I wonder if anyone can help me with the ID of the attached Skipper. Seen in the Sierra Nevada last week. I was thinking Pyrgus cirsii, but I am far from confident with my Skipper ID ability!!
Thank you.
Skipper
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NickMorgan
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Padfield
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Re: Skipper
Hi Nick. My impression - and sorry to disappoint - is that this is malvoides. What can be seen of the hindwing marks suggests they are rather white (as opposed to off-white/cream) and that the central band is incomplete. The 'scream' marks on the forewing, characteristic of cirsii, don't look at all like the Scream (the two pd spots closest to the trailing edge coalesce in cirsii into a sinusoidal banner, which Tim Cowles once likened to mouth of the Scream and the image has stuck!).
I'm very happy for someone to argue I'm wrong, or remind me of some candidate I've overlooked!
Guy
I'm very happy for someone to argue I'm wrong, or remind me of some candidate I've overlooked!
Guy
Guy's Butterflies: https://www.guypadfield.com
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
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NickMorgan
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Re: Skipper
Thank you so much Guy,
I am not disappointed at all. Although cirsii would have been a new species for me, I would far rather have a positive ID than not know for sure.
Interestingly, even with the information you have given me, I wouldn't have reached malvoides using Tolman or Lafranchis. The Sierra Nevada book threw me a bit off course with it noting that for cirsii the "scream" (brilliant description, by the way!!) is always joined. The only species in their note section that appeared to have this feature. However, looking at the main description page for Pyrgus malvoides the picture is spot on.
It seems so obvious now you have told me, but previously I was getting so confused!!
This holiday was really the first opportunity I have had to use the Canon Powershot to any extent. (A cloudy, windy spring in Scotland wasn't conducive at all!) I am very impressed. I took my ageing Panasonic Lumix FZ150 to Sierra Nevada as a back up, but soon found the Canon so much better. I think the poor old Lumix is just getting old after 27,000 pictures and 12 years. The zoom is really stiff and slow and the viewfinder must be full of dust! The Canon was quick and light to use and the viewfinder so much brighter. I still struggle on occasions to persuade it to focus on small butterflies, but it is certainly more than up to my abilities and requirements.
Thank you again for your ID expertise and advice on the camera.
I am not disappointed at all. Although cirsii would have been a new species for me, I would far rather have a positive ID than not know for sure.
Interestingly, even with the information you have given me, I wouldn't have reached malvoides using Tolman or Lafranchis. The Sierra Nevada book threw me a bit off course with it noting that for cirsii the "scream" (brilliant description, by the way!!) is always joined. The only species in their note section that appeared to have this feature. However, looking at the main description page for Pyrgus malvoides the picture is spot on.
It seems so obvious now you have told me, but previously I was getting so confused!!
This holiday was really the first opportunity I have had to use the Canon Powershot to any extent. (A cloudy, windy spring in Scotland wasn't conducive at all!) I am very impressed. I took my ageing Panasonic Lumix FZ150 to Sierra Nevada as a back up, but soon found the Canon so much better. I think the poor old Lumix is just getting old after 27,000 pictures and 12 years. The zoom is really stiff and slow and the viewfinder must be full of dust! The Canon was quick and light to use and the viewfinder so much brighter. I still struggle on occasions to persuade it to focus on small butterflies, but it is certainly more than up to my abilities and requirements.
Thank you again for your ID expertise and advice on the camera.