Still struggling with Skippers - ID confirmation please

[rlchew]

I am still struggling with the ID of Large, Small and Essex Skippers .... the wee orange beasties that are all quite common in my part of Essex.

I took these 8 photos (4 yesterday at my local patch - Wat Tyler Country Park, Pitsea, Essex and 4 today at Stow Maries Essex Wildlife Trust reserve).

I am going to hazard a guess that both are Large Skippers .... could anyone confirm or correct please?

Many thanks.


















Richard

[GuyF]

Hi Rich,
1,2,3 and 4 are either Small or Essex Skippers because they have unpatterned orange wings. They are almost certainly Essex as they seem to have black tips to the antennae, however I've seen Small Skippers which appear to have black tips but have a small patch of brown right at the end.
5,6 and 7 are male Large Skippers, as they have more patterned wings with a mix of oranges and browns.
Number 8 is either a Small or Essex Skipper, again it looks more like Essex.
Guy

[ChrisJB]

The top four look like female Essex Skippers. Five, six and seven look like Large Skippers (don't know how to sex these!). The last one I'm going with male Essex Skipper.

Here in Lancashire we only get Large and Small and I haven't seen many Essex Skippers, so I am waiting to be shot down in flames!

Regards, Chris

[ChrisJB]

Hooray! My IDs correspond with someone elses!

Regards. Chris

[Cazzie]

Must admit the first 2 have very black markings round the edges of the wings - not something I find with the Skippers up here in Yorkshire. They're lovely! Cracking shots matey!

[petereeles]

I think the top 4 are male Essex Skippers. The sex brand (the dark line on the forewing) is a giveaway - this means it's a male, and the fact that it's relatively short (compared to a Small Skipper male) and parallel with the leading edge of the forewing, and the fact that the antennae have black undersides on their tips - makes them Essex.

The next 3 are male Large Skippers.

The last one is either a female Small Skipper or female Essex Skipper. Since the female has no sex brand, the only way to really know is to see the underside of the antennae.

Cheers,

- Pete