterfly is declining rapidly in numbers, due in most cases to loss or degradation of habitats.
 
You can help to reverse the decline by supporting conservation organisations which purchase and manage habitats as nature reserves, and which lobby government at local, national and international levels, often very successfully, to bring about changes in farming, forestry and urban development policies.
 
Please contact the conservation organisations for advice on how you can help protect British and European butterflies and their habitats. You may be able to offer practical help e.g. by monitoring butterfly populations or helping to manage nature reserves. Donations to these organisations enable them to employ ecologists and biologists. Even if you are unable to provide such help, merely having your name on the membership list can be a powerful tool for conservation organisations wishing to demonstrate the levels of support they have for their policies.

 

 
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