Adur Skippers Page 

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3 July 2008
My first Small Skipper of the year was seen on the Slonk Hill Cutting. Earlier a Large Skipper had settled, but it still needed a practised eye (in the absence of the camera which was broken) to differentiate them. A few undetermined Skippers were also spotted.

19 June 2008
A Large Skipper was seen clearly on the lower slopes of Mill Hill amongst the Brambles and Tor Grass.

6 June 2008
My first Large Skipper of the year looked very fresh and quite lively on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, but one of the two Dingy Skippers was very dingy and worn.
Full Butterfly Report

9 May 2008
Eleven Dingy Skippers and four Grizzled Skippers were seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill visiting the abundant Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa. They were lively and the numbers were thought most likely to be an underestimate.

6 May 2008
11 Grizzled Skippers, about 12 Dingy Skippers (one on the middle slopes) were seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill visiting the abundant Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa. They were lively and the numbers were thought most likely to be an underestimate.

2 May 2008
On a mild sunny day, 13.2 °C, five Grizzled Skippers were seen on a leisurely (30 minutes) passage trip over the lower slopes of Mill Hill visiting the very common Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, and common Milkwort flowers and landing on Bramble leaves, but none on the common Dog Violets and Daisies. Two of the Grizzled Skippers appeared to be courting. Two Dingy Skippers were spotted. One of them was much darker than normal and I mistook it at first for a Burnet Companion Moth.
Adur Butterfly List 2008
 

27 April 2008 With spots of rain and a relatively cool 13.8 °C, the butterflies remained moribund in the morning. On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, I disturbed just two Grizzled Skippers, one resting on a tall dead plant.

25 April 2008
The first Dingy Skipper of 2008 was seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill around midday. One Grizzled Skipper was also spotted on a passage journey on a muggy day. A birdwatcher reported seing five Grizzled Skippers.

16 April 2008
In the late afternoon, past the optimum time for butterflies, on the transect walk of the lower slopes of Mill Hill, there were no Grizzled Skippers to be seen as definites in passing, so I retraced my steps and a smaller male was seen amongst the Bramble and then a second one. There was a larger female on the path as it enters the scrub to the north settled briefly in the weak sunshine. I surmised a correlation between the Grizzled Skippers and Bramble, which is one of its larval food plants.
 

13 April 2008
There were three other butterfly enthusiasts (Andrew Burns, Neil Hulme and Bert Laker) on the lower slopes of Mill Hill in the afternoon, chasing around the Grizzled Skippers until they stopped for a photograph. I saw three of them, but Andrew Burns reported at least ten different ones (ignoring possible doubles, twenty sightings in total) along the whole of the lower slopes below the path. Both males and females were reported. The Grizzled Skippers fliuttered around the low lying herb vegetation. They also landed briefly on Bramble leaves a little off the ground.
Skippers of the downs near Shoreham (Article)

10 April 2008
On a mild (>10.5 °C) sunny day there were frequent butterflies on Mill Hill and its approaches including my first two Grizzled Skippers on the lower slopes.
The Grizzled Skipper first sighting is the equal first day for this insect in England for 2008.
Adur Butterflies: First Dates
Adur Butterfly List 2008

18 July 2007
A few Small/Essex Skippers were recorded on the Lancing Ring meadows, but they were not as frequent as most years.

16 July 2007
At Mill Hill in virtually no sunshine I spotted a second generation Dingy Skipper.

Report by Jim Steedman on Sussex Butterflies

Adur Butterfly List 2007

15 July 2007
Small/Essex Skippers were frequent everywhere in Shoreham, but in the past there have been more around.

8 July 2007
I had to wait awhile for the Small Skippers at about fifteen seen on the meadow verges on the Downs Link cyclepath south of the Cement Works and one or two on the top meadow of Mill Hill. The Small Skippers were mostly around the Melilot and Wild Basil which was abundant.

1 July 2007

My first Small Skipper (butterfly) of 2007 was spotted on the Downs Link path south of the Buffer Stop in Shoreham town.

 

10 June 2007

My first butterfly of the day was a Large Skipper in a clearing next to the path that runs through a spinney and hedgerows/scrub on the southern side of the Slonk Hill Cutting. This was my first this year. The positive sighting was confirmed by an out of focus photograph.

