Hesperia comma

Skippers - Hesperiidae:

Silver spotted skipper -
Hesperia comma (Linnaeus, 1758)

Silver spotted skipper (Hesperia comma), male (Photo: © Leif Aarvik)

Characteristics: Wingspan 22-28 mm. The wings’ ground colour is yellowish brown. Large parts of the wing surface have a strong brownish grey dusting, darkest near the outer edges. There are pale yellow or orange spots on the fore and hind wing. On the underside of the hind wing there are shiny white spots with dark framing. The male is distinguished from the female by a defined dark stigma with a pale yellow nucleus. The white spots on the underside of the hind wing distinguish it from the Large skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus). The populations in the mountains and in northern Norway are often regarded as a subspecies, ssp. catena Staudinger. This form can be distinguished from lowland specimens by smaller size, darker green underside, and defined black framing of the white underside spots. Nevertheless, the distinguishing marks between the two subspecies are floating, and if one doesn’t know from where a specimen originates, it may be difficult to decide which form it is.

Occurrence in Norway: Locally common in the eastern and southern lowlands. In the western regions it has only been recorded in the southeastern part of Rogaland (Sokndal), Lærdal in the inner part of Sogn and Sunndal in inner Møre og Romsdal. The species may be numerous in arid areas, for example in the dry zone in north Gudbrandsdalen and in Hvaler in Østfold. In Jotunheimen and Dovre the butterfly flies up to about 1200 m. In addition, the species has an isolated distribution range in Troms and Finnmark. There are records from Alta and Porsanger in Finnmark; in Troms it is known from Balsfjord, Målselv, and Tromsø.

Total range: Europe, North Africa, and through temperate zones of Asia to Japan. North America.

Habitat: Sparse and arid meadows on sand ground, gravel hollows and sunny southern hillsides. In Troms and Finnmark also in clearings in birch forests and along brooks and rivers where there are lots of flowers.

Biology: The larva is dark green and feeds on various grass species, especially sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina). It hibernates in the egg stage. The butterfly flies from July to mid August. Ssp. catena is considered to have a biennial development. When basking in the sun, the hind wings are held flat and the fore wings above the body, as the Large skipper does.

The species sheet has been elaborated by Claus Christiansen & Leif Aarvik. Translated by Gunvor Varland.

A species sheet in "Lepidoptera of Norway" (NORGES SOMMERFUGLER)

Last updated: 24.10.2000