| Safflower skipper | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pyrgus carthami, upperside | |
 | |
| Pyrgus sidae and Pyrgus carthami, underside | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Hesperiidae |
| Genus: | Pyrgus |
| Species: | P. carthami |
| Binomial name | |
| Pyrgus carthami (Hübner, 1813) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
List
| |
The safflower skipper (Pyrgus carthami) is a species of skipper butterfly (family Hesperiidae).
The wingspan is 30–34 mm, the female being on average slightly larger than the male. This species is typical of the genus and it is the largest European Pyrgus . The upperside of the wings is greyish brown. On the upperside of the forewing there are a basal grey and white fringe of hair and variables quadrangular white patches, with a cell spot in the form of a Greek capital sigma (Σ). The upperside hindwing shows a submarginal line of white spots and a postdiscal line of oval whitish spots. The underside of the forewings is lighter, greenish brown with white markings, while in the hindwings there are large brown and white patches bordered with dark grey and a white submarginal area. [2] The caterpillar is mainly olive brown to beige with a blackish chest.
This species is rather similar to Pyrgus alveus , Pyrgus armoricanus , Pyrgus serratulae and Pyrgus malvae . It can be difficult to separate this species from its congeners. It is most often confused with the large grizzled skipper (P. alveus) as the two species are often found in similar habitats. P. carthami can usually be separated from this species by the more closely grouped white spots on the forewing and a band of evenly sized pale spots in the postdiscal area of the hindwing.
Pyrgus carthami is distributed from the Iberian Peninsula to the Balkans and Central Europe (here up to a maximum of 54 degrees of latitude). In the east the distribution extends to the southern Urals and the northwestern Caucasus. [3] This species is absent from North Africa, peninsular Italy, northern France, the British Isles and Scandinavia. [4] [5]
It frequents dry, sunny slopes, clearings, meadows and other grassy places. However the main habitats of Pyrgus carthami are mostly dry grasslands. On the Mainfränkische Platten (Bavaria) these are in particular Carex humilis dominated dry grasslands. In many cases, these are also locations with open rocks and gravel heaps on former shell limestone mining areas. In this natural area there are rocky locations, especially on corrugated limestone, in the Franconian Jura on Malm or along dolomite rocks. The imagos stay largely in the larval habitat or in its immediate vicinity. [3]
A single generation is produced each year. It overwinters in the caterpillar stage. The adult is on the wing from May until September. However in central Europe the flight period extends from the beginning of May to mid-July, rarely until the beginning of August. The annual flight period of a population is, however, much shorter and extends usually over a period of four weeks. Most of the butterfly observations is in June. The reports decrease towards the end of June. [3]
Typical egg-laying sites and caterpillar sites are exposed to strong sunlight, but are not only found on slopes facing south or west, but can also be on flat surfaces. They have little plant cover with high proportions of raw soil, rocks or weathered gravel. The sparse vegetation consists sometimes only from individual cinquefoil cushions. Also newly created embankments, e.g. in the course of road construction work from lime shards, are used as larval habitat after the host plant has settled. Even in the best of habitats, multiple butterflies are rarely seen. This is due on the one hand to the fast flight and the good camouflage of the butterflies when sitting, which makes them difficult to find, but on the other hand also to the low densities even in optimal habitats. Although in some parts of its range Pyrgus carthami is fairly common. The males show a sitting behavior when looking for a partner and after disturbance occupy their territories again, even if not always at the same seat guard. In their surroundings they regularly fly over sparsely vegetated areas.
So far, only Potentilla incana has been documented as a larval food plant from Bavaria. In addition, oviposition observations have also been made of Potentilla verna agg. and Potentilla heptaphylla , which should also be used as food plants. [3] Within the range of the species the larvae also feed on Alcea , Malva sylvestris , Potentilla pedata , Potentilla neumanniana , Potentilla argentea , Althaea officinalis , Althea hirsuta and Centaurea species. [4]
The egg-laying takes place preferentially on the underside of the leaf of Potentilla incana , which is proven in Bavaria from both main distribution areas in Main Franconia as well as the Middle Franconian Alb. While in Main Franconia pre-imaginal stadiums have so far only been obtained on this cinquefoil, which occurs here in larger populations, in the Middle Franconian Jura evidently Potentilla neumanniana and Potentilla heptaphylla are also used sporadically. In the latter region, Potentilla incana also occurs much less frequently and locally. In the Palatinate, eggs and caterpillars were also detected in an extremely xerothermic location on Potentilla neumanniana. The overwintering usually takes place in the fourth and penultimate caterpillar stage, but this can vary depending on the altitude. [3] It pupates in rolled leaves of host plants or on the ground. The pupal stage last up to 14 days.
The caterpillars can easily be found in suitable places, so that this species can be easily detected by means of a targeted larval search in late summer. Typical is a bag-shaped dwelling, which the caterpillars first build from a leaflet and later from several leaves. This is where the food intake takes place and at the same time it offers good protection against solar radiation and predators. The imagos are regular visitors to flowers and prefer to suckle on yellow-flowering plants such as Hippocrepis comosa and Lotus corniculatus agg. [3]
The altitude distribution in Bavaria extends from approx. 170 m in Main Franconia to around 560 m in the Franconian Jura and should correspond to the height range in which the species also has reproduction habitats. A clear core distribution lies between 200 m and 400 m. Pyrgus carthami thus has a narrow height distribution and is limited to lower altitudes. [3] However it can be found from sea level to 1900 m in the south of its range.
