Pyrgus onopordi

• Subfamily: Pyrginae
• Wingspan: 22-28 mm
• Flight period: Apr - Ago
• Spread: Common
• Host plants: Cistaceae, Malvaceae, Rosaceae

Information

The Pyrgus onopordi also called Rosy Grizzled Skipper is a medium / small sized moth with a wingspan of 24-26 mm.
It is distributed in Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, Holland, Croatia, and obviously Italy, in Germany and Slovenia its presence is not confirmed *. In Italy it is absent from the islands.*

The male of Pyrgus onopordi has dark brown front wings with greyish basal hair. The white spaces are well developed and there is a costal androconial fold. The hind wings are dark brown with well developed whitish areas. The Female is almost the same as the male but without a rib fold in the anterior. In both sexes the back of the wings is of a slightly homogeneous grayish brown color with lighter veins and white spaces surrounded by brown. **
Characteristic is the central space in the shape of an anvil highlighted in photo n. 4.

Bivoltine adults can be seen in April-June and July-August. It is a butterfly that loves warm places, it is found in meadows and clearings from sea level up to a maximum of about 1500 meters above sea level. Nurturing plants include Cistaceae such as Helianthemum apenninum, Malvaceae with Malva neglecta, and Rosaceae with Potentilla hirta, Potentilla pusilla and Potentilla reptans.


* Lepidoptera mundi https://lepidoptera.eu/ - European Fauna https://fauna-eu.org/
** Bestimmungshilfe für die in Europa nachgewiesenen Schmetterlingsarten - http://lepiforum.de/