Yellow-banded Skipper
Encyclopedia
The Yellow-banded Skipper (Pyrgus sidae) is a species of skipper
(family Hesperiidae). It is found in southern and eastern Europe
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Pyrgus species are usually difficult to separate in the field but P. sidae is a notable exception. It is the largest member of the genus found in Europe with a wingspan
of 32-38 mm and can be instantly recognized by two bold black-edged yellow bands on the underside of the hindwings. The dark brown upper forewings are also boldly marked with numerous large white spots. The adults fly in June and July.
The larva
l food plant is Abutilon avicennae
.
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 in southern and eastern 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...
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Pyrgus species are usually difficult to separate in the field but P. sidae is a notable exception. It is the largest member of the genus found in Europe with 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 32-38 mm and can be instantly recognized by two bold black-edged yellow bands on the underside of the hindwings. The dark brown upper forewings are also boldly marked with numerous large white spots. The adults fly in June and July.
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...
l food plant is Abutilon avicennae
Abutilon
Abutilon is a large genus of approximately 150 species of broadleaf evergreens in the mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus includes annuals, perennials, shrubs, and small trees from 1–10 m tall, and is found in the tropical and subtropical regions of all continents. The leaves are alternate,...
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