| Indian Grizzled skipper | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Dorsal view | |
 | |
| Ventral view | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Hesperiidae |
| Genus: | Spialia |
| Species: | S. galba |
| Binomial name | |
| Spialia galba | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Spialia galba, the Indian grizzled skipper, is a hesperiid butterfly which is found in South Asia [2] and parts of Southeast Asia. [3] [4] [5] [6]
The butterfly ranges from Sri Lanka, India [2] to the Shan states in northern Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Hainan. [3] [7]
The butterfly is very common in India up to an altitude of 1800 m. [8]
Male. Upperside black, with a slight olive tint, spotted with white. Forewing with three spots in the cell, sub-basal, medial, and terminal, a spot on the sub-median vein below the sub-basal spot, a discal series of eight spots, commencing with three that are sub-apical, close together from near the costa, then two together, the lower the larger, then two larger, more or less square conjugated spots a little inwards and a spot on the sub-median vein still inwards; a complete sub-marginal series of small spots one in each interspace; four short white streaks on the outer half of the costal line. Hindwing with a sub-basal spot in the cell, a larger somewhat quadrate spot at the end of the cell, with a smaller spot below it, and a still smaller spot above it, a sub-marginal series of small spots, one in each interspace becoming obsolete upwards. Cilia of both wings checkered, black and white. Underside grey. Forewing with the spots as above, but larger. Hindwing with the abdominal fold white, the cell spots extended, there being three sub-basal spots, the cell end spot expanded into a continuous white band, with irregular margins from the costa to the abdominal fold; the sub-marginal spots as on the upper side. Cilia of both wings checkered grey and white. Antennae with the shaft spotted with white above, pure white beneath, except the tip of the club which is dull orange ; palpi, head and body above concolorous with the wings, on the underside white, legs also white. Female usually larger and darker black than the male, markings similar, the spots on the upperside often smaller.
Having a wingspan of only 24 to 27 mm, Spialia galba is identified by its unique pattern of black and white spots and its small size. The upperside is dark brown to black in colour with a light brown gloss and many small white spots. The wings have a chequered fringe. The underside is whitish. Sexes are identical. [9]
When sunny, the butterfly is found flying close to the ground and basking with the wings partly open. The forewing is partly closed while the hindwing is held fully open. It rests with wings closed. [8] It has a swift, twisting but usually short flight. The Indian skipper visits flowers, preferring those with small flowers such as Tridax procumbens , (a common weed in India) and species of Dicplitera or Bidens . It sleeps on hanging grass blades and the tips of the branches of herbs. [9]
The egg is shiny, light green, dome shaped, ridged and fused together. The female lays her eggs anywhere and on any position of the young shoots of its food plant. [9]
The caterpillar is pale green with a wavy dark green line dorsally. It is cylindrical, but thicker in the centre and tapering towards the ends. The body is clothed with fine whitish bristles and a line of long white hair on both sides. The head of the butterfly is obscured by dark hair and the jaws are orange red and black tipped. The second segment of the early instars is dark brown and has a golden central bar on the nape. As the caterpillar matures, it develops prominent black-bordered orange markings on the neck. The caterpillar resides in a folded leaf secured from all sides except the entrance. It feeds in the late evenings and nocturnally. [9]
It has a thick, cylindrical, greyish-green pupa which tapers towards the abdomen. It is covered with fine dirty-white bristles near the head and eyes. [9]
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain : Swinhoe, Charles (1912–1913). Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. X. London: Lovell Reeve and Co. pp. 99–101.
Celaenorrhinus ambareesa, commonly known as the Malabar spotted flat, is a species of hesperiid butterfly found in India.
Badamia exclamationis, commonly known as the brown awl or narrow-winged awl, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found in south and southeast Asia, Australia, and Oceania.
Bibasis gomata, commonly known as the pale green awlet, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Northeast India, the Western Ghats and parts of Southeast Asia. The butterfly was reassigned to genus Burara by Vane-Wright and de Jong (2003) and is considered by them to be Burara gomata.
Bibasis sena, commonly known as the orange-tailed awlet, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae, the skippers. It is also sometimes called the pale green awlet though that name can also refer to Bibasis gomata.
Hasora badra, the common awl, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae, which is found in India.
Hasora chromus, the common banded awl, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae which is found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia.
Hasora taminatus, the white banded awl, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae, which is found in Asia.
Hasora vitta, the plain banded awl, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae which is found in India and parts of Southeast Asia.
Aeromachus dubius, the dingy scrub-hopper, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It ranges from India to China, including Malaya, Assam, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Hainan and Yunnan.
Aeromachus pygmaeus, the pygmy scrub-hopper is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. The species range is from India to Burma and Thailand.
Caltoris canaraica, the Kanara swift, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae.
Pelopidas conjuncta, the conjoined swift, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae found in India.
Quedara basiflava, the yellow-base flitter or golden flitter, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae and is endemic to India's Western Ghats.
Taractrocera maevius, the common grass dart, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found in India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
Telicota colon, commonly known as the pale palm dart or common palm dart, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found from India to Australia.
Gerosis bhagava, also known as the common yellow-breast flat, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae.
Sarangesa dasahara, also known as the common small flat, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in the Indomalayan realm.
Tagiades gana, the immaculate snow flat, large snow flat or suffused snow flat, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae found in Indomalayan realm.
Bindahara phocides, the plane, is a small butterfly found Indomalayan and Australasian realms that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.
Spalgis epius, commonly known as the apefly, is a small species of butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family. It gets its name from the supposed resemblance of its pupa to the face of an ape.