Pyrgus centaureae
(Rambur, 1839)
Northern Grizzled Skipper
Species Guides
3- Pyrgus centaureae freija(Freija's Grizzled Skipper)
- Pyrgus centaureae loki
- Pyrgus centaureae wyandot(Appalachian Grizzled Skipper)
A in the Hesperiidae, found in mountainous regions of Scandinavia. fly in June and July. The has been documented to switch larval foodplants between years of development.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Pyrgus centaureae: /ˈpɪrɡəs sɛnˈtɔːriˌi/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Images
Habitat
Mountainous regions of Scandinavia.
Distribution
Scandinavia (Norway, Finland); also recorded in North America.
Seasonality
active June and July.
Diet
Larvae feed on Dwarf birch (Betula nana) in their first year of development, switching to Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus) in their second year.
Host Associations
- Betula nana - larval foodplantUsed during first year of larval development
- Rubus chamaemorus - larval foodplantUsed during second year of larval development
Life Cycle
Development spans two years. Larvae switch foodplants between the first and second year.
More Details
Bivoltine foodplant switching
One of only two European known to switch larval foodplants between years of development. This trait is shared with the Scarce Fritillary (Euphydryas maturna), though that species switches between unrelated plant (Oleaceae to Viburnaceae) rather than within the same individual.
Genome sequencing
sequence published 2025 as part of Darwin Tree of Life initiative (Wellcome Open Research).