Brown butterfly with white chequered marking in the undergrowth Active

Grizzled Skipper. Photo: Mel Bray

Family: Skippers
Size: Small   Wingspan: 27mm

A small butterfly, out early in the season, sometimes confused with the Dingy Skipper.

Where to see

  • Habitat: Open/rough ground, clearings
  • Caterpillar foodplants: Wild Strawberry, Creeping Cinquefoil
  • Best places: Fontmell Down, Hod Hill, Durlston Country Park, Cerne Abbas, Lankham Bottom, Southfield Hogcliffe

Distribution map

Grizzled Skipper was recorded from these 1km squares in Dorset (2015-19).

    Key:
  •     1 record
  •     2-9 records
  •     10+ records
Explore the Atlas to see historical distribution trends for this species.

When to see

May be out in the last week of April, mainly seen in May, might extend into June.

Sightings by month (last 5 years)*

Compare flight times for all species.

This year and last*


Browse the sightings archive.

What to look for

This is a very small butterfly – see the photos showing it on a dandelion flower and on the same flower next to a Small Tortoiseshell. It is probably going to be found on the wing earlier than the Dingy Skipper, with which it can be confused, but they might overlap in late May and June.

The Grizzled has more definite markings than the Dingy Skipper and is usually darker.

There is also a moth on the wing at the same time which might cause some confusion: the Mother Shipton (see photo below).

Overwinter stage: Chrysalis

Photo gallery

Click thumbnails to view full-size images.

Dark Brown and white almost chequered butterfly

Grizzled Skipper. Photo: Peter Lister

View of underwing of a butterfly with brown background but almost as much white as brown

Grizzled Skipper. Photo: Mark Pike

Small dark brown butterfly with white spots on a small dandelion-like flower

Grizzled skipper - note the small size. Photo: Rex Bale

Two butterflies on a yellow flower, one small and brown and white; the other orange with colourful markings and a lot bigger

Grizzled Skipper and Small Tortoiseshell on dandelion flower, giving a very good idea of the small size of the former. Photo; Mark Pike

Brown butterfly with white checkered markings

Grizzled Skipper. Photo: David Longshaw

Dark brown butterfly with lots of white marks clinging to a grass stalk

Grizzled Skipper. Photo: John Woodruff

Two brown butterflies, one a warmer brown with less white on it

DINGY SKIPPER to the rear and Grizzled Skipper to the front. Photo: James Gould

Moth with brown and greay patterning, which can be seen as a hag's face on each wing

MOTHER SHIPTON MOTH, which may be confused with the Grizzled Skipper. Photo: Mark Pike

Find more Grizzled Skipper related content, including news and photos.
*Note: The charts shown on this page are drawn only from casual sightings submitted to this website. Records from this website will be added to a lot more data collected throughout the year and used to compile the five-yearly Butterfly Atlases for Dorset and the UK.