Large chequered skipper
| Large chequered skipper | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Hesperiidae |
| Genus: |
Heteropterus Duméril, 1806 |
| Species: | H. morpheus |
| Binomial name | |
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Heteropterus morpheus (Pallas, 1771) |
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| Synonyms | |
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The large chequered skipper (Heteropterus morpheus) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is the single member of the monotypic genus Heteropterus. The species can be found in isolated populations in Europe and east across the Palearctic to Central Asia and Korea. It is endangered in the Netherlands.
The length of the forewings is 15–18 mm. The butterfly is on the wing from June to August, depending on the location.
The larvae feed on Eriophorum, Poa annua, Calamagrostis canescens, Brachypodium and Molinia species (including Molinia coerulea).
As can be seen, the butterfly has a very distinctive and attractive underside but a drab upperside (which is rarely seen, as it usually settles with wings closed).
The flight is just as distinctive and indeed provides immediate identification of the species: it appears to bounce through the air with little sense of direction, almost as if drunk.
In France, it has been seen in the south west including, in 2011, the Hautes-Pyrénées department.
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Wikipedia