(Thymelicus lineola)

The Essex skipper can be seen seen throughout East Anglia and parts of southern England. It gets its name from where it was first discovered, Essex in 1888. They can be confused with the Small skipper but can be distinguished (if you can get close enough to look) by the black tip on the underside of each antenna. They over-winter as an egg rather than a caterpillar.

The “Skipper” family of butterflies get their name from their style of flight which is more of a darting motion.

You can see a photograph of a Essex skipper butterfly taken on Bradgers hill to the left.

If your see one, take a photo and submit it to us for use on this website. We’d love to see your submission.