Butterfly ID
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Field guide · Sweden
Skippers · Sweden

Dingy skipper

Erynnis tages

Dingy skipper is a dark brown, thick-headed butterfly that gives a solid, single-colour impression, and it is the only Swedish diurnal butterfly that, during nighttime rest, folds its wings neatly over its back. It is fairly common in southern and central Sweden.

Status in this countryCommon in SwedenLC (Least concern)
Dingy skipper

Flight period

The long flight period runs from mid-May to early July.

Habitat

Open landscapes in coastal meadows, fenlands and dry meadows, as well as forest land with gravel roads and quarries, wherever bird's-foot trefoil is present.

Identifying features

Wingspan 27–29 mm. The forewings are dark brown with grey interveins framed by dark brown bands of small spots. Numerous small white spots are present in the central area within the wing margins on both forewings and hindwings. The forewings sometimes exhibit a faint violet shimmer.

Similar species

No confusing species are described in the sources examined. The uniform appearance, combined with the white spots along the wing margins, is characteristic.

Distribution

Dingy skipper is a lowland species with a northern boundary from northern Värmland through Dalarna to Hälsingland, Medelpad, and the southeasternmost part of Jämtland; it is fairly common south of this boundary. It is absent in Finland but is widespread throughout Estonia. Its global distribution extends from Spain, Ireland, and Scandinavia through Europe to China.

Biology

The butterfly is found only where the ground is well-drained with sand, mineral soil, or gravel. The host plant is bird's-foot trefoil. The butterflies prefer to stay around vegetation-free areas, where they spread their wings and visit low-growing flowers; they are heat-loving.