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Grizzled Skipper - Favourite Photo of 2024

Week 7

This time next week we’ll have eaten the first calendar chocolate and possibly be nursing a slightly sore head after several ales at the Winter Social! Soon be spring – just as well after the battering we had weather wise this weekend.

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

A trip to Bison Hill on 12th May to see the Duke of Burgundy and hopefully a Grizzled Skipper. This turned out to be a real trial, after hours a searching we finally found one.

Julian

Having mentioned a few times in the past ,the situation regarding Grizzled Skippers in the Orlestone forest (Kent) environs,and their decline,due partly to loss of habitat ,i'm really pleased to report that with a bit of cajoling.....we were able to get access to two of the four sites where the Skippers were
just holding on .A couple of work parties did a lot of work to improve the site........and things are looking good ! I just hope that theres not too much "trample" damage ,and that the very few Grizzles that did show in 24' managed a good few eggs............fingers crossed !
My best count on a visit in 24'was only 4......I did see ovip; females ......which was good .Numbers were also down at Dungeness. Heres a few that I did manage to find. Allan.W.

It's always good to see those taras individuals, Allan - not something I've found anywhere very much.

I've picked out a few standard examples I particularly like from my springtime excursions. This is the first one I saw this year, up at incombe Hole on the Chilterns with the early Dukes.Here is one from Box Hill......and one from Denbies.Finally, this one managed to sneak past the Marsh Fritillaries to nectar on an orchid on Cotley Hill. Dave

I find taras a very interesting form. In some populations it is perennially present. In others, you might never see it in a lifetime of observations. And yet it is found all over Europe. So when I lived in Gryon, for example, I saw it regularly - even in my garden. I then moved to Huémoz, just 6 km away, and saw none at all during the ten years I lived there. After a four-year stint in the UK, I now live in Leysin and have found a small meadow where taras is to be found consistently (that is, I've seen it in 2022, 2023 and 2024). In fact, one reason I decided to live in Leysin was that I photographed taras here on a recce trip in May 2022. I'd love to know why some localities favour it and others have lost it, given its extensive distribution.

Here is a taras from 2024:



And as a sentimental reminiscence, a picture of taras in my garden, in 2006, with my previous dog Asha (my avatar), in the background:



What keeps this form popping up in certain localities when people who live in other places might never see one?

Guy

I only saw Grizzled Skipper at a few sites this year, including their only site in Cornwall which has a deserved reputation for ab.taras.

Beautiful individual, Wolfson.

I saw around a dozen Grizzled Skipper during my visit to Butser Hill when we were down that way for a few days in May.
and then later in the month I found a few at Bishops Hill in Warwickshire where they are still just about holding on.
Cheers,

Neil.

The elusive Essex Grizzled Skipper is a Critically Endangered species on the verge of local extinction here in Essex, having recently disappeared from 2 of the the last 3 sites at Langdon Hills Country Park in Basildon. It took me over 12 hours to find the last of the 5 adults, Male 003, in the conservation area at Johnson's Meadow - West, One Tree Hill on the 19th May. I barely got a record shot to identify the 3rd of the 3 males with a possible 2 females identified earlier as well. Heartbroken, and very sad, here is M003, hoping they managed to lay sufficient ova to make it to 2025:

Only actually saw one in the UK this year, at Merthyr Mawr on 11th May:

Grizzled Skipper

Back at the end of May when I took this shot at The Devenish I proclaimed it to worthy of the accolade of ‘Butterfly of the Visit’ usurping the title from a Brown Argus on an Orchid. At the time I had a sneaky suspicion that it might even make it to the heady heights of ‘Favourite’ and lo and behold it did. At the time I couldn’t get over the contrast between the striking black and white chequers along the fringes and the glorious, almost metallic plum ground colour. I still can’t and to my eyes it looks like something much more exotic than a Grizzlie.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

interesting post Wurzel ! I,ve also seen Grizzle specimens with a Plum hue.........not many ,but have seen a few. not sure why but I do suspect that as the body "fur" weakens a Plum colour seems to show through. Allan.W.

Further to my last post ,I also reckon that angle of light has a lot to do with the "Plum" colouration seen on some Grizzle specimens ,a couple of shots showing a fair amount of colour. (apologies for posting more pics !)

That really is a phenomenal ab., Allan.

Agreed. Truly wonderful little Grizzlie. . And Wurzel’s one is a stunner also.

Thankyou both Davids ! I really only posted them as I thought they showed the Plum colouring(on the hindwings) rather well......Thanks for the appreciation Gents. Allan.W.

Nearly forgot about this one.
Vince

A couple at either end of the markings range:

After a disastrous year in 2023 locally, the Grizzled Skipper made a slight recovery in 2024. This one I liked as my favourite.