12. D ESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE: HESPERIIDAE FAMILY Small lineola (Ochsenheimer, 1808)

DESCRIPTION

Wingspan: From 2.2 to 3 cm. The most distinctive feature of this are black antennae clubs that can be seen only when the butterfl y rests and its wings are closed, or when you are facing them. Open wings: Each wing is gold-coloured. The male butterfl ies’ forewings have a short black line (androconia). Closed wings: The hindwings are golden in the case of male butterfl ies, and golden with the green centre in the case of female butterfl ies.

Black antennae clubs

Short black line (androconia)

Black antennae club

Golden with the green centre; male butterfl ies entirely golden

60 DIURNAL • GR-249 Great Malaga Path : When open, male butterfl ies have a long black line (androconia). The clubs of antennae are orange whether their wings are open or closed, although they might seem dark when the wings are open and the hind part of the antennae can be seen. There is to watch the front part of the antennae for a correct identifi cation of species. : This species can be confused with Small Skippers only when its wings are closed, so we can say that the orange antennae clubs are a distinctive feature in this case. Golden colour can be observed when forewings are shown.

Essex Skipper Lulworth Skipper

This species takes one generation a year to fl y mainly in May. It fl ies sooner than Essex Skipper, so that the fl ight periods can help distinguish these two species, considering they can both live in the same place. These butterfl ies live in wide grassland, above all in well-preserved sparse oak and pine forests, in mountains at an altitude from 590 to 1250 m. Their caterpillars feed on grasses that belong to different genera. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

It is not commonly seen in Málaga, and it has only been noticed along stage 11 of the GMP. It is likely to be found, although in small numbers and only certain spots, along other routes, above all those that go from Cómpeta to Villanueva de Tapia, on stage 20, and from Ardales to Benalauria.

Legend:

Great Malaga Path

Distribution of the species along the GMP GR-249 Great Malaga Path • DIURNAL BUTTERFLIES 61