Essex Skipper

Scientific Name - Thymelicus lineola

Flight Period - June to August

Overwinters as - Egg

Habitat - Grasslands, woodland rides

Larval foodplants - Cock’s-foot, Creeping Soft-grass etc

Conservation status - Low priority

Northamptonshire distribution - Widespread

Best public sites to see them - Anywhere with suitable habitat

While the Essex Skipper is widespread in Northamptonshire, they do suffer from underrecording as separating Small and Essex Skippers can be challenging at the best of times. In fact in hot weather it can almost be impossible. This is a common butterfly in our grasslands and woodlands and can be a familiar sight as they dart through the grasses. The Essex Skipper can be easily told apart from the Large Skipper as it has a more uniform orange/brown colouration on the wings and lacks the light and dark chequered markings of the Large Skipper. However, separating it from the Small Skipper can be difficult in the field, especially in hot conditions as the butterflies hardly stay still. The only way to confidently separate Essex Skippers from Small Skippers is to examine the undersides of the antennae, the Essex Skipper has black undersides to the antennae whereas in the Small Skipper, the undersides are an orange/brown colour. One of the best approaches is to examine nectar sources, especially tall Thistles as they readily come to feed on these giving good views of the undersides of their antennae. Looking for Skippers roosting in the late afternoon on grass stems can also be another good tactic. Another way to separate them from Small Skippers is to examine the scent brand in the males as the Essex Skipper has a short and straight scent brand which runs parallel to the outer edge of the forewing. Essex Skippers can be seen in any location with suitable habitat. For more information about identifying Large, Small and Essex Skippers click here.

Essex Skipper Distribution 2018 - 2022

Essex Skipper showing the diagnostic scent mark

Essex Skipper showing the black undersides to the antennae

Despite only seeing the antennae there is no doubting this is an Essex Skipper!