It’s that time of year when every Small skipper I see has the potential to be an Essex skipper (Thymelicus lineola), so I spend a lot of time watching these little butterflies skipping up and down amongst the grasses and wildflowers, waiting for them to settle so I can try to get a better look at them.

If they’re males, a good view of the dark stripes on their upper wings can clinch an ID; if they’re females, a front-on view of the undersides of the tips of their antennae is required (see my blog Small or Essex?, July 2022). Both views can be tricky given the small size of these butterflies, their meandering flight, their remarkable ability to vanish in plain sight, and their tendency to land facing the ‘wrong’ way.

Fortunately, my persistence (some might say my stubbornness) has paid off, and I’ve now seen Essex skippers in several different locations. The butterfly shown here was the first.