A golden brown butterfly with some black markings on a white flower.

Essex Skipper. Photo: Shona Refoy

A golden brown butterfly with black antennae tips on a white flower

Essex Skipper. Photo: Shona Refoy

Shona sent in these two interesting photos with the following comments:

I went to the edge of a field near Badbury Rings this morning, 15/06/2023 hoping to see a Small Skipper.  I saw one Skipper which was small, but, much to my surprise, was actually an Essex Skipper.  The short, straight sex brand and black tipped antennae leave me in no doubt about his identity.

Editor’s Note: Just to reinforce what Shona has said, these photos clearly show the two key diagnostic features of an Essex Skipper – short straight sex brand (male only of course) in the top photo and the neat black tips to the antennae always best viewed from below in the lower photo .

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