| Foulquier's Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus bellieri (Oberthür, 1910)) |
|
|
|
Scientific name: Pyrgus bellieri (Oberthür, 1910) Common name: Foulquier's Grizzled Skipper Other names: Other scientific name: Pyrgus foulquieri. French name: Hespérie des hélianthèmes, Hespérie de Foulquier. Order: Lepidoptera Suborder: Rhopalocera Family: Hesperiidae Subfamily: Pyrginae Wingspan: 28-30mm. Biotope: Dry meadows. Mountain meadows up to an altitude of 2000m. Geographic area: Central and southern France, Corsica, northern Italia and northern Spain. Flight time: July-August. Number of generations : 1 Caterpillar: Host plant: Helianthemum |
The Hesperiidae of the Pyrgus genus have grey or brown upper sides of the wings with white spots. The fore wings show some postdiscal spots closer to the margin. It is often difficult to tell species apart. The identification keys require a view of the under side of the hind wings. The upperside of the Foulquier's Grizzled Skipper shows small white marks which are very similar to other hesperidae species. The overall colour is often paler than other species. The upperside of the hindwings shows pale marks forming continuous bands. The body is covered with long hairs. The hairs are a white colour on the underside (the Large Grizzled Skipper -Pyrgus alveus- has only a tuft of white hairs on the tip of the abdomen). The underside of the hindwings is greenish with larger white marks than on Large Grizzled Skipper. |
| [To know more about the Foulquier's Grizzled Skipper] [Top] |
|
I have first listed this specimen as Pyrgus bellieri but it is more prudent to stay at Pyrgus sp. There is a possible confusion with Large Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus alveus) and Safflower Skipper (Pyrgus carthami). The identification was mainly based on the marks on the hindwings and on the long hairs on the body. |
André Bon July 2016