Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus) lives in open grasslands across Europe and Asia. It feeds on grasses and leaves.
Fascinating facts about the Large Skipper
- The large skipper was originally described under the name Papilio sylvanus, but that designation conflicted with an existing butterfly and was declared an invalid homonym. Despite the clash, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature formally conserved the name in the year 2000, allowing it to remain the accepted scientific label.
- In the United Kingdom the large skipper is the first grass-skipper to emerge each spring, with adults present from June through August after pupating for about three weeks in May and June. It feeds on bramble flowers.
- The reproductive pattern of the large skipper varies with latitude: populations in northern Europe produce a single generation each year, whereas those in more southerly regions may generate up to three broods. Females lay individual eggs on the underside of host-plant leaves, and the embryos develop for about two weeks before hatching.
- After hatching, the larva builds a leaf shelter by curling a leaf with silk and begins to feed on its host grasses. It then hibernates as a half-grown caterpillar, remaining dormant through the winter and resuming feeding in spring.
- Male large skippers have a broad scented androconial dark line across the top of each forewing, and they possess hook-shaped antenna tips. These features help to distinguish them from similar orange skippers that lack such antennae.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeEurope and Asia
HabitatOpen grasslands
DietGrasses and leaves
About the Large Skipper
As the warm sunlight dances across the lush meadows, the Large Skipper unfurls its delicate wings, a masterful blend of orange and brown hues that seem to shimmer in harmony with the wildflowers that surround it. With an effortless flutter, it takes to the air, its agile form darting and weaving through the tall grasses with a carefree abandon, as if savoring the sheer joy of flight. In this fleeting moment, the Large Skipper embodies the very essence of summer, its gentle beauty and unbridled energy a testament to the simple yet profound wonders of the natural world.
Hear the Large Skipper, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
More insects and spiders to discover
