A golden brown butterfly with some black and white markings resting on a fingertip

Essex Skipper. Photo: Mark Hardaker

Mark sent in this photo telling us:

My transect at Sovell Down NR on 02/07/2022 yielded some nice butterflies, including this fresh Essex Skipper which landed on my finger. Fortunately she/he landed facing me, allowing me to take pictures of those ink-tipped antennae, confirming Essex.

A golden brown butterfly nectaring on a lilac coloured flower

Essex Skipper. Photo: Shona Refoy

Shona sent in this photo telling us:

I went back to the edge of the field near Badbury Rings this morning, 03/07/2022 and saw several Essex Skippers, including this female. Not only is a male Small Skipper approaching her from behind, but also she has several grains of orchid pollen stuck to her proboscis (if I remember rightly from Comments on the Gallery last summer).

A golden brown butterfly resting on some green vegetation

Essex Skipper Photo: Paul Godier

This photo was sent in by Paul telling us:

On Friday 16/07/2021 in amongst the numerous Small Skippers on East Cliff in Bournemouth, I came across this Essex Skipper. Loads of Marbled Whites and Meadow Browns too.

A gplden brown butterfly resting on the seed head of a plant

Essex Skipper. Photo: Mark Pike

A golden brown butterfly resting on the seed head of a plant

Essex Skipper. Photo: Mark Pike

Mark sent in these two photos he took at Motcombe Meadows yesterday, 13/07/2021 telling us:

A nice bright spell around lunch time tempted me to the meadows today.  I found what I was after as well! Some nice fresh Essex Skippers, this particular one was posing nicely when the sun disappeared.

Editor’s Note:  These photos clearly show the distinctive black tips to the underside of the antennae of the Essex Skipper – on the very similar Small Skipper they are orange or a dull brown.

View of a golden brown and orange butterfly with some black markings perched on a white flower head

Essex Skipper. Photo: Ann Barlow

After seeing Brian Arnold’s photos and helpful comments about Essex Skipper identification in a recent post on our Gallery, Ann went to Badbury Rings on 02/07/2021 and whilst there was very pleased to capture this lovely image of one.

A golden brown butterfly nectaring on a purple flower

Essex Skipper. Photo: Brian Arnold

A golden brown butterfly nectaring on a yellow flower

Small Skipper. Photo: Brian Arnold

Two photos from Brian taken on 02/07/2021 and sent in telling us:

We did the Durlston East transect today and found our first positively identified Essex Skipper since I started doing the transect 4 years ago. There were lots of Small Skippers, but I often try to take photos of their antennae to try and find an Essex. I have seen them elsewhere at Durlston, but never on a transect count before.

Essex Skippers have a black tip to the antennae when viewed from the side or beneath, whereas the underside of a Small Skipper antennae tip has an orange/brown tint. The male Essex has a sex brand which is shorter and straighter than a Small Skipper, and runs parallel to the leading edge of the forewing rather than at an angle.  

View of a golden brown and orange butterfly

Essex Skipper. Photo: Mark Pike

View of a perching golden brown and orange butterfly

Small Skipper. Photo: Mark Pike

Two photos taken on 28/06/2020 at Motcombe Meadows which Mark tells us is a great place to see both Small & Essex Skippers flying together (although he says that Small are far more common there).  He sent these two images for comparison as he thought they clearly show the all important antennae identification differences.