The Grizzled Skipper is a characteristic spring butterfly of southern chalk downland and other sparsely vegetated habitats Its rapid, buzzing flight can make it difficult to follow, but it stops regularly either to perch on a prominent twig or to feed on flowers such as Common Bird's-foot-trefoil or Bugle. It can then be identified quite easily by the black and white checkerboard pattern on its wings.  Sympathetic management of our Hampshire reserves has resulted in an encouraging increase in numbers over recent years.