Silver-spotted Skipper.

 

Each year I look forward to the flight season of the Silver-spotted Skipper, and for the 2nd year running it started on July 13th.  

These great little butterflies are a challenge as they fly at top speed across the downland like little exocet missiles making it very hard to see where they land.

The challenge each year is to photograph one on a flower head rather than on the ground, and most years I do find one slow enough to catch.

They particularly like Small Scabious which is a plant that grows in some profusion in the local area.

Just after photographing the Skipper I also found a Dusky Sallow that was resting away the day on one of these plants. Gorgeous moths that are often found on flower-heads.

Another find was a pair of Essex Skippers mating. The male was looking a little long in the tooth but he obviously still had it in him to seduce a female. (Hope for me yet perhaps)!!!!

The black tips to the antennae were very evident showing that these were Essex, rather than Small Skippers.

Silver-spotted Skipper on Small Scabious.

Dusky Sallow.

Mating Essex Skippers.