Tufted Skipper
Common NameTufted Skipper
Scientific NameThymelicus sylvestris
FamilyHesperiidae
SubfamilyHesperiinae
Wingspan (mm)30.5
Primary Colorsbrown, orange-brown, white
HabitatMeadows, grasslands, woodland edges, roadsides
Geographic RangeEurope, North Africa, temperate Asia, introduced to North America
Host Plantscock's-foot, Yorkshire fog, false brome
Flight PeriodJune to August
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on grass blades, larvae overwinter in a hibernaculum, and pupation occurs in a loose cocoon near the ground.
Identification TipsDistinguished from similar skippers by the orange-brown underside of the antennae tips and the absence of a black line on the underside of the forewing costa in males.
Description
A small, hairy-bodied skipper with dull brown wings, often showing an orange-brown sheen and small white spots on the forewings.