 

22 May 2007
Only one Dingy Skipper and one Grizzled Skipper were seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

20 May 2007
Just one Dingy Skipper was seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

16 May 2007
Three Dingy Skippers were seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

2 May 2007
Occasional Dingy Skippers and Grizzled Skippers were seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

29 April 2007
My tally for the lower slopes of Mill Hill only was 32+ Dingy Skippers (over two acres instead of the usual one), 8+ Grizzled Skippers (difficult to find at first) and 14 Burnet Companion Moths (easy to mistake for the skippers).
Butterfly Report (including more Skippers)
Adur Moths

27 April 2007

Fortunately, the unwanted cattle have not yet wandered down to the lower slopes of Mill Hill. It was exceptionally quiet. However, this appplied to the butterflies as well and I only recorded eleven Dingy Skippers. No Grizzled Skippers were noticed.

Butterfly Report

 

24 April 2007

On Mill Hill where the lower slopes abounded with skippers, there were about 15 Grizzled Skippers and 40 Dingy Skippers in the acre transect area.

 

22 April 2007

Skippers were all over the Shoreham Bank. The count did not record as many as there appeared with 7+ Grizzled Skippers and 16+ Dingy Skippers in the transect acre.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Addenda:
At Mill Hill, Shoreham, 20+ Dingy Skippers, 6+ Grizzled Skippers.

Report by Paul & Bridget James on Sussex Butterflies

 

15 April 2007
Nine species of butterfly were seen during the morning on the lower slopes of Mill Hill including the first Small Heath Butterfly and my first two Dingy Skippers of the year. Over twenty Grizzled Skippers were seen and some were mating in the short herbland amongst the beginnings of Horseshoe Vetch.

14 April 2007
At Mill Hill in the early afternoon on the lower slopes I saw at least ten Grizzled Skippers also two Dingy Skippers (first of the year).

Report by Ian Barnard on Sussex Butterflies

Adur Butterflies: First Dates

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

12 April 2007
A pair of Grizzled Skippers courted over the lower slopes, the first of this butterfly I had seen this year.
Butterfly Report

Adur Butterflies: First Dates

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2 August 2006 A Small/Essex Skipper is seen in a field between the Coastal Link Cyclepath and the River Adur and it was the last of the year seen. I think this is an Essex Skipper. 23 July 2006 The last Large Skipper (image on the far left) of the year was seen in the upper meadows of Mill Hill.

11 July 2006 A brief sortie to on Slonk Hill south and Mill Hill produced about sixty Small Skippers and just the one Large Skipper. The photographed Small (or Essex) Skipper was taken on the Buckingham Bank (south).  Butterfly Report

3 July 2006
In the midday sunshine I was unable to chase the skippers around to discover what they were. There could have been my first Small Skipper of the year (and they probably were). They were seen along the path in the long grass in the central part of the the southern side of the Slonk Hill Cutting, on the south part of the Buckingham Cutting and on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. Large Skippers were identified though. None of them would stay still for more than a second.

23 June 2006

In the pleasant midday sunshine (nearly 20 ºC) butterflies were very frequent, but nothing special. I eventually manged to capture a Large Skipper on my camera. Nine Large Skippers were seen, two together on the upper meadows of Mill Hill and seven on Slonk Hill Cutting south.

 

20 June 2006

There were five Large Skippers, four on the lower slopes of Mill Hill and one on Slonk Hill Cutting south.

 

15 June 2006

On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, I was surprised at a spotting a late Grizzled Skipper (absolutely definite) and I had a better look at a Large Skipper that did not settle.

 

12 June 2006

On the Coastal Link Cyclepath at the extreme southern end of the path near the demolished railway bridge there was a probable Large Skipper which did not settle for confirmation.

 

11 June 2006

Amongst the long grass meadow north of the top car park on Mill Hill, I had a brief sight of my first Large Skipper of the year (the only skipper of the day). I did not get a good a look as I would have liked to identify it, but Large Skippers precede the Small Skippers, so that is what it was.

Adur Butterfly First Flight Times

 

4 June 2006

A quarter transect stroll in the late morning sunshine saw the signs of diminishing Horseshoe Vetch on the lower slopes of Mill Hill to something like 70% of their peak with two definite Grizzled Skippers and I had to wait 15 minutes (a long time) to confirm a Dingy Skipper.

 

28 May 2006

Butterflies were sparse for the time of the year, the only skippers seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill were five Dingy Skippers.

 

15 May 2006

The lower slopes of Mill Hill produced 15 Dingy Skippers, just the one confirmed Grizzled Skipper in the hazy sunshine (19.8 ºC) over a quarter of the transect covering about two-thirds of an acre. The Grizzled Skipper was noted visiting Milkwort.

