Pyrgus armoricanus
Local name: Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper faces severe population declines across its European range due to intensive agricultural practices that eliminate the flower-rich grasslands essential for both adult nectar sources and larval host plants. The species is particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, as its small, isolated populations struggle to maintain genetic diversity and recolonize areas after local extinctions. Climate change compounds these pressures by altering the timing of plant flowering and butterfly emergence, disrupting critical life cycle synchronization.
Habitat
This butterfly inhabits flower-rich calcareous grasslands, chalk downs, and limestone hillsides across western and central Europe, particularly favoring areas with short turf maintained by traditional grazing. The species requires a mosaic of microhabitats including bare ground for basking, nectar sources like wild thyme and marjoram, and its primary larval host plants from the Potentilla genus.
Other threatened species in Hesperiidae
Threatened in Albania
Frequently asked questions
Why is Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper classified as Vulnerable?
Where does Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper live?
What are the main threats to Oberthür's Grizzled Skipper?
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