Chequered Skipper Butterfly
Carterocephalus palaemon
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.
44
Countries
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carterocephalus_palaemon
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Hesperiidae
Genus
Carterocephalus
Chequered Skipper Butterfly belongs to the family Hesperiidae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
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.
The Chequered Skipper Butterfly faces significant threats from habitat loss and fragmentation due to changes in woodland management practices and agricultural intensification. Climate change poses additional risks by altering the distribution and quality of suitable habitats, while the species' specialized habitat requirements and limited dispersal ability make populations particularly vulnerable to local extinctions.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
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.
Threats
Agricultural intensification and land use conversion
Habitat loss and fragmentation from woodland management changes
Climate change impacts on habitat suitability
Limited dispersal ability reducing recolonization potential
Loss of traditional coppicing and woodland practices
Found in 44 Countries
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (VU).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | VUVulnerable | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | VUVulnerable | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Chequered Skipper Butterfly (Carterocephalus palaemon). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/chequered-skipper-butterfly