(Rambur, 1839)
Sandy Grizzled Skipper
Description:
The Sandy Grizzled Skipper is usually found in dry, often rocky, flower-rich places, both on calcareous and non-calcareous soil. They can also be found along woodland rides, in open scrub and on dried-up riverbeds. In Spain, it occurs in clearings in pine forests. The butterflies can often be seen congregating in groups on moist ground to obtain both water and dissolved minerals.
In South-east Europe, the food plant is Sulphur Cinquefoil (Potentilla erecta), but that of the Spanish populations is not known.
This species is single-brooded and hibernates in the larval stage.
Habitat:
Dry siliceous grasslands
Dry calcareous grasslands
Similar species:
Pyrgus onopordi
Pyrgus carlinae
Pyrgus cirsii