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Hesperia comma

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Hesperia comma
Female
Female underside, Aston Rowant, Oxfordshire
Secure
Secure (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hesperiidae
Genus: Hesperia
Species:
H. comma
Binomial name
Hesperia comma
Subspecies

See text

Synonyms
  • Papilio comma Linnaeus, 1758

Hesperia comma, the silver-spotted skipper or common branded skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is known as silver-spotted skipper in Europe and common branded skipper in North America where the butterfly Epargyreus clarus, a spread-winged skipper, also has the common name of "Silver-Spotted Skipper". Originally the species was known as the Pearl Skipper but as time went on the name Silver-Spotted Skipper began being ascribed to it more frequently.[2]

There are numerous subspecies spread throughout the world from Asia, Europe, and North America. In the UK they are rare only found in the chalk hills of the Southern UK and are believed to have arrived in the UK either in the Late Glacial Period or the Holocene.[3][4] As adults they have white tips with yellowish-white spots. They typically live for a year with most of their life spend overwintering as eggs for 7 months until temperatures warm in the Spring.[5] The larvae typically grow up in grazed areas with not too much overgrown vegetation and feed on host plants such as Sheep's Fescues. The larvae form tents made of silk and grass blades and as they pupate form cocoons out of the same materials near the ground.[2] They emerge as adult in July through September. In the UK the species was facing decline however due to restoration efforts and global warming their populations have begun to grow again.[6]

Appearance, behavior and distribution

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Male

Often confused with the large skipper Ochlodes sylvanus, this species is easily distinguished by the numerous white spots on the underside hindwings, and the tips of the upper forewings tend to be darker than those of the large skipper. The upper side is very similar to the Large Skipper however it's spots are often more yellow. The dorsal side of the wings typically are orange and dark brown on the edge of the wings. The ventral side is often a green or olive color. The white spots are slightly more pale on females.[7] Females tend to be larger than the males.[8] Their flight periods rarely overlap; in Britain the large skipper has all but finished when the silver-spotted takes to the wing in August. While it's wings are the most notable feature, the thorax and abdomen actually make up 70% of the body mass of most specimens. The thorax mass allows the butterflies to have more flight muscles allowing them to fly longer as some habitat patches are separated by large distances.[9] The silver-spotted skipper prefers warm calcareous sites and has a wide distribution as far south as North Africa, northwards throughout Europe to the Arctic and eastwards across Asia to China and Japan. In the UK they often will inhabit chalk hills and are very rare to spot in the UK outside of certain regions in the South.[6] In North America the species is mostly concentrated to the West Coast as the Sierra Nevada and Transverse Ranges act as barriers making it difficult for to migrating past it. North American populations were also found to have more genetic diversity than Eurasian populations.[10] It also has subspecies in North America. In the UK it is rare and restricted to chalk downlands of southern England.[2]

Subspecies

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  • Hesperia comma benuncas (Oberthur 1912)
  • Hesperia comma borealis (Lindsey 1942) – Labrador branded skipper
  • Hesperia comma catena (Staudinger 1861)
  • Hesperia comma colorado (Scudder 1874)
  • Hesperia comma dimila (Moore 1874)
  • Hesperia comma hulbirti (Lindsey 1939) – Hulbirt's branded skipper
  • Hesperia comma laurentina (Lyman 1892) – Laurentian branded skipper
  • Hesperia comma lena Korshunov & P. Gorbunov 1995
  • Hesperia comma manitoba (Scudder 1874) – Manitoba branded skipper
  • Hesperia comma mixta (Alpheraky 1881)
  • Hesperia comma pallida (Staudinger 1901)
  • Hesperia comma planula (Korshunov 1995)
  • Hesperia comma shandura (Evans 1949)
  • Hesperia comma sushinki (Korshunov 1995)
  • Hesperia comma greenhornensis (Scott 2021)[10]

Naming History

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At first the name comma was given to both this species and the Large Skipper. The species at first was called the Pearl Skipper instead of Silver Spotted Skipper. It was first described in the UK in 1666 by Merrett. At this time it had no scientific name yet. Later on the name was changed to the August Skipper in but in 1772 the name Pearl Skipper was ascribed to the species again. The name Silver Spotted Skipper was ascribed later on however many experts preferred the Pearl Skipper name. Later on the Silver Spotted Skipper become more favored by authors and experts. [2][11]

Life cycle

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Drawing with caption silver-spotted skipper, egg, natural size and enlarged; caterpillar
Early life stages

Egg

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Females are univoltine laying eggs only once a year and lay single eggs during August and September in areas in short turf, up to 4cm usually around ant mounds as they provide a more open space with less dense vegetation that provides a favorable environment for the larvae. Often since the eggs are laid in heavily graved areas many eggs are eaten by animals.[2] Females also tend to choose areas with warm microclimates as larvae prefer warm temperatures. Typically eggs are laid on host plants such as Festuca ovina agg. (Sheep's Fescues) in the UK.[5] Outside the UK females in places such as Oregon in the U.S. lay their eggs on Festuca roemeri (Roemer's Fescues) that are around 1-5 cm tall. A female will typically only lay one egg per leaf. Sometimes a great number of eggs can be found on one host plant.[12][6] The eggs are a pale cream color or pearl white. This species overwinters as an egg for around 7 months and hatches in March through April[2].

