Male, June 2005, Switzerland
Same male, defending his territory proudly...
Male, June 2006, Switzerland
Male, June 2006, Switzerland
Val d'Aran, July 2008
Switzerland, June 2008
Near where I live in Switzerland the tufted marbled skipper is
reasonably common in unimproved grassland with flowers. The males have
a characteristic habit of perching on flower heads or grass heads
watching their territory and not infrequently buzzing off to defend it
against intruders... The species is similar to the marbled skipper and
the mallow skipper, but neither of these shares quite the same
behaviour. Marbled is also rather brighter - often yellowish - and
mallow is a duller ground lover with subtly different markings
(particularly the white markings on the forewings, which are narrower).