Grizzled Skipper

With its characteristic chequered black-and-white pattern, the grizzled skipper is quite distinctive. It is small, with an average forewing diameter of 12 millimeters, and closely resembles moths in appearance. Males and females can be differentiated by the shape of their wings: males have slightly more angular wings, while females have a more rounded wing shape. Larvae are coloured green and light brown with darker brown stripes. Seitz describes malvae "The terminal row of white dots developed, at least on the hindwing. Underside of hindwing reddish, with distinct white dots, those of the subterminal band being rounded. Veins bordered with yellowish white or white. In ab. taras Bergstr.(86a) the white spots of the forewing are united to form bands; occurs singly among ordinary specimens. Europe, Asia from the Mediterranean Sea to the Amur; Mongolia. — Larva yellowish grey, minutely dotted with greenish, the dots bearing short thin hairs, dorsal line darker, spiracles yellowish; in June and October on Potentilla, Dipsacus, Strawberry, Raspberry, and other plants. The butterflies are on the wing in April and May and again from the end of July onwards, on sunny slopes, roads among fields and clearings in woods, being common everywhere in Central Europe.

Pygrus malvae can be found throughout Western Europe in northern Scandinavia, parts of Greece, and some of the Mediterranean Islands. Its populations in many European countries appear to be quite stable. It is also present in Korea, as well as throughout the Mediterranean up to Middle Finland, and rarely in parts of Germany.

The wings of Pygrus malvae are only mildly adhesive, rough, and highly hydrophobic. These qualities prevent their wings from sticking to external surfaces, support their resistance to water damage, and allow the butterfly to self-clean its wings without risking desiccation. Additionally, these properties enable the grizzled skipper to avoid excess weight bearing, consequently promoting secure and efficient flight patterns.

Studies support a concentrated preference for specifically coloured flowers by grizzled skippers. They are most attracted to blue and violet while showing little or no attraction to white, yellow, or red. Butterflies have ultraviolet and blue receptors that may be responsible for Hesperiidae butterflies favoring blue. This evidence indicates that when butterflies from this species forage for food, they are particularly attentive to short-wavelength light that is reflected off flowers. In fact, this particular preference aligns with a prominent attentiveness that members of Hesperiidae have for blue. This preference may be a result of phylogenetic adaptations, foraging signals, and learning abilities. Specifically, the prevalence of blue flowers in lowlands could further intensify this preference, especially for grizzled skippers that tend to be found in lowland grasslands.