Pygmy Scrub Hopper is a very small skipper butterfly found in India. It is probably the smallest skipper found in Kerala.
Pygmy Scrub Hopper photo from Cheruvally, Kerala. Date: January 8, 2016. Exif: f/4, ISO 800, -0.7 step, 1/160sec, flash not fired, Nikon D7100, Micro-Nikkor 105mm f2.8
The above photo was taken with the macro lens mentioned above. Light was very low. So I could’t use a smaller aperture as it would demand a higher ISO, thereby producing more noise. So I chose f/4 aperture, which was not enough to keep whole of this tiny skipper in focus. At least f/11 was needed to capture the whole butterfly in focus in a single photo. So what? I took two pictures; first with the wings and eyes in focus; second with legs and abdomen area in focus. Then later focus stacked the both to create the above photo.
Another photo of the butterfly taken on September 18, 2014, from Cheruvally, Kerala. Exif: f/5.6, ISO 400, 1/100sec, flash not fired, Nikon D7100, 16-85mm f3.5-5.6G
It is seen mainly grasslands and open areas. Under side is grey in color (sometimes with a slight shade of brown-yellow). Under hind wings have pale markings. It can be identified by its small size, but can also be overlooked due to the same.
Scientific Name: Aeromachus pygmaeus
Family: Hesperiidae (Skippers)
