Common branded skipper

Appearance

Often confused with the large skipper ''Ochlodes venata'', this species is easily distinguished by the numerous white spots on the underside hindwings, and the tips of the upper forewings tend to be darker than those of the large skipper. Also their flight periods rarely overlap; in Britain the large skipper has all but finished when the silver-spotted takes to the wing in August. The silver-spotted skipper prefers warm calcareous sites and has a wide distribution as far south as North Africa, northwards throughout Europe to the Arctic and eastwards across Asia to China and Japan. It also has subspecies in North America. In the UK it is rare and restricted to chalk downlands of southern England.

Naming

*''Hesperia comma assiniboia''
⤷ ''Hesperia comma benuncas''
⤷ ''Hesperia comma borealis'' Lindsey 1942 – Labrador branded skipper
⤷ ''Hesperia comma catena''
⤷ ''Hesperia comma colorado''
⤷ ''Hesperia comma comma''
⤷ ''Hesperia comma dimila''
⤷ ''Hesperia comma dodgei'' – Dodge's branded skipper
⤷ ''Hesperia comma florinda''
⤷ ''Hesperia comma harpalis'' – Yosemite branded skipper
⤷ ''Hesperia comma hulbirti'' Lindsey 1939 – Hulbirt's branded skipper
⤷ ''Hesperia comma laurentina'' – Laurentian branded skipper
⤷ ''Hesperia comma lena'' Korshunov & P. Gorbunov 1995
⤷ ''Hesperia comma leussleri'' Lindsey 1940 – Leussler's branded skipper
⤷ ''Hesperia comma manitoba''
⤷ ''Hesperia comma mojavensis'' Austin & McGuire 1998 – Mojave branded skipper
⤷ ''Hesperia comma manitoba'' – Manitoba branded skipper
⤷ ''Hesperia comma mattoonorum'' McGuire 1998
⤷ ''Hesperia comma mixta'' Alpheraky 1881
⤷ ''Hesperia comma ochracea'' Lindsey 1941
⤷ ''Hesperia comma oroplata'' Scott 1981
⤷ ''Hesperia comma oregonia'' – Oregon branded skipper
⤷ ''Hesperia comma pallida'' Staudinger 1901
⤷ ''Hesperia comma planula'' Korshunov 1995
⤷ ''Hesperia comma sachalinensis'' Matsumura 1933
⤷ ''Hesperia comma shandura'' Evans 1949
⤷ ''Hesperia comma susanae'' L Miller 1962
⤷ ''Hesperia comma sushinki'' Korshunov 1995
⤷ ''Hesperia comma tildeni'' HA Freeman 1956 – Tilden's branded skipper
⤷ ''Hesperia comma yosemite'' Leussler 1933

Distribution

Often confused with the large skipper ''Ochlodes venata'', this species is easily distinguished by the numerous white spots on the underside hindwings, and the tips of the upper forewings tend to be darker than those of the large skipper. Also their flight periods rarely overlap; in Britain the large skipper has all but finished when the silver-spotted takes to the wing in August. The silver-spotted skipper prefers warm calcareous sites and has a wide distribution as far south as North Africa, northwards throughout Europe to the Arctic and eastwards across Asia to China and Japan. It also has subspecies in North America. In the UK it is rare and restricted to chalk downlands of southern England.

Behavior

Often confused with the large skipper ''Ochlodes venata'', this species is easily distinguished by the numerous white spots on the underside hindwings, and the tips of the upper forewings tend to be darker than those of the large skipper. Also their flight periods rarely overlap; in Britain the large skipper has all but finished when the silver-spotted takes to the wing in August. The silver-spotted skipper prefers warm calcareous sites and has a wide distribution as far south as North Africa, northwards throughout Europe to the Arctic and eastwards across Asia to China and Japan. It also has subspecies in North America. In the UK it is rare and restricted to chalk downlands of southern England.Females lay single eggs during August and September on the leaf blades of sheep's fescue ''Festuca ovina'', the only foodplant, and occasionally on nearby plants. The females are very fussy where they lay; most eggs in the UK are laid in short turf, up to 4 cm, and often next to patches of bare ground. This species overwinters as an egg and hatches in March. Like other skippers the larvae construct small tent-like structures from leaf blades and silk from which to feed. They enter the pupal stage after 14 to 15 weeks at the base of the foodplant. Pupation takes 10 to 14 days, and as with most butterflies the males emerge first.

Food

Females lay single eggs during August and September on the leaf blades of sheep's fescue ''Festuca ovina'', the only foodplant, and occasionally on nearby plants. The females are very fussy where they lay; most eggs in the UK are laid in short turf, up to 4 cm, and often next to patches of bare ground. This species overwinters as an egg and hatches in March. Like other skippers the larvae construct small tent-like structures from leaf blades and silk from which to feed. They enter the pupal stage after 14 to 15 weeks at the base of the foodplant. Pupation takes 10 to 14 days, and as with most butterflies the males emerge first.