Spialia phlomidis

A skipper with a wingspan of 25-30 mm, dark brown in colouration and resembles the orbiferous but has smaller white spots and a continuous white band on the hindwing undersides. There are several subspecies in the country. Also called the “Persian skipper,” the Kiki’s prefers dry grassland, scrub, woodland edges, meadows, steppe, and dry stony slopes. The host plants are members of the bindweed family (Convolvulaceae), such as Lebanon bindweed (Convolvulus libanoticus) and striped bindweed (C. lineatus). It flies April through early July, the flight is fast and close to the ground.

Photographs

Attribution: Zeynel Cebeci (Wikipedia Creative Commons)

Attribution: Charlie Jackson (Wikipedia Creative Commons)