The tufted skipper is the largest representative of the genus
Carcharodus. It can be distinguished from the
oriental skipper by the slightly darker, brown-violet color of the upperside of the wings. The underside is slightly darker, with more clear white fields, but for the undoubted identification it is necessary to extract the male genitalia. Males have hairs on the underside of the forwings by which they can be distinguished from the smaller and more common
mellow skipper. They inhabit grasslands, mostly dry meadows, forest clearings and rocky slope habitats. The catterpillars develope mostly on plants from the genus:
Stachys, also
Malva,
Leonorus and
Marrubium. It can be found in southern and central Europe, from where its territory extends to the western parts of Mongolia. There are sightings from the whole country, but it is much more rare in Vojvodina and on lowlands.