The most important protective measure consists in the preservation and promotion of the dry grassland populated by P. carthami. It is also important to ensure that no nutrients are introduced from adjacent areas. In addition, de-bushing in rocky areas and the withdrawal of afforestation can lead to an enlargement of the habitats. Artificial embankments made of stony excavation material, which are created e.g. as part of road construction measures, should not be planted and can then offer a new habitat. [3]
Subspecies
Synonyms:
Papilio fritillarius Poda, 1761 [6]
The dingy skipper is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae.
Pyrgus malvae, the grizzled skipper, is a butterfly species from the family Hesperiidae. It is a small skipper (butterfly) with a chequered pattern on its wings that appears to be black and white. This butterfly can be found throughout Europe and is common in central and southern regions of England. The butterfly prefers three major types of habitat: woodland, grassland, and industrial. Referenced as a superspecies, Pyrgus malvae includes three semispecies: malvae, malvoides, and melotis. Eggs are laid on plants that will provide warmth and proper nutrition for development. As larvae, their movement is usually restricted to a single plant, on which they will build tents, unless they move onto a second host plant. Larvae then spin cocoons, usually on the last host plant they have occupied, where they remain until spring. Upon emerging as adult butterflies, grizzled skippers are quite active during the day and tend to favour blue or violet-coloured plants for food. They also possess multiple methods of communication; for example, vibrations are used to communicate with ants, and chemical secretions play a role in mating. Exhibiting territorial behaviour, males apply perching and patrolling strategies to mate with a desired female.
Talicada nyseus, the red Pierrot, is a small but striking butterfly found in the Indian subcontinent and South-East Asia belonging to the lycaenids, or blues family. The red Pierrots, often found perching on its larva host plant, Kalanchoe, are usually noticed due to their striking patterns and colors.
The Zabulon skipper is a North American butterfly first described by the French naturalists Jean Baptiste Boisduval and John Eatton Le Conte from the state of Georgia, United States.
Papilio polymnestor, the blue Mormon, is a large swallowtail butterfly found in south India and Sri Lanka. It is the "state butterfly" of the Indian state of Maharashtra. With a wingspan of 120–150 mm, it is the fourth largest butterfly of India.
The Large Grizzled skipper is a species of skipper butterfly.
Oberthür's grizzled skipper is a species of skipper.
Foulquier's grizzled skipper is a species of skipper. It has a limited distribution in central and southern France and adjacent areas of Spain and Italy and also Corsica. Within this range it can be quite common.
The Olive Skipper is a species of skipper.
The Cinquefoil Skipper is a species of skipper butterfly.
The rosy grizzled skipper is a species of skipper.
Pyrgus sidae, the yellow-banded skipper, is a species of skipper. It is found in from the Iberian Peninsula through southern and eastern Europe, southeast France, the northwestern coastal areas of central Italy, then Istria and the Balkan peninsula, across Turkey, Transcaucasia, to Iran and Afghanistan. East of the Southern Ural mountains the range extends to northwest Kazakhstan and the west of the Tien Shan in the north.
Hypolimnas misippus, the Danaid eggfly, mimic, or diadem, is a widespread species of nymphalid butterfly. It is well known for polymorphism and mimicry. Males are blackish with distinctive white spots that are fringed in blue. Females are in multiple forms that include male-like forms while others closely resemble the toxic butterflies Danaus chrysippus and Danaus plexippus.
Pyrgus ruralis lagunae, the Laguna Mountains skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is a subspecies of Pyrgus ruralis.
Carcharodus alceae, commnly known as the mallow skipper, is a species of butterfly of the family Hesperiidae.
The Alpine Grizzled Skipper is a species of skipper.
The Dusky Grizzled Skipper is a species of skipper butterfly.
The northern grizzled skipper is a Holarctic species of skipper butterfly with a range in North America from the subarctic to the north, New Mexico to the south, and the Appalachian Mountains to the east.In the Palearctic the species which was described from Norway is distributed across Scandinavia and the northern part of European Russia across the Urals through northern Asia to the Altai.
Pyrgus malvoides, the Southern Grizzled Skipper, is a species of skipper.
Pyrgus centaureae wyandot, the Appalachian grizzled skipper, is a small, brown, gray and white butterfly known to inhabit parts of the Appalachian highlands and Northern Michigan. It can be identified by its characteristic checkered wing pattern formed by the scales on the fore- and hindwings. The butterflies are known to prefer sites with minimal vegetation, such as open areas in hardwood forests, as well as sites of recent disturbance. The skipper's main larval food plants include Canada cinquefoil and wild strawberry depending on the specific population's range. The butterfly is listed as a federal species of concern and holds a state endangered title in Ohio and New Jersey.
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