Absolutely — here is a deep, no-pictures overview of the Chequered Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon):

🦋 Chequered Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon)

🔹 Taxonomy

• Order: Lepidoptera
• Family: Hesperiidae (Skippers)
• Subfamily: Heteropterinae
• Genus: Carterocephalus
• Species: C. palaemon

🌍 Distribution & Range

A species with a fragmented but wide northern distribution:

• Across Europe: Especially central, eastern and northern regions
• Scotland: Restricted to parts of the western Highlands
• Asia: Extends through Russia to Siberia, Mongolia, and Japan

➡️ Extinct in England since 1976 — active reintroduction underway in recent years.

🏞️ Habitat

Requires damp, semi-natural woodlands, often in upland regions:

• Sunny woodland clearings
• Rides and glades
• Edges of boggy meadows
• Areas with long-term traditional forestry management

Key habitat feature:
✅ Abundant tall grasses with nectar-rich flowers nearby
✅ Warm but humid microclimate

Very sensitive to habitat fragmentation and woodland management practices.

🧬 Identification (Field Traits)

A small skipper with a distinctive chequered pattern:

• Wingspan: ~27–31 mm
• Upperwings: Dark brown with pale yellow/orange square spots arranged in a checkerboard
• Underside: Strongly patterned — greenish-brown with pale yellow spots
• Flight is jerky and low over vegetation

Sexes similar but males are slightly more brightly marked.

🌱 Diet & Host Plants

🟢 Larval host plants:

• Primarily Purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea) in western Europe
• Also other grasses in its Asian and eastern range

🌸 Adult nectar sources:

• Bugle (Ajuga reptans), bluebells, buttercups, bistort, etc.

🔄 Life Cycle

• Single-brooded (univoltine)
• Adults on the wing May–June (varies with latitude)
• Eggs laid singly on host grass blades
• Larvae:
  • Feed on grass leaves
  • Create tented shelters by folding leaves with silk
• Overwinter as a larva
• Pupation occurs in a loosely spun cocoon near the ground in spring

🧠 Behavior & Ecology

• Males defend sunlit territories along woodland edges and glades
• Short flights interspersed with frequent perching
• Often seen basking with wings partly open

A species dependent on traditional coppice and ride management; declines where woods become too dark or too fragmented.

⚖️ Conservation Status

• Europe-wide: Stable in many northern/eastern regions
• UK:
  • Extinct in England until reintroduction
  • Locally restricted but stable in the Scottish Highlands
• Structure of forestry and woodland management determines long-term survival

✅ Summary Table

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