Large grizzled skipper

Muschampia proto

Despite the name, this is a smaller skipper with a wingspan of 22-26 mm, the colour varies from greyish-brown to nearly black with creamy markings, the undersides vary with season. There are several subspecies in Lebanon. The large grizzled inhabits numerous types of habitats such as open scrub, garrigue, flower-rich grassland, meadows, mountain pastures, and dry stony slopes. The host plants associated with this species are phlomis or Jerusalem sage (Phlomis spp.) and horehounds (Marrubium spp.), hence the other name “sage skipper.” It flies April through October, the flight is fast.

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