Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola)

This is a fairly common butterfly in the south of England, although it seems to have declined on the Common in recent years. It is very similar to the Small Skipper, indeed it took many years for people to realise that it was a different species. It is found in grassy areas of the Common. The best way to tell it from the Small Skipper is to look for the glossy black tips on the antenna of the Essex Skipper, absent on the Small Skipper. They can be seen in July and August.