Small Skipper

Thymelicus Sylestris

Family Hesperiidae 

• Colouring – Orange / brown colour wings.
• Life span – June through to August
• Native – British butterfly.
• Caterpillar colour – Light green in colour
• Eggs to caterpillar – Approximately 21 days.
• Food for the caterpillar – Variety of grasses: bluegrass, wheatgrass etc; wild rye.
• Food for the butterfly – Tall grasses, Yorkshire fog, knapweeds, thistles.

Special features

The Small Skipper has very powerful muscles and can get up to speeds of 20 mph. One of the finest and most common ‘Golden’ Skippers, it can be found around quarries, brownfield sites, road verges and disused railway lines.