Larvae

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Like other skippers the larvae construct small tent-like structures from leaf blades, grass, and silk from which to feed. These structures usually form around the host plant. Unlike other larvae they will not eat their eggshells. At full size the larvae are 25 mm, have a black head, an olive body, and black warts with amber spines. The ten like structure usually have one larvae each but multiple larvae have been found in one tent before. The larvae have an anal comb that let it discard of feces far from the tent. It can sense disturbances and hot breath to help them detect predators and grazing animals. If a disturbance is detected they will retreat and wiggle to attempt to escape. Before pupation the larvae will become more mobile and wander considerable distance. The larval stage typically lasts 100 days.[2]

Pupae

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Like many other skippers their pupation strategy is less advanced than other butterfly genus lacking girth, spinning cocoons out of silk and grass to reinforce the structure, anchor to their cocoon by a hook on the head and cremaster, and often are low or on the ground. The pupae are usually 15 mm long, an olive green color, with black marks and is slightly yellow towards the ventral side. The pupa is anchored to the cocoon by a hook on the head and cremaster. Pupation takes 10 to 14 days.[2][3]

Adult

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Silver Skipper Adult

Butterflies often emerge in a single generation from late July to mid September.[2][13] Like any univoltine butterflies, the males emerge first before the females. Males will search for females by perching on low vegetation and pursuing any flying insect. If a female is found and she is a virgin, the male will attempt to force the female into the vegetation to mate. During particularly warm If the female is not willing she will jerk her wings and crawl away from the male. If another male is found the two will fight for territory in a upward, spiraling flight. Females will then seek out oviposition sites and after laying each egg will feed before laying another.[2][12]

Host plants and Food Sources

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Sheep's Fescues (Festuca ovina)

While Sheep's Fescues (Festicua ovina) and F. liviensis[14] is used as a host plant for larvae, adults get their nectar from different plants. In the UK they have been noticed to feed on Asteraceae, Dipsaceae, Cirsium acaualon (Stemless Thistle), Centaurea scabiosa (Greater Knapweed), Hypericum (St. John's Wart), Trifolium (Clover), Lotus corniculatus (Common bird's foot trefoil), Campanula rotundifolia (Bellflower), Gentianella amarella (Autumn Gentian), Euphrasia (Eyebright), Origanum vulgare (Oregano), Prunella vulgaris (Self-Heal), and Echium vulgare (Viper's-bugloss). However of all these plants usually Compositae and Dipsacea are the plants most commonly feed on by observation. [15] It has been observed to visit other species of thistles, scabious , and hawkbit as well for nectar.[8] In the UK adults on a range of nectariferous flowers with no preference observed so far.[2]

Activity

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The species flies rapidly often hovering low to the ground often making stops. They can change their direction mid flight sharply. Their flight is one of the fastest of their group. Often adults are feeding or basking in the sunlight. They have been observed to be fond of perching on low lying thistles.[11] When they reach a temperature below 20 C they become less active and aren't out as much.[2][16]

Origin in the UK

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It's theorized the species first began migrating to the UK either during the Late Glacial Zones I and II (The Late Glacial Period)[4] or during the Holocene.[3] According to the Late Glacial Zone theory, even though the climate during the period often led to a decrease in available habitat there was a great range of host and foodplants with in open habitats that allowed them and other butterfly species to begin colonizing the British Isles. Areas such as the western Scottish isles were still isolated due to being out off by sea barriers caused by isostatic depression. [4]

However in the Late Glacial Zone III period the climate began to become colder driving many species out of the British Isles possibly including Hesperia comma. There is however some evidence found in Late Glacial pollen spectra that suggests some colonies of Hesperia comma could have lived in the South-Eastern English woodland fringe and Channel Lands.[4]

Recent resurgence in the UK

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The species population began going down in the UK due to decreasing habitat. A decrease in natural grazing and wild rabbit populations allowed more fields to become overgrown which are an unfavorable environment for oviposition.[9] Additionally agriculture destroys habitat butterflies use and equipment can destroy ant mounds which often are used as oviposition sites as the mounds.[5]

Concerted conservation efforts in the UK, backed by government agencies, have seen this once-threatened species thriving in certain areas. A reintroduction of domestic livestock and rabbits during the 1970s and 1980s have helped to restore suitable habitats for populations. At least 144 habitat patches have increased in quality however colonization by new populations have been limited with most colonization being limited to East Sussex. [17]Climate change has also had an unexpected effect on increasing populations in the UK. Warming climate has allowed the species to distribute into areas that were once too cold for them, additionally it stays warmer longer allowing females more time to find sites to lay eggs.[6]

