Southern marbled skipper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southern marbled skipper |
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| Tàrrega, Catalonia | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Muschampia
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| Species: |
baeticus
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| Synonyms | |
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The Southern Marbled Skipper (scientific name: Muschampia baeticus) is a small, quick butterfly. It belongs to a group called "skippers" because of how fast it flies! You can find this butterfly in warm places. It lives across North Africa, parts of south-western Europe like Italy, and even as far as Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) up to Afghanistan in Asia.
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What Does the Southern Marbled Skipper Look Like?
This butterfly is quite small. Its front wings are about 13 to 14 millimeters long. That's roughly half an inch!
Wing Colors and Patterns
The top of its front wings looks like marbled gray and dark grey-brown. It has a thin, gray band that separates a darker area near its body. You might also spot tiny clear spots on these wings.
The back wings are dark brown on top. They have a small light spot near the body. You can also see clear spots in the middle and near the edges.
Underneath the Wings
If you look at the underside of the front wings, they are grey-brown with light veins. The underside of the back wings is light yellow-gray. These wings have white veins and a pattern of white spots and crescent shapes. Together, these patterns create a cool net-like design.
Both male and female Southern Marbled Skippers have similar wing patterns. However, the male butterfly has thicker hair on the underside of its front wings.
Changing Colors
Did you know this butterfly can change its look? The first group of butterflies born in a year is usually dark gray. The second group is lighter gray. If there's a third group, they are often light sand-brown.
Also, the hair on the male's wings changes color. Butterflies flying in early summer have dark hair. Those flying later in the year have light sand-brown hair.
Life Cycle and Habits
Southern Marbled Skippers are active for several months of the year.
When You Can See Them
Adult butterflies fly from May all the way through October. They usually have two or three generations (groups of butterflies born) during this time. If they live in very high places, they might only have one generation per year.
What They Eat
The young butterflies, called larvae or caterpillars, love to eat certain plants. They feed on Marrubium vulgare, also known as horehound. They also eat plants from the Ballota family.
How Scientists Learn More
For a long time, this butterfly was thought to be part of the Carcharodus group. But in 2020, scientists did some special research. They studied the butterfly's genes (its DNA). This research showed that it actually belongs to a different group called Muschampia. This is how science helps us learn more about the natural world!
