Pyrgus armoricanus in Crete, Greece - butterfliesofcrete.com

Pyrgus armoricanus, Crete - photo © Fotis Samaritakis

Pyrgus armoricanus

BUTTERFLY INFO

Pyrgus armoricanus is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae on the island of Crete, Greece.

Scientific name

Pyrgus armoricanus (Oberthür, 1910)

Common name

Oberthür’s Grizzled Skipper

Classification

Family: Hesperiidae > Subfamily: Pyrginae > Tribus: Pyrgini > Genus: Pyrgus

Wingspan

Male to female: 25-30 mm

Appearance

Both sexes have a similar appearance. There are several white markings on the wings that form a characteristic pattern, typical of Pyrgus genus.

On the forewings, the upper side is dark brown grey-shaded with white marks. The underside is grey-brown with the same white marks, too.

On the hindwings, the upper side is dark brown, less grey-shaded, with pale white marks. The underside is yellow-brown with a few grey shades and white marks.

Behavior

It has rapid flight, low to the ground, and keeps the wings open when visiting the flowers.

Habitat

Pyrgus armoricanus in Crete lives in medium-altitude or lowland, in glades, waysides, dry sunny slopes, river and lake banks, and rocky slopes.

Food plant

The caterpillar is reported in literature that it feeds on plants from the Rosaceae family. Of these, only Potentilla reptans, occurs on Crete, but further research is needed on the island’s possible host plants.