Chequered Skipper Butterfly

Carterocephalus palaemon, the chequered skipper or arctic skipper, not to be confused with the large chequered skipper, is a species of woodland butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. This butterfly can live in grasslands. The upperside of the butterfly is brown with orange spots and on its underside the chequered skipper is orange with brown spots.

Chequered skippers are found in Great Britain and other European regions, but seen locally in Japan and in North America. The size of the chequered skipper ranges from 19 to 32 mm with females being larger. In the 1970s, the chequered skipper went extinct in England due to the new management of the woodlands.

Inhabits woodland clearings, rides, and edges in deciduous and mixed forests, particularly areas with traditional coppice management that create a mosaic of open spaces and partial shade. Requires the presence of specific grass species including Purple Moor-grass (Molinia caerulea) and other coarse grasses that serve as larval food plants.