57.002 Pyrgus malvae (Grizzled Skipper)
ws: 23-29mm; May-Jun, occasionally bivoltine Aug; wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca), creeping cinqufoil / tormentil (Potentilla reptans/erecta), agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), bramble (Rubus fruticosus); local and declining mainly on chalk and limestone soils in south and central England and south Wales.
ID: Somewhat similar to Erynnis targes (Dingy Skipper) but that species lacks the obviously chequered pattern of P.malvae.
There are several named aberrant forms of P.malvae, involving varying degrees of coalescence of the white spots
There are several named aberrant forms of P.malvae, involving varying degrees of coalescence of the white spots
DIssection
Female genitalia
§1 Merthyr Mawr, Glamorgan; 20/05/2011; female
§2 Fouldon Common, Norfolk; 15/05/2015
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Fouldon Common, Norfolk; 15/05/2015
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 27/04/2014 (§1) | §2 added 01/12/2015