Description
A medium sized dark brown skipper with a wingspan of 30-36mm. The upper sides are dusted with tawny scales at the base of the wings and along the costal margin. On the forewing, interspaces 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 always have spots  in them, with the one on 2 being the largest. The spots in the forewing cell are sometimes absent but may be up to two. On the hind wing below, interspaces 2, 3 and 5 always have a spot each, and sometimes there is a smaller one on 4. On the upper side hind wing, only a couple of these spots are visible.

Similar species
Smallest Swift, Little Branded Swift and Small Branded Swift.

Status, distribution and habitat
It is a common widely distributed species from sea level to 6000 feet elevation and is encountered all year round. It prefers open spaces and is often encountered along roads, waste places, rice fields, home gardens and other cultivated areas.

Habits
An active butterfly that flies in open sun or dappled shade. It frequently settles on flowers to nectar but does not mud-sip. It is known as the 'Rice Swift' in India where it is sometimes a pest of , as one might guess, rice.

Early stages
The larvae feed on grasses.

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Danaidae | Satyridae | Amathusiidae | Nymphalidae | Acraeidea | Libytheidae | Riodinidae | Lycaenidae | Pieridae | Papilionidae | Hesperidae