Gegenes nostrodamus

BUTTERFLY INFO

Gegenes nostrodamus is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae on the island of Crete, Greece.

Scientific name

Gegenes nostrodamus (Fabricius, 1793)

Common name

Mediterranean Skipper

Classification

Family: Hesperiidae > Subfamily: Hesperiinae > Tribus: Baorini > Genus: Gegenes

Wingspan

Male to female: 25-30 mm

Appearance

It is a small, dark brown, base-smoky black butterfly with dense and long hairs protruding from the costa in the basal area of the hindwing.

The inner margin of the hindwing is paler than the ground color, and there are a few white dots on the forewing in the female.

The underside is pale brown, with some obscure white spots towards the tip of the forewing, and in the female at the hind-margin of the hindwing also.

Behavior

It has a rapid flight, low to the ground.

Habitat

Gegenes nostrodamus in Crete can be found at the seaside, in dry sunny slopes, rocky slopes, and dry stream beds.

Food plant

The larva feeds on Poaceae plants.

Flight period

The butterfly flies in 2 generations per year.

Remarks

The butterfly can be easily confused with Gegenes pumilio (Pigmy Skipper), which also occurs in Crete. A useful tip to spot the difference is the presence of a dense or sparse cluster of hairs in the basal area of ​​the hindwing of Gegenes nostrodamus (it is absent in Gegenes pumilio).

This feature is evident in young individuals but it is usually not immediately visible in old individuals.

Status*

Least Concern (LC)

(*European Red List of Butterflies, 2010)

Gegenes nostrodamus is locally threatened due to the extreme tourism-related destruction of coastal areas by overbuilding.