About Pyrgus melotis (Duponchel, 1832)
Pyrgus melotis, commonly known as the Aegean skipper, is a butterfly species belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It was first described by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1832. This species is found in the Caucasus, Transcaucasia, Asia Minor, Greece, and the Middle East. It is part of the Pyrgus malvae (grizzled skipper) species complex, but is separated from other members of the complex by significant reproductive isolation mechanisms. Its natural habitat is made up of grasslands and slopes. The forewings of Pyrgus melotis measure 11–15 mm in length. Key identifying traits include a cream-coloured underside to the hindwings, which obscures the markings on this surface; the spots on the wing uppersides, particularly those on the forewings, are generally large and square in shape. Adult Aegean skippers are active on the wing from April to June, and again from July to September, producing two or sometimes three generations each year. Larvae of this species have been recorded feeding on plant species from the genus Rubus.
