Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper vs Face Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper Face Fly
Scientific Name Pyrgus armoricanus Musca autumnalis
Order Lepidoptera Diptera
Family Hesperiidae Muscidae
Size 24-28 mm wingspan 7-8 mm
Habitat Grasslands Farmland
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Southern and central Europe, North Africa Europe, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper

A small greyish-brown skipper with white spots, very similar to related species but with distinct underside markings. It prefers warmer, drier habitats than most other grizzled skippers.

💡

Did You Know?

It can produce two or three generations per year in warm Mediterranean climates but only one in the north.

Face Fly

A non-biting muscid fly that feeds on secretions around the eyes and nose of cattle. It is a mechanical vector of the cattle pinkeye pathogen Moraxella bovis.

💡

Did You Know?

It enters homes in large numbers each autumn to overwinter, hence the name autumnalis.