Skippers
A family of small, fast flying butterflies very moth-like in appearance. Stout bodies, broad heads and large, widely separated eyes adorned with hair tufts are distinctive features. Males are often distinguishable from females by the 'sex-brand', a dark line near the centre of each forewing, evident when viewed from above.
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)
Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Genus: Thymelicus
Species: sylvestris

Key ID Features:
Plain winged with 'sex-brand' of male long and curved.
Underside of both sexes fulvous orange with greenish-grey on tips of forewings and upper two-thirds of hindwings.
Underside of antennae is orange.

Seen in UK: June-September

This golden skipper is often found basking on vegetation, or making short buzzing flights among tall grass stems. Despite its name, 4 skipper species found in the British Isles are the same size or smaller than the Small Skipper. The male is distinguished from the female by the sex brand on its forewings, which is a slightly curved line of specialised scent scales. This butterfly is widespread on the British mainland, south of a line running between Westmorland in the west and North Northumberland in the east. It is absent from Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. This species lives in discrete colonies of both small and large populations.

Text (c) UK Butterflies, used with permission
For more information click here

Photographer: Tim Tapley

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Hesperiinae
Genus: Thymelicus
Species: sylvestris

Key ID Features:
Plain winged with 'sex-brand' of male long and curved.
Underside of both sexes fulvous orange with greenish-grey on tips of forewings and upper two-thirds of hindwings.
Underside of antennae is orange.

Seen in UK: June-September

This golden skipper is often found basking on vegetation, or making short buzzing flights among tall grass stems. Despite its name, 4 skipper species found in the British Isles are the same size or smaller than the Small Skipper. The male is distinguished from the female by the sex brand on its forewings, which is a slightly curved line of specialised scent scales. This butterfly is widespread on the British mainland, south of a line running between Westmorland in the west and North Northumberland in the east. It is absent from Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. This species lives in discrete colonies of both small and large populations.

Text (c) UK Butterflies, used with permission
For more information click here

Photographer: Tim Tapley