Genus HESPERIA, Fabricius , 1793 
THE SILVER-SPOTTED SKIPPER 
Hesperia comma (Linn., 1758). 
(Plate XXXII, facing page 349) 
This very local butterfly of the chalk and limestone hills 
of southern England has a remarkably rapid flight, darting 
along from flower to flower, or from one resting spot to another 
on the ground, or short turf, where it sits with expanded 
wings basking in the hot August sunshine. Unlike most of 
the Skippers, H. comma is very rarely seen resting upon 
leaves ; the bare ground, short turf or a flower are its resting 
places. It usually sleeps for the night upon a flower-head, 
with its wings tightly closed over its back. Its favourite 
flowers are Thistles, especially the Dwarf Thistle (C. nicus 
acaulis ), Knapweed [Centaurea niger) and other plants of 
the chalk hills. 
Haunts and Distribution. H. comma is very locally dis¬ 
tributed over the southern half of England and is confined 
to the chalk and limestone downs and hills of Berkshire, 
Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Dorsetshire, Gloucester¬ 
shire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Somerset, Surrey, 
Sussex, Wiltshire, and is very restricted in Essex. In 
Northamptonshire in 1851 it suddenly appeared at Barnwell 
and Ashton Wold, but in the wet summer of i860 it dis¬ 
appeared and has not since been met with in that county. 
Also, many years ago it was recorded from Yorkshire, but 
has long since ceased to exist there, which was its most 
northern range. It appears unknown in Wales, Scotland or 
Ireland. Abroad its range is very extensive, occurring over 
the whole of the Palaearctic regions, except for Algeria and 
the Canaries. 
In its chief localities it is usually abundant, frequenting 
the grassy and flowery hillsides and downs where the food 
plant of the larva, the Sheeps Fescue Grass ( Festuca ovina) 
abounds. 
Time of Appearance. H. comma is single-brooded in normal 
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