Grizzled skipper With its endangered status in the Netherlands, the grizzled skipper may benefit from extensive grazing as a nature restoration project. Grizzled skipper The grizzled skipper ("Pyrgus malvae") is a common butterfly from the family Hesperiidae that is widespread throughout Europe. It is a small Skipper (butterfly) with a chequered pattern on its wings that appears to be black and white. This butterfly can be found throughout Europe and is heavily concentrated in central and southern regions of England. The butterfly prefers three major types of habitat: woodland, grassland, and industrial. Referenced as a superspecies, "Pyrgus malvae" includes three semispecies: "malvae,
Large skipper lighter spots. The underside of the hindwings is greenish-yellow, marked with sparse yellow spots. The male has a broad scented androconial dark line across the top of the forewings. On the hindwings of the females there are brighter square marks. When the wings are opened, the forewings are obliquely folded, masking the hindwings. The faint chequered pattern on both the upperside and underside, and also the hook-shaped antenna tips, help to distinguish the large skipper from these two orange skippers. The Lulworth skipper also has patterned wings, but does not have the hooked antennae. The caterpillar can reach a length