Muschampia baeticus

Muschampia baeticus (Rambur, 1839)
Southern Marbled Skipper
(erroneously known as Carcharodus boeticus)
PYRGINAE, HESPERIIDAE, HESPERIOIDEA

Don Herbison-Evans,
(donherbisonevans@yahoo.com)
and
Stella Crossley

(Photo: courtesy of Roberto Villa)

This Caterpillar is much sought after, as it feeds on the poisonous weed :

White Horehound ( Marrubium vulgare, LAMIACEAE ),

although it also feeds on other plants in the same family, including :

Silver Hoarhound ( Marrubium incanum ),

Fetid Horehound ( Ballota foetida ).

male
(Photo: courtesy of Roberto Villa)

The butterflies are brown with grey markings on the forewings, and white spots on both fore and hind wings. The butterflies have wingspans of 1.2 to 1.4 cms.

drawing by Pierre Rambur, listed as Syrichtus baeticus,
Faune Entomologique de l'Andalusie,
Volume 2, Part 4 (1840), Plate 12, fig. 3.

The species originates from around the Mediterranean, occurring for example in :

Italy, and

Spain.

drawing by Pierre Rambur, listed as Syrichtus baeticus,
Faune Entomologique de l'Andalusie,
Volume 2, Part 4 (1840), Plate 12, fig. 4.

The species was imported into Australia in order to control Horehound, but failed to breed here successfully in quarantine, so was never released.