Skipper for ID, please - Spain

[Trik]

Photographed in Andalucia 14 September, at around 800m. No underwing, I'm afraid. I thought at first it was Oberthur's Grizzled, but the greenish edges to the wings and the dark patch on the hindwings, near the body, makes me wonder.

Thanks
Trik

[Padfield]

Hi Trik. That's a sage skipper, Muschampia proto.

Guy

[Chris Jackson]

Nice find, Trik. I myself feel honoured to have seen this skipper in the South of France. They are not rare, but not widespread either.
Yours is a male.
An underside shot of a female on a good day would look like this:

Chris

[Trik]

A new one for me, so that's really nice to know. Thank you very much. There were very few wild flowers as they had been frazzled by the relentlessly hot summer. I nearly didn't bother to take any photos, but there had been so little flying that I thought I should get something. This butterfly, a few other skippers (see below - is this Sage too?) and a handful of worn Small Coppers, were feeding on some sort of shrubby ragwort by the roadside - the only nectar source about. There was also this shabby, pale Grayling. Is it anything special, please?

Thanks again
Trik

[Padfield]

Hi Trik. Yes, that's another sage skipper. Your grayling is a female hermit, Chazara briseis. This species is relatively widespread and common in the south of Europe but increasingly scarce further north. In Switzerland there are almost no colonies left, even in what used to be its heartlands. The male is a more brightly coloured butterfly but still beautifully camouflaged in its hot, scrubby terrain. I've posted some pictures of both sexes here: http://www.guypadfield.com/hermit.html. So yes - I would definitely call that a good butterfly to have seen.

Guy

[Trik]

Very good news, Guy. It has turned 14 September from a rather disappointing day into a much better one!

Trik