Sussex Butterfly Conservation : Species

Butterfly Species in Sussex

Territorial male on grass stem – photo by Martin Kalaher

Essex Skipper

Thymelicus lineola

Description

Essex Skippers may be found on any patch of rough, uncultivated grassland where there is an abundance of Cocksfoot and/or Creeping Soft-grass, their favourite larval foodplants. This small meadow skipper is undoubtedly under-recorded, in Sussex, as it often lives side-by-side with Small Skippers, and “in the field” they are not easy to tell apart.

There are differences between the two species, with different coloured antennae tips and different shapes to the sex brands. The antennae tips of Essex Skipper look as if they have been dipped in black ink, but to see this ID feature we need to view the skipper from below, and that is not always easy when the insect is just a few inches off the ground! Another difference is the sex-brand on the forewing of the male which is very short and parallel to the wing veins, compared to that of the Small Skipper which is much longer, 'wiggly', and runs across the veins.

The larger colonies can be found on downland between Eastbourne and Arundel, and it is also well represented on the coastal plain in the Selsey peninsula. Otherwise, it appears to be thinly distributed throughout Sussex. It’s unlikely we will ever know the true distribution of this species, as the two skipper species are too easily confused, and it would take an army of dedicated enthusiasts to complete the task. Realistically, that’s not going to happen.

Essex Skippers are single brooded, and between 2006-2024 the “average first sighting” was June 26th (range, June 14th to July 14th). The average date for Small Skippers was June 18th and therefore there is a gap of around eight days between the two species. Both species have flight periods of approximately five weeks (sometimes slightly longer) which means that where there are mixed colonies (as in my Storrington garden) we have dates that might help us identify correctly. From mid-June, Small Skippers appear, then 7-10 days later Essex Skippers emerge, and by late July/early August, most of the fresh meadow skippers will be Essex Skippers. Having studied the mixed colony in my garden for a dozen years or more, I can vouch for the help that this staggered emergence provides.

Where to find

They are well-distributed in the county, wherever there is rough grassland and their larval foodplants are present. There is a very large population at the south-west end of Fairmile Bottom LNR at SU986091. Other sites include Chantry Hill at TQ0812, Friston Forest Gallops at TV553997, Windover Hill at TQ532032, and dozens of other locations.