Alta Grizzled Skipper
Common NameAlta Grizzled Skipper
Scientific NameMuschampia alta
FamilyHesperiidae
SubfamilyPyrginae
Wingspan (mm)28
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsdark brown, white, grey
HabitatDry grasslands, steppe, rocky slopes, open areas
Geographic RangeCentral Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan)
Host PlantsPotentilla
Flight PeriodMay to July
Flight Styledarting
Lifecycle NotesLike other skippers, it undergoes complete metamorphosis. Eggs are laid on host plants, larvae feed on leaves, pupate, and then emerge as adults.
Identification TipsIdentified by its characteristic grizzled pattern of dark brown and white spots, particularly the arrangement on both forewings and hindwings, and its typical skipper morphology with a robust body and clubbed antennae.
Description
A small, robust skipper with dark brown wings heavily mottled with numerous white rectangular and irregular spots. The body is hairy, with a greyish-blue thorax.