 

14 May 2006

On the lower slopes of Mill Hill the sun struggled to come out in the afternoon and I recorded 13 Dingy Skippers and five Grizzled Skippers.

 

10 May 2006
A quick visit in the sunshine and the Horseshoe Vetch had increased to hundreds of plants, but it is nowhere near its brilliance and could not be seen from the Steyning Road. Dingy Skippers were mating. There were about a dozen individuals compared to only one Grizzled Skipper seen.
 

 

Butterfly Report and List

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

7 May 2006
Five each of Dingy Skippers and Grizzled Skippers were recorded on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

4 May 2006
On the second warmest day of the year as the temperature attained 21.6 ºC at 1:13 pm, I was greeted by a fast flying butterfly I could not identify before I descended the steps down to the lower slopes. Horseshoe Vetch was still not in profusion, the hundreds of flowers exceeded in numbers by Dog Violets.
 

Grizzled Skippers were mating in a small depression on the lower slopes of Mill Hill

A pair of courting Dingy Skippers came next and at least four were seen. They made at least two visits to the scattered Horseshoe Vetch in the minute the first pair  were in view. Grizzled Skippers visited a Dog Violet followed by aMilkwort. Two were later filmed mating in the shelter of one of the small depression caused by rabbits or uprooted shrubs. Altogether at least eight were positively seen, including another pair with the male chasing the female through the herbs.

1 May 2006
May came in with a shower. On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, a single first Grizzled Skipper was recorded, the first of the year.

26 April 2006
 

Mill Hill was not prolific for butterflies. At the northern end of the lower slopes I spotted my first Dingy Skipper of the year (TQ 029 072) that briefly sparred with a Peacock and the size difference was most noticeable.This Dingy Skipper was the first seen in England this year.

Adur First Butterfly Dates 2003-2006
Adur Butterflies Flight Times

2 August 2005
Small/Essex Skippers were still about and an estimated ten were seen on Slonk Hill Cutting and Mill Hill.

17 July 2005
Butterflies were common (about 400 in an hour) but at least half of them were Small/Essex Skippers. The highest density was on the Slonk Hill southern bank. There were were at least 200 in the long grass and herbs, mainly adjacent to the path. Many more appeared if the grass was disturbed. Over 20 Small/Essex Skippers were scattered over Mill Hill.

10 July 2005
As the temperature hit 27.2° C, a short walk to the top of the Drive and along the Slonk Hill Cutting produced 23+ (counted) Small/Essex Skippers, but no Large Skippers.

9 July 2005
New Monks Farm, Lancing: in the Elm Corridor were a handful of confirmed Large Skippers, about a dozen confirmed Small/Essex Skippers.

8 July 2005

One Large Skipper was confirmed from the lower slopes of Mill Hill.
Five Small (or Essex) Skippers were confirmed from the Slonk Hill Bank Cutting (south).
 

6 July 2005 Three Small/Essex Skippers were confirmed on the Waterworks Road and nearby. The difference in size between the the Large Skipper seen first and the Small Skipper seen a minute later was distinctive and obvious. I am not sure if these were Small or Essex Skippers? They were smaller than the ones on Slonk Hill south three days before. They were not so restless, but this may be because the day was overcast.

3 July 2005
The first confirmed record of a Small Skipper that settled and could be positively identified in the same area of Slonk Hill south where there were a dozen of these restless small skippers.
Adur Butterflies: First Dates
 

24 June 2005
Two Large Skippers were confirmed from the plateau area with long grasses and Bird's Foot Trefoil south of the upper car park on Mill Hill.
Butterfly List for the Day

23 June 2005
Unidentified skippers on the Lancing Ring meadows and New Monks Farm and one on the the Coastal Link Cyclepath SE of the Toll Bridge (near the demolished railway bridge) could have been the first Small Skippers of the year, but they would not remain still long enough for identification. They were probably Large Skippers as they looked like the skippers of the the following day on Mill Hill.
Butterfly List for the Day

7 June 2005
On the Dovecote Bank the first Large Skipper of the year was recognised although they had been seen an hour or so before on the south bank of the Slonk Hill Cutting.

22 May 2005
The lower slopes of Mill Hill under a cloudy sky recorded Dingy Skippers 5+, a Grizzled Skipper on the upper slopes as well. So brief was my stay that the numbers of the butterflies were rather low.
Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List 2005
The Horseshoe Vetch was at its peak or slightly past it.

