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Matt Rowlings

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Carterocephalus palaemon

Chequered Skipper

Valais, Switzerland, June 2006

Jura, France, June 2004

Marginal markings stronger

Jura, France, June 2004

Marginal markings strong

Jura, France, June 2004

Same butterfly as above but showing hindwing markings.

Vaud, Switzerland, end July 2004

Surprisingly late in the season for this species.

Cote d'Or, France, May 2004

Cote d'Or, France, May 2004

Cote d'Or, France, May 2004

Cluj, Romania, June 2006

Peter Rowlings

NW Scotland, May 1999

Ardennes, Belgium, June 2002

This is a butterfly with a range across central Europe into Scandinavia and down to Greece with disconnected populations in the Pyrenees and NW Scotland. It has a particularly long abdomen relative to the size of the wings giving it a rather primitive look.

It is usually only found in small numbers in my experience in open places amongst trees and forests. In Scotland it flies at sea level, in central Europe I usually find it at 1000m or above.