Large Skipper

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iLarge Skipper

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Superfamily:	Hesperioidea
Family:	Hesperiidae
Subfamily:	Hesperiinae
Genus:	Ochlodes
Species:	O. venata

Binomial name

Ochlodes venata
(Bremer & Grey, 1852)

The Large Skipper (Ochlodes venata) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family.

Appearance, behaviour and distribution

This butterfly's range extends throughout Europe to northern Asia, China and Japan. In the British Isles it occurs in England, Wales, and south western Scotland. Although called 'Large' this is still a relatively small butterfly and not much larger than either the Small or Essex Skippers. The faint chequered pattern on both the upperside and underside help to distinguish the Large Skipper from these two orange Skippers. It can be found anywhere where wild grasses are allowed to grow tall. Hedgerows, woodland clearings and edges are favourites. An active little butterfly in sunny weather it is attracted to various flowers but has a distinct liking for Bramble flowers

Life Cycle and foodplants

Eggs are laid singly on the underside of foodplant leaves and hatch after about two weeks. They are normally laid on Cocks-foot Dactylis glomerata but they will occasionally use Purple Moor-grass Molinia caerulea, False Brome Brachypodium sylvaticum, Tor-grass B. pinnatum and Wood Small-reed Calamagrostis epigejos. On hatching the larvae construct a shelter in the usual skipper method of curling a leaf up with silk and begins to feed. It hibernates as a half grown larvae and emerges in the spring to continue feeding and growing. The caterpillar has a large blackish-brown head with a dark line down its back and a yellow stripe along each side. Pupation lasts about three weeks during May and June and the adults are present from June to August. It is the first of the 'grass skippers' to emerge in the UK. In northern Europe the butterflies have a single brood, but in the south they may have up to three broods.