Skipper expert please

[Chris Jackson]

Hi there. Can someone identify this "very large" skipper for me please ? Photographed near Marseilles in mid August. Thanks, Chris.

[Roger Gibbons]

From what I can see, male armoricanus looks the strong favourite. There are good reasons from the underside view why it is not serratulae or onopordi, and the upf markings look just way too strong for alveus. If you could see the uph (upperside hindwing), that would be 100% conclusive as armoricanus is quite characteristic here as compared to alveus. In the Marseilles region the altitude would be too low for alveus anyway.

[Chris Jackson]

Thank you Roger for your quick reply. Oberthür's it will be !
On a different note, I will get back to you later in the year if I may as I need to be parachuted-in with pinpoint accuracy (place and time) on Festoons for next spring in the South of France as I believe you have some experience in these. Salutations. Chris.