Grizzled Skipper

National Status: Found across southern England, range contracting. Population trend 10 years – no change; since 1976 -37%.
West Midlands Status: A few scattered colonies, range contracting. Population trend 10 years – stable but 2013 was a poor year.
Hotspots: Oswestry Hills in Shropshire, Doward in Herefordshire, Swynnerton in Staffordshire, Throckmorton Landfill Site, Llanymynech Rocks, Ewyas Harold, Doward, Pound Green. Honeybourne Railway Line Habitat: Herb-rich sites with a mosaic of sward heights and areas of sparse vegetation or bare ground providing a warm microclimate. Found in woodland clearings, rides, quarries, unimproved grassland and brownfield sites.
Flight Period: Mid-April to late June, numbers peaking in the second half of May.
Wingspan 23–29 mm

Caterpillar Food Plant: The main foodplants are Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), Creeping Cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans) and Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca). Barren Strawberry (Potentilla sterilis), Bramble (Rubus fruticosus), Dog-rose (Rosa canina), Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor), Tormentil (Potentilla erecta) and Wood Avens (Geum urbanum) are also used.