18 May 2005
Late in the afternoon (after 4:00 pm) is usually disappointing. There were no skippers actually seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

15 May 2005
Dingy Skippers (20+) and Grizzled Skippers (12+) on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.
 

9 May 2005	Dingy Skippers  17	Grizzled Skippers   4
6 May 2005	Dingy Skippers  12	Grizzled Skippers  10
1 May 2005	Dingy Skippers  3	Grizzled Skippers   6

These skippers were recorded on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

29 April 2005
The first Dingy Skipper of the year on the lower slopes of Mill Hill was expected, even overdue.

27 April 2005
Grizzled Skippers 11+ were the most distinctive butterfly on the  lower slopes of Mill Hill.
 

21 April 2005	Grizzled Skipper  1
19 April 2005	Grizzled Skipper  1
15 April 2005	Grizzled Skipper  1

These Grizzled Skippers were recorded on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

10 April 2005
The first, and only one, Grizzled Skipper (Butterfly) of the year landed on the lower slopes of Mill Hill for just a few seconds at 3:42 pm before it flew rapidly over the scrub and out of view.

Back to Butterfly List 2005

5 May 2003  Lower Slopes of Mill Hill	10 May 2004  Lower slopes of Mill Hill

21 June 2003  Spring Dyke	21 June 2004  Mill Hill

26 June 2003  Lancing Ring meadows This is definitely a male Small Skipper, given away by the sex brand. Identified by Guy Padfield on UK Butterflies	26 June 2003  Lancing Ring meadows

26 June 2003  Lancing Ring meadows	15 July 2004:  Mill Hill Upper Slopes         Another Image Identified as an Essex Skipper by Guy Padfield on UK Butterflies

19 July 2003 Spring Dyke	19 July 2003 Spring Dyke

How to distinguish the Common Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris from the Essex Skipper, T. lineola

Antennae Photographs Link

Essex and Small Skipper ID Message Thread
 
 

13 July 2004:  Malthouse Meadows	6 July 2004:  Malthouse Meadows Identified as an Small Skipper by Guy Padfield on UK Butterflies

Link to image of Small Skippers mating
 
 

18 July 2004:  Slonk Hill South	18 July 2004:  Slonk Hill South

18 July 2004:  Slonk Hill South	6 July 2004:  Slonk Hill South Essex Skipper Identified by Guy Padfield on UK Butterflies

I've had a quick look at your skippers page and can be confident of all the males, at least! But you have probably identified those already. I also have a strong idea about some of the females.

The picture marked 6th July is a male Essex skipper, identified by the sex brand.
Immediately below this picture is another Essex skipper, I think.
The first insect marked 26 June 2003 Lancing Ring meadows is definitely a male small skipper, again given away by the sex brand. To the right of that picture is a close-up with the same description, which looks to me like Essex, but if they are the same insect then it has to be small skipper, because there is no doubt about the first ID.
15 July 2004: Mill Hill Upper Slopes is definitely Essex.
6 July 2004: Malthouse Meadows is definitely small.
6 July 2004: Slonk Hill South is definitely Essex.

I have opinions about the others, but not so I can say 'definitely'!

Comments by Guy Padfield on UK Butterflies

British Butterflies: Family Hesperiidae

The essential difference is that Large Skipper always shows a U- or S-shaped band of clear-cut paler square patches towards the apex of the forewing, one patch in each membrane.
The Silver-spotted Skipper also has these patches, and there's something of the same in the Lulworth Skipper.
In the Lulworth these pale patches or "spots" form a rough circle, whereas in Large they take on a highly consistent U- or S-shaped formation. They are visible on the underside of the wing too, though less so because the ground colour itself is lighter there. Once learned, this pattern is immediately recognisable. Small and Essex Skippers have no such lighter spots or patches on the upperwings.
Original Message

Large Skippers I have looked at recently they also have small 'hooks' at the end of their antennae which I have not seen with the Small and Essex Skippers. (see the photographs above). Image.

Birdguides:

The Small Skipper is certainly smaller in size than the Large Skipper but about the same size as the Lulworth and Essex Skippers. However it differs from them, as it is a plain, all over gingery- orange, with only a few faint dark vein markings and a narrow dark marginal outline. The male has a thin black streak of sexual scent glands. The Small and the Essex are very hard to distinguish, but the underneath of the tips of the antennae of the Small Skipper are orange (that of the Essex being black).

The Essex Skipper is very similar indeed to the Small Skipper and the Lulworth Skipper (reflected in the generic name 'thymelicus') except that in general the Essex Skipper is a slightly duller gold colour as opposed to the ginger of the Small Skipper. The only really distinguishable difference lies in the antennae - those of the Essex are black underneath the tips.

Back to Butterfly List 2004