Male. Taken at Aston Upthorpe Downs, Oxon., on May 20th 2023. (© David Hastings)
(1/640th sec at f13)

Male underside. Taken at Ardley Quarry, Oxon., on July 5th 2019 (© David Hastings)
(1/640th sec at f14)

Female. Taken at Aston Upthorpe Downs, Oxon, on May 20th 2023. (© David Hastings)
(1/640th sec at f11)

Female. Taken at ABernwood Forest, Bucks, on 9th June 2020. (© David Hastings)
(1/500th sec at f13)

Description

Family: Hesperiidae

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.

The Grizzled Skipper is mainly found in southern England. It has been declining generally, mainly 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.

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.

The primary larval foodplants are Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), Creeping Cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans) and Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca).

Spring flowers such as Bugle are used as nectar sources.

Males compete for territories, engaging in fierce aerial battles, whereas females fly low over the ground looking for egg-laying sites.

Vulnerable

Earliest UK sighting: 12th April ; Latest UK sighting: 11th June

Sightings