Silver-spotted Skippers – the next generation?

Silver-spotted Skipper, Stagbury - Graham Kenward

After our recent sightings of the rare Silver-spotted Skipper on Stagbury Down, we wondered: could this be the start of a brand-new colony on our patch?
To find out, GH, BG, LN and GK teamed up with butterfly experts Bill Downey and Gail Jeffcoate for a closer look. The mission? To search for the Skipper’s eggs – tiny treasures that are laid only on its caterpillar food plant, sheep’s fescue (Festuca ovina), see pics below. This fine, wiry grass already supports other species such as the Gatekeeper, Small Heath and Meadow Brown.
But the Silver-spotted Skipper is choosier than most. Females will only lay eggs on short clumps of fescue, usually beside patches of bare, sun-baked ground with a warm, south-facing aspect. And they like it hot – they won’t get out of bed if it’s less than 20°C!
​On this sunny visit, conditions were perfect. Before long, Gail had spotted egg after egg – 18 in total – carefully tucked onto fescue blades. Each one could be the start of a new generation.
Whether these eggs will lead to a thriving colony remains to be seen, but the discovery is hugely encouraging. If successful, the Silver-spotted Skipper could once again become a regular jewel of our chalk downland, brightening our transect walks in years to come.

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Silver-spotted Skipper egg photos by Liz North