Essex Skipper. Photo: George McCabe

Essex Skipper. Photo: George McCabe

George saw Essex Skippers for the second time  22/06/18 near Weymouth and tells us:

saw my first Essex Skippers last Friday on Ican lane, near Littlemoor, Weymouth, but the ones l am sending  were spotted on a walk along the Bincombe to Upwey bridleway, Weymouth, more so the Upwey end which shows that the Essex Skippers are moving along the Weymouth relief road.

This specie’s  flight season is late June- mid August and is found in rough grassland, including road verges, woodland rides, chalk grassland and embankments.

A difficult butterfly to identify as the Small Skipper looks almost identical but for the lack of black tips on the antennae ,not always easy to see in bright sunlight with the naked eye.