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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Dingy Skipper Erynnis tages
Despite its rather unflattering vernacular name, this is a lovely insect, worthy of greater attention than it generally attracts. Old faded butterflies may indeed be a little dingy, but a freshly emerged Dingy Skipper shows itself to be beautifully marked in subtle shades of brown and grey. A variety of habitats are used including Chalk downland, Woodland clearings, coastal dunes, railway lines and even waste ground. It is widespread in Europe, east to Asia and China, though it is on the decline in several European countries including the UK. It is the only Skipper to be found in Ireland, with a patchy distribution but the main strongholds along the western side.
Dingy Skippers fly in May and June but they are not common here and, being rather dull in colour, often go un-noticed.
Just to confuse matters, in Australia there is a butterfly called the Large Dingy Skipper Toxidia peron, which is completely different. If you haven't seen the Australian version, look here.
Foodplants
The main foodplant is Common Bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus). Greater Bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus pedunculatus) and Horseshoe Vetch (Hippocrepis comosa) are also used.
Habitat
The butterfly is localised throughout England and Wales in grassy habitats where the larval foodplant Bird's-foot-trefoil grows in profusion. The butterflies favour warm sunny habitats with plenty of bare earth or chalk patches. Examples include woodland clearings and rides, calcareous grassland, coastal landslips, abandoned quarries, disused railway cuttings, and limestone pavements.
Ovum
The bright orange eggs are laid singly, at the base of leaflets of Bird's-foot-trefoil, or less commonly on Greater Bird's-foot-trefoil or Horseshoe Vetch.
Larva
During daylight hours the caterpillar lives within a tent of leaves, spun together at the base of the foodplant, and emerges to feed more openly in the early evening. In early August it enters hibernation, overwintering within a thin silk tent. The caterpillar never emerges from its hibernaculum, remaining within until April, when it pupates.
Pupa
Gently pulling apart the silk tent reveals the shiny pupa, which has dark green wing cases and a brown abdomen.
Imago
On warm but overcast days in May, the butterflies bask, with wings held flat, on bare soil, stones or low herbage. In sunny conditions they are very active, zipping about, never more than a few inches above the ground, stopping occasionally to take nectar from various low growing plants including Bird's-foot-trefoil, Horseshoe Vetch, Daisy, Speedwells, Buttercups and Bugle. Copulation takes place mid-morning. During copulation both sexes keep their wings spread flat, and it is then easy to spot the differences between them - the male being duller and more unicolorous, and having a pronounced fold on the leading edge of the forewings. This "androconial" fold has special wing-scales that incorporate pheromones, which attract the females.
As evening approaches, Dingy Skippers migrate to the last remaining sunlit spots in their habitat. There they settle to bask on grassheads, or on the dead flowerheads of knapweeds. Then, as the last rays of sunshine fade, they adjust their position, wrapping their wings very tightly around the flowerheads, to roost overnight. |
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