Spanish Pyrgus...

[David M]

Just the one from my week in Spain.

This pyrgus stood out like a sore thumb as it was surrounded by a dozen or more cirsii whilst puddling.

It was easy to get into my vial (it didn't even realise until I moved the container to force the butterfly to the top), and I spent several minutes scrutinising it.

1,200m was the altitude. I thought it might be onopordi but the uppersides don't look quite right:

[selbypaul]

Hi David
I'm absolutely not an expert at these things, but I do like to test myself! Looking through Tolman, the closest it looks like to me is Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper (pyrgus armoricanus).

Did you rule this out?
Best Wishes
Paul

[Roger Gibbons]

It might have been surrounded by a dozen cirsii for a reason... my guess is that it was one of them.

Roger

[David M]

Thanks, both.

Paul - it was the dark edges to the well-developed 'anvil' that got me thinking of onopordi, and that pretty much ruled out amoricanus.

Roger - based on the upperside then it resembles cirsii, but the underside was hugely paler than regular cirsii. Here's the usual uns ground colour: