A mid-size Pyrgus generally found at low altitudes, Lafranchis giving its altitude range as 0-1300m. It is not as common as other Pyrgus with which it might be confused, such as the Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper (P. armoricanus). It is difficult to identify from the upperside alone, although a view of the underside is usually adequate to confirm onopordi. The upperside ground colour is dark brown with a slight yellow tint and the upf white marks are strong and clear, even in the female. The uph is reasonably strongly marked, the male more strongly than the female as is usual for Pyrgus. The unh defining feature is the so-called "anvil-shaped" discal mark in s4/5 where the concavity is reasonably even on both sides, making a rather symmetrical shape; however, this is "classic" onopordi but many onopordi have anvils that are not entirely symmetrical. Some similar Pyrgus have discal s4/5 marks that are decidedly straight on the internal edge.

The discal s1 mark is a bump seriously leaning internally which has the curious name of the "signe de Blachier", presumable by - or after - Blachier who was a famous lepidopterist around the beginning of the 1900s. The unh ground colour is a light yellow-brown and the markings usually have black edging to a greater or lesser degree, creating what the books describe as a marbling effect. The veins are often slightly lighter and prominent.

H&R describes onopordi as bivoltine, two broods being on the wing April-June and again in July-September. I find I encounter it far more frequently in the early Spring, when there is little doubt as to its ID as the only Pyrgus on the wing then is the Grizzled Skipper (P. malvae). I have only once seen the second brood of onopordi in Var, although I am not there in July and August.

observations

a strong dark brown ground colour and well-defined white upf markings, all suggesting onopordi. The early flight season effectively confirms onopordi.

I believe this is typical onopordi, more lightly marked as it is a female. The strong dark brown colour is in my experience an indication, plus the yellowish tint, and the early flight period virtually excludes any other Pyrgus it might be confused with.

I'm guessing it's a male as it appears to be taking salts. I think this is 100% onopordi for several reasons: the unh discal mark in s4/5 is very clearly anvil-shaped; the discal mark in s1 is almost a perfect "signe de Blachier"; several of the white marks are black-edged giving a marbled effect. The veins are yellow. A beautifully marked little butterfly.

the ground colour is a very pale, washy, yellow-brown, making the white marks rather indistinct. The anvil unh discal mark in s4/5 is rather flat-edged internally although strongly black-edged externally. The unh s1 discal mark is not a typical "signe de Blachier". It is not a classic onopordi, but clearly cannot be anything else.