Southern Grizzled Skipper

The wingspan of this butterfly is 24–26 mm. Pyrgus malvoides cannot be distinguished from Pyrgus malvae by external characteristics, but this is quite possible on the basis of the genital structures (H. malvoides Elw. Markings as in malvae; tergite of anal segment (male) with a tooth on each side).

From the other species of the genus Pyrgus, both species can be clearly differentiated by the presence of the mostly clear submarginal points on the upper side of the wing.

Pyrgus malvoides is distributed from Portugal and Spain via southern and central France, southern Switzerland (south of the main Alpine ridge) and Austria (Vorarlberg, Tyrol) to Italy and Istria.

Adults are on wing from April to September. In Bavaria Pyrgus malvoides flies in one generation from around mid-May to mid-July. A second or even third generation per year, as described e.g. in Italy, was not observed in Bavaria. The larvae feed on Potentilla, Agrimonia and Fragaria species, but primarily Potentilla erecta. It is reported from Switzerland that the caterpillars have been found on various cinquefoil species (Potentilla neumanniana [= tabernaemontani], Potentilla pusilla, Potentilla erecta) and have eaten Fragaria vesca during breeding. Proven forage plants of the caterpillars are: Potentilla tabernaemontani (= Potentilla neumanniana, Potentilla verna) [Switzerland, France], Potentilla pusilla [Switzerland, France, Italy], Potentilla erecta [Switzerland, Spain], Potentilla aurea [Austria], Potentilla reptans [France, Italy, Spain], Potentilla rupestris [Switzerland], Potentilla argentea [France], Potentilla grandiflora [Switzerland], Potentilla hirta [France], Potentilla pensylvanica [Spain], Potentilla recta [Spain], Fragaria vesca [Spain, Switzerland], Alchemilla hybrida [Switzerland], Agrimonia eupatoria [France, Spain], Filipendula vulgaris [Spain], Geum montanum [Spain], Rubus caesius [Spain], Rubus idaeus [Switzerland, France, Italy], Rubus ulmifolius [Spain], Sanguisorba minor [Switzerland, Spain]. …