Skippers

[runnerwill]

Is this an essex skipper?


and is the underwing on this red enough to be a red-underwing skipper? Taken in France


top view


Thank you

Will

[goosey]

The first skipper's antennae appear to have black tips, which would make this an Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola rather than a Small Skipper, so I think you are right. I am not sure about the second.

[Lance Morgan]

Bit of a puzzle really but on the whole i would say yes to second for red underwing looks like RUS male sertorious. Confirm essex skipper for the first.

[Oscar2006]

I think your first picture is a Small Skipper as it appears to have black tips on the top side only, whereas Essex shows black underneath as well. Another image from the side or underneath may confirm this?

[runnerwill]

Not sure if this helps, but it's the only other angle I've got. Thanks for the help

[tristanba]

I don't think you can confidently separate Small/Essex from these photos, need to see the underside of antennae and upperwing pattern with sex brands helpful also. I am not even sure whether this butterfly is male or female. BW Tristan

[GuyF]

I think number 1 is actually a Large Skipper, it has the hooked antenna tips and also the colouring and very faint yellow markings on the 1st picture are distinctive.
I'd agree that number 2 looks good for Red Underwing Skipper, but I struggle with that group of European Skippers.
Nice shots
Guy

[GuyF]

Here are a couple of comparison shots from the Gallery of the underside of Skippers that should help show the difference.
First a Large Skipper. You can see the orangey colour and small yellowy squares showing. Also the wing-tip is fairly pointy.

This is a Small Skipper, the underside is a plain sandy colour with no patterning. Also the wing-tip is quite rounded compared to the Large Skipper.

Also, these shots don't really show it, but the Large Skipper has a hooked tip to the antenna while the Small Skipper has a rounded tip.
Guy

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by GuyF

I think number 1 is actually a Large Skipper, it has the hooked antenna tips and also the colouring and very faint yellow markings on the 1st picture are distinctive.
I'd agree that number 2 looks good for Red Underwing Skipper, but I struggle with that group of European Skippers.
Nice shots
Guy

I think it's a Large Skipper too. Infact I wrote that on the shot in the Gallery. I thought the others may be Grizzled.

[runnerwill]

Hmm I seem to have controversial butterflies I think I'm in agreement with the Large Skipper school of thought for the first one given the photos posted by GuyF. The other one I keep changing my mind about, the underwing does look red but the markings seem more consistent with a grizzled skipper.