Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)
2024 photographs highlighted in yellow. Click on any photograph to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 26420_male_Alpes-Maritimes_07Jul11 | 21697_male_Alpes-Maritimes_7Jul10 | 35440_male_Var_18Jun14 | 5441_female_Var_14May07 |
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| 35333_female_Var_9Jun14 | 37345_male_Var_22May15 |
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Until 2006, I had never studied sylvestris closely enough to check if certain specimens were in fact Essex Skippers (T. lineola). Curiously enough, I now find that most that I attempt to identify appear to be lineola, hence the paucity of photographs of sylvestris. |
The key differentiators are addressed on the lineola page. |
| ref | sex |
observations |
alt. m |
| 26420 | M | the long strong sex brand confirms sylvestris, even though the black border is rather diffuse, suggesting lineola. | 1400 |
| 21697 | M |
even though the antennal tips appear to be black at the tips (at least on the upper side of the antennae), the length of the sex brand confirms sylvestris. |
185 |
| 35440 | M | I originally had 35440 on the page for the Lulworth Skipper (T. acteon) on the basis that the significantly longer body length was an indicator of acteon, despite the apparent absence of the upf orange horseshoe-shaped mark. While most Thymelicus species with long bodies did in fact transpire to be acteon, this body length isn't a sure pointer to acteon, as sylvestris can also have this. | 220 |
| 5441 | F |
this rather fuzzy shot of a female does at least show the antennae clearly and being entirely orange, a sure pointer to sylvestris. |
185 |
| 35333 | F | a female in the process of egg-laying. | 220 |
| 37345 | M | a male, hopefully just showing that the underside of the tips if antennae are brown and not black, as they would be for lineola. | 220 |
26420_male_Alpes-Maritimes_07Jul11
21697_male_Alpes-Maritimes_7Jul10
