Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)

Family: Hesperiidae Checklist: 57.006

 
Description
Wing span: 27-34 mm. This golden-coloured skipper is often found basking on vegetation, or making short buzzing flights among tall grass stems. It can be distinguished from the similar Essex Skipper by the orange undersides to the tips of its antennae (they are black in the Essex Skipper), and by the fact that the sex brand crosses at least one vein (it doesn't in the Essex). This butterfly is widespread in England and Wales, living in discrete colonies. It inhabits rough grassland, where tall grasses grow, and may occur on roadside verges, beside hedgerows, on overgrown downland, in woodland clearings and along woodland rides.
 
Images (click to enlarge)
Small Skipper ♂ © David Hastings
Small Skipper ♂ underside © David Hastings
Small Skipper ♀ © David Hastings
Small Skipper ♀ underside © David Hastings
Male Male underside Female Female underside
 
Life Cycle
Adults are on the wing between the middle of June and the beginning of August. The species over-winters as a larva.
 
Larval Foodplants
The main larval foodplant is Yorkshire-fog (Holcus lanatus), although other grasses are also used.
 
Nectar Sources
Nectar sources include Thistles, Knapweeds, Ragwort, Marjoram, Vetches and Red Clover.
 
UK Conservation Status
Least Concern
 
Earliest UTB first sighting (since 2004) : 31st May
Mean UTB first sighting (since 2004) : 15th June
 
 
Distribution and Sites
 

Key
1 sighting 2-9 max seen 10+ max seen
This species is a habitat generalist, so can be found almost anywhere in the UTB region.

 
Related Species
All Species