Large Skipper
Ochlodes sylvanus
This record describes Ochlodes sylvanus (species). Recorded family: Hesperiidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
This is one of the largest of our 'golden' Skippers and, like these other Skippers, the male has a distinctive sex brand on its forewings containing specialised scent scales. Both males and females have a dark checker markings on the lower part of their wings. This species is found in sheltered areas of grassland, where grasses grow tall. Typical sites include meadows, hedgerows, roadside verges, woodland rides and woodland clearings. It can also be found in urban areas, such as parks and churchyards. The butterfly is on the wing in June and July, with some individuals being seen in August. There is one generation each year and the species forms discrete colonies. The main larval foodplant is the grass Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata) but other grasses are used. This species is widespread in England and Wales, becoming scarcer further North and in Southern Scotland.
Wikipedia reference for Ochlodes sylvanus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ochlodes sylvanus.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Papilionoidea
- Family
- Hesperiidae (Skippers)
- Subfamily
- Hesperiinae
- Tribe
- Hesperiini
- Genus
- Ochlodes
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
This species is found in sheltered areas of grassland, where grasses grow tall. Typical sites include meadows, hedgerows, roadside verges, woodland rides and woodland clearings. It can also be found in urban areas, such as parks and churchyards.
Seasonal Activity
The butterfly is on the wing in June and July, with some individuals being seen in August.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
There is one generation each year and the species forms discrete colonies. The main larval foodplant is the grass Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata) but other grasses are used.
Additional species information
Recorded status
This species is widespread in England and Wales, becoming scarcer further North and in Southern Scotland.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Ochlodes sylvanus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Large Skipper (9)
Frequently Asked Questions About Large Skipper
What is Large Skipper?
Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus) is a species in the family Hesperiidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Large Skipper found?
Habitat: This species is found in sheltered areas of grassland, where grasses grow tall. Typical sites include meadows, hedgerows, roadside verges, woodland rides and woodland clearings. It can also be found in urban areas, such as parks and churchyards.
When is Large Skipper active?
Large Skipper: seasonal activity - The butterfly is on the wing in June and July, with some individuals being seen in August..
What is the life cycle of a Large Skipper?
There is one generation each year and the species forms discrete colonies. The main larval foodplant is the grass Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata) but other grasses are used.