[edit]
  • Crab spider (Misumena vatia) with prey
    Crab spider (Misumena vatia) with prey
  • Extreme close-up of head of the Hesperia comma butterfly
    Extreme close-up of head of the Hesperia comma butterfly

See also

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[edit]
Wikimedia Commons logo
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hesperia comma.
  1. ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Emmet, Arthur Maitland (1989). The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Volume 7, Part 1. England: Harley Books. pp. 61–63. ISBN 0 946589 25 9.
  3. ^ a b c Ford, Edmund B (1975). Butterflies (Revised ed.). Glasgow, UK: The Fontana New Naturalist. pp. 98, 294. ISBN 0 00 633468 7.
  4. ^ a b c d Dennis-Macfie, Roger L H (1977). The British Butterflies. Park Road Faringdon, Oxon SN7 7DR: E.W. Classey LTD. pp. 211–225. ISBN 0 900848 94 4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  5. ^ a b c Streitberger, Merle; Fartmann, Thomas (2015-12-19). "Vegetation heterogeneity caused by an ecosystem engineer drives oviposition-site selection of a threatened grassland insect". Arthropod-Plant Interactions. 10 (6): 545–555. doi:10.1007/s11829-016-9460-x. ISSN 1872-8855 – via Springer Nature.
  6. ^ a b c d Davies, Zoe G.; Wilson, Robert J.; Coles, Sophie; Thomas, Chris D. (2006-01-16). "Changing habitat associations of a thermally constrained species, the silver-spotted skipper butterfly, in response to climate warming". Journal of Animal Ecology. 75 (1): 247–256. Bibcode:2006JAnEc..75..247D. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2656.2006.01044.x. ISSN 0021-8790. PMID 16903062.
  7. ^ Warren, Andrew D.; Calhoun, John V. (2015-03-01). "A New Name for Alpine Populations of Hesperia colorado (Scudder) (Hesperiidae, Hesperiinae) in Colorado". Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society. 69 (1): 39–49. doi:10.18473/lepi.69i1.a2. ISSN 0024-0966.
  8. ^ a b Brooks, Margaret; Knight, Charles (1982). A Complete Guide to British Butterflies. 30 Bedford Square, London, UK: Jonathan Cape LTD. p. 148. ISBN 0 224 01958 9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  9. ^ a b Hill, J.K; Thomas, C.D; Lewis, O.T (1998-07-07). "Flight morphology in fragmented populations of a rare British butterfly, Hesperia comma". Biological Conservation. 87 (3): 277–283. doi:10.1016/S0006-3207(98)00091-3.
  10. ^ a b Forister, M. L.; Fordyce, J. A.; Shapiro, A. M. (2004-10-15). "Geological barriers and restricted gene flow in the holarctic skipper Hesperia comma (Hesperiidae)". Molecular Ecology. 13 (11): 3489–3499. Bibcode:2004MolEc..13.3489F. doi:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2004.02349.x. ISSN 0962-1083. PMID 15488006.
  11. ^ a b Warne, Frederick (1973). South's British Butterflies. London, UK: Frederick Warne & CO LTD. p. 29. ISBN 0 7232 1499 9.
  12. ^ a b "Oregon branded skipper (Salish Sea segregate) | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife". wdfw.wa.gov. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
  13. ^ Scott, James A. (2021-09-15). "Geographic Variation in Hesperia comma (Hesperiidae) in the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains (California) with the Description of a New Subspecies". The Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society. 75 (3). doi:10.18473/lepi.75i3.a6. ISSN 0024-0966.
  14. ^ Lohse, Konrad; Vila, Roger; Hayward, Alex; Laetsch, Dominik R.; Toro-Delgado, Eric; Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme; Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective; Tree of Life Core Informatics collective; Darwin Tree of Life Consortium (2023). "The genome sequence of the Silver-spotted Skipper, Hesperia comma (Linnaeus, 1758)". Wellcome Open Research. 8: 457. doi:10.12688/wellcomeopenres.19762.1. ISSN 2398-502X. PMC 12859415. PMID 41625303.
  15. ^ Thomas, J. A.; Thomas, C. D.; Simcox, D. J.; Clarke, R. T. (1986). "Ecology and Declining Status of the Silver-Spotted Skipper Butterfly (Hesperia comma) in Britain". Journal of Applied Ecology. 23 (2): 365–380. Bibcode:1986JApEc..23..365T. doi:10.2307/2404023. ISSN 0021-8901. JSTOR 2404023.
  16. ^ Russwurm, Arthur D.A. (1978). Aberrations of British Butterflies. Monophoto Baskerville: E.W. Classey LTD. p. 17. ISBN 0-86096-002-1.
  17. ^ Thomas, C. D.; Jones, T. M. (1993-07-01). "Partial recovery of a Skipper Butterfly (Hesperia comma) from Population Refuges: Lessons for Conservation in a Fragmented Landscape". The Journal of Animal Ecology. 62 (3): 472. Bibcode:1993JAnEc..62..472T. doi:10.2307/5196. JSTOR 5196.
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