Small Skipper

Small Skipper

Thymelicus sylvestris

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Sierra Nevada National Park

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%

18 Verified sightings at Sierra Nevada National Park From 2019 to 2026
257 In all 12 parks
June Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Small Skipper

The small skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~20%
2 Picos de Europa National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
3 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~10%
4 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
5 Triglav National Park 🇸🇮 Slovenia
~10%
6 Ecrins National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
7 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
8 Vanoise National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
9 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
10 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
11 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
12 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Liverpool 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
2 Manchester 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
3 Birmingham 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
4 London 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
5 Leeds 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
6 Prague 🇨🇿 Czechia
~10%
7 Warsaw 🇵🇱 Poland
<5%
8 Hamburg 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
9 Munich 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
10 Vienna 🇦🇹 Austria
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Small Skipper in Sierra Nevada National Park?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Small Skipper sighting in Sierra Nevada National Park on a given day, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 92nd most-seen of the 479 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Small Skipper in Sierra Nevada National Park?

June

In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Small Skipper in Sierra Nevada National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to April, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Small Skipper?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Small Skipper sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Sierra Nevada National Park the best place to see a Small Skipper?

Yes

Of the 12 parks where we can rate Small Skipper sightings, Sierra Nevada National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Picos de Europa National Park (Spain, about 10%) and Bavarian Forest National Park (Germany, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Small Skipper live in Sierra Nevada National Park?

Same family: Hesperiidae

The closest relatives of the Small Skipper that you can see in Sierra Nevada National Park (family Hesperiidae, Skippers) are Common Branded Skipper (about 20%), Sage Skipper (about 20%) and Red-Underwing Skipper (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Small Skipper sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Small Skipper is recorded against all the insects logged in Sierra Nevada National Park (18 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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