Essex Skipper - Thymelicus lineola, species information page.

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Essex Skipper butterfly

Photo ©2014 Charles J Sharp
Male

Photo ©2014 Charles J Sharp
Female

Photo ©2010 David Miller
Click any photo for a larger image

Essex Skipper - Thymelicus lineola
Family - Hesperiidae

Unlike its name, the Essex Skipper can now be found over much of the southern half of England, much of Europe, southern Scandinavia, Asia and North Africa. There is a single generation each year with adults on the wing throughout July and August. A small butterfly with a darting flight, it is a UK resident and is widespread in England and Wales having more than doubled in the last few decades. Bright orange–brown wings held with forewings angled above hindwings.

Essex Skipper butterflies closely resemble and are often found in company with Small Skippers. Males have a thin black line through centre of fore–wing, parallel to leading edge. The Small Skipper is very similar but lacks the black tips to its antenna. Because of the similarities, the Essex Skipper has been overlooked both in terms of recording and ecological study. The simplest means of distinguishing between the two species in the field is by examining the undersides of the tips of their club–shaped antennae, they are black in the Essex Skipper and orange or brown in the Small Skipper.

It was introduced to North America around 1910, where it has spread widely and become a pest of hay crops. It will be found usually in tall, dry grasslands in open sunny situations, roadside verges, woodland rides, and acid grasslands, as well as coastal marshes. The main food plant species of the Essex Skipper is Cock's–foot, although the butterfly may use several other grasses including Creeping Soft–grass – Holcus mollis, Couch, Timothy – Phleum pratense, Meadow Foxtail – Alopecurus pratensis and False Brome. Rarely uses Yorkshire Fog, the preferred food plant of the Small Skipper.

Agassiz #57.005, Bradley & Fletcher #1527

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