Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper
Encyclopedia
Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus armoricanus) is a species of skipper
(family Hesperiidae). It is found throughout Europe
although it is commoner in the south and absent from the British Isles
and most of Scandinavia
.
Like all Pyrgus species, this can be very difficult to identify in the field. It has a wingspan
of 24-28 mm and the upperside of the forewings are often noticeably darker brown than other Pyrgus species, especially when fresh, with clear white markings. It resembles some smaller races of Large Grizzled Skipper
(P alveus) but can usually be recognized by the pale reddish brown colour of the under hindwings with a large pale central spot. P. armoricanus flies in May and June with a second generation in the south of the range in August and September. Adults of this second generation are usually smaller than those of the first.
The larva
feeds on Potentilla
species and Woodland Strawberry
(Fragaria vesca).
The species is named after the French
entomologist Charles Oberthür
(1845-1924) who originally described it.
Skipper (butterfly)
A skipper or skipper butterfly is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. They are named after their quick, darting flight habits. There are more than 3500 recognized species of skippers and they occur worldwide, but with the greatest diversity in the Neotropical regions of Central and South...
(family Hesperiidae). It is found throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
although it is commoner in the south and absent from the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
and most of Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
.
Like all Pyrgus species, this can be very difficult to identify in the field. It has a wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
of 24-28 mm and the upperside of the forewings are often noticeably darker brown than other Pyrgus species, especially when fresh, with clear white markings. It resembles some smaller races of Large Grizzled Skipper
Large Grizzled Skipper
The Large Grizzled Skipper is a species of skipper . It is distributed throughout most of continental Europe but is absent from Denmark and practically all European islands including Great Britain, Ireland, Azores, Balearic Islands, Channel Islands, Canary Islands, Crete, Cyprus, Iceland, etc.This...
(P alveus) but can usually be recognized by the pale reddish brown colour of the under hindwings with a large pale central spot. P. armoricanus flies in May and June with a second generation in the south of the range in August and September. Adults of this second generation are usually smaller than those of the first.
The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
feeds on Potentilla
Potentilla
Potentilla is the genus of typical cinquefoils, containing about 500 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the rose family Rosaceae. They are generally Holarctic in distribution, though some may even be found in montane biomes of the New Guinea Highlands...
species and Woodland Strawberry
Woodland Strawberry
Fragaria vesca, commonly called wild strawberries or woodland strawberry, is a plant that grows naturally throughout the Northern Hemisphere....
(Fragaria vesca).
The species is named after the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
entomologist Charles Oberthür
Charles Oberthür
Charles Oberthür was a French entomologist specializing in Lepidoptera. He was the son of François-Charles Oberthür.Oberthür named 42 new genera of moths -Works:...
(1845-1924) who originally described it.