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| UK Status |
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| Resident |
A species which is continually Resident in the UK with stable breeding populations. |
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| Migrant |
A species which occurs as a Migrant in the UK. It may be able to breed here although they are usually unable to survive our winter months. Migrants are normally reported in the UK every year. |
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| Rare Migrant |
A species which occurs as a Rare Migrant in the UK. It may able to breed here although they are usually unable to survive our winter months. Rare Migrants may not be seen for many years. |
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| Extinct |
A species which is Extinct in the UK, usually as a result of habitat loss. |
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| Introduction |
A species which ocurs in the UK as an accidental introduction. |
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Description
The Large Skipper butterfly can be seen from the end of May until mid August although numbers drop dramatically during the first week in August. Males are usually found perching in a prominent position in full sunshine on a large leaf awaiting females to pass by.
The Male Large Skipper is easily identified due to the dark diagonal line (sex brand) on each of the forewings. Females lack this line but generally show a clear chequered pattern on their wings. Unlike the Small Skipper and Essex Skipper the antennae of the Large Skipper tend to be pointed and hooked.
The caterpillars emerge from late June and feed slowly until September feeding mainly at night while during the day it rests within a tube of grass secured with fine silk thread. It hibernates as a half-grown larva within a more robust tube of grass until the following spring when it completes its development. The full grown larvae are bluish-green in colour... a yellow line runs down each side and a dark line along its back while the head is a dull whitish-brown colour.
The larvae pupate during early June with butterflies emerging three weeks later although this can be earlier in the south of Britain. The pupae are dark brown/black and dusted with a white waxy substance and are found within a silk and grass cocoon.
Habitat
This butterfly is most commonly found in grassy areas where the larvae foodplants grow and remain tall and uncut. A wide variety of habitats are using including disused railway lines road verges clearings and urban sites such as churchyards parks and gardens.
Larval Food Plants
Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata) Purple Moor-grass (Molinia caerulea) and False Brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum).
British Subspecies
The following sub-species of the Large Skipper occur in the UK.
 Large Skipper - Ochlodes sylvanus faunus (Turati, 1905) - Occurs throughout the UK.
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| Stock Photography Library |
| We have 14 photographs of the Large Skipper in the British Butterflies photo library |
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BB1699 - Large Skipper
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BB1697 - Large Skipper
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BB1696 - Large Skipper
DSC_1860.JPG
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BB1618 - Large Skipper
DSC_4727.JPG
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BB1617 - Large Skipper
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BB902 - Large Skipper
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BB734 - Large Skipper
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BB733 - Large Skipper
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| Distribution |
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| Widespread in England and Wales extending as far north as Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland. |
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| Where to see the Large Skipper |
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| Population Trends |
| species status |
the Large Skipper is a resident species in Britain |
| population trend1 |
(1995-2004)  down by -38% |
(1976-2004)  up by 12% |
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1Fox, R., Asher. J., Brereton. T., Roy, D & Warren, M.
(2006) The State of Butterflies in Britain & Ireland, Pices, Oxford. |
| UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Status |
| UK BAP status2 |
not listed (link) |
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| 2 For more information about the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species status, visit www.ukbap.org.uk. |
| IUCN Category Status |
| IUCN category3 |
 least concern4 |
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3 Fox, R., Warren, M & Brereton, T.
(2007) New Red List of British Butterflies. Butterfly Conservation, Wareham.
4 More information about IUCN categories available here. |
| Find Out More Online* |
| More information about the Large Skipper can be found on Peter Eeles excellent UK Butterflies web site. |
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Aberrations and Forms |
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| We currently know of 6 named aberrant forms of the Large Skipper. More information about aberrants can be found here. |
 ab. extensa - Tutt (1906) |
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| ab. intermedia - Frohawk (1938) |
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| ab. juncta - Tutt (1906) |
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| ab. obscura - Tutt (1906) |
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| ab. opposita - Tutt (1906) |
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| ab. pallida - Mosley (1896) |
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| References |
| The information on this web site comes from a variety of freely available resources including books, academic reports and web sites alongside my own personal observations of butterflies. The species descriptions are currently in the process of being edited (spring 2009) to include new data, recent personal observations and referencing following a major update to the site.
A complete list of references mentioned in the text on this web site is available here. |
| * External Links Disclaimer |
| This web site includes links to information provided by external web sites which are not in any way under the control of www.britishbutterflies.co.uk. We cannot, therefore, be held responsible for the content of external web pages. |
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29-36mm
