Small or Essex Skippers?

[glsammy]

A couple of Skippers I'm not at all sure of the id. Any help gratefully received.

[Paul mabbott]

Essex, Thymelicus lineola - the black underside at the tip of the antennae is diagnostic and particularly well shown on your excellent second picture. There are other features but I've long forgotten what they are!

[C C]

I always get confused with these skippers, it looks like the Large to me. Im probably wrong though.

[Paul mabbott]

Ah - I had rather assumed that the size had been taken into account. Yes, on second thoughts, the hooked antennal tip is typical of the large skipper, Ochlodes faunus!

Originally Posted by C C

I always get confused with these skippers, it looks like the Large to me. Im probably wrong though.

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Ah - I had rather assumed that the size had been taken into account. Yes, on second thoughts, the hooked antennal tip is typical of the large skipper, Ochlodes faunus!

Trust me to offer two options and it turns out to be a third one!! I hadn't even concidered the Large!

According to my book the Essex, Small and Large are all 25mm...No wonder they're confusing! I imagine the large is larger in depth rather than width?

[The Black Rabbit]

I'm sorry - I didn't think of the large skipper either when I identified the photos on the unidentified site.
Not sure how people identifying them as Essex though - your photos ARE superb, but quite CLEARLY show a black colour to the dorsal side of the antennal club, and an ORANGE bottom to each club??!! An Essex Skipper has effectively, completely black clubs??!! Eh?

So, to cut a long story short (ho ho) SMALL or LARGE!!!

[Adam Cheeseman]

Large Skipper. The first picture shows the green wash to the underside of the wings, which the Small Skipper doesn't have.

Cheers,

Adam

[Steve H]

Agree on the large skipper title...

[Maccattack]

As a newbie I really enjoy these discussions , hope to post some pictures later.

Malcolm