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| Photos: explicit permission must be obtained from Matt Rowlings for any use of any images from eurobutterflies.com. |
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Mallow Skipper
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Catalonia, Spain, May 2007 |
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Valais, Switzerland, July 2007 |
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Mallow
Skipper Distribution: Across Europe except UK and Scandinavia. Replaced in SW Iberian peninsular and some Greek islands by the False Mallow Skipper, C. tripolinus. Altitude: sea level to 2000m. Identification: Small hyline (transparent) spots on forewing. Dark grey brown on ups. Uns hw with post discal arc of small chevrons, no discal arc, cell spot large and isolated from other markings. Similar species are the False Mallow Skipper, C. tripolinus (these two species are externally inseparable, identification is by the male genitalia) and the Marbled Skippers in the same genus. Flight time: flies in the warmer months, from April to October in the south, in several broods. Disappears between broods. Habitat: Lush to very dry grassy places often with flowers and amongst scrub or woodland. Larvae take Malva sylvestris and other plants. Behaviour: Flies rapidly low over the ground. It shows some signs of territorial behaviour, often patrolling the same corner of a field or stretch of woodland path and disappearing in a whirring battle for a few moments when challenged by other passing skippers or butterflies. Additional notes: Usually this or the Grizzled Skipper is the first skipper I find during the year. Quite variable but usually distinctive. It has a different jizz to the similar Marbled Skippers, and generally it is also a little smaller. |
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Var, France, April 2006 |
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Crete, June 2004 Very soft
browns for this species. |
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Crete, June 2004 Well marked hindwing for this species. |
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Cyprus, April 2002 |