Nice photo David and yours too Max. Seeing the Small and Large Skippers on this page close together makes me think I am getting the hang of it now. I had been looking at Google images with my key word search being 'Small and Large Skippers' and some of the images thrown back at me fried my brain.

Thank you David. That is an interesting tip about identifying an Essex Skipper. I shall remember that. I take it the next 3 are all Small Skippers? Exhibit D https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50002462057_283064ee7f_w.jpg Exhibit E https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50002459467_30122550a4_w.jpg Ex...

Wow ! Fantastic news. My first ever Small Skipper. Thank you David. That has really made my day. I have a huge smile on my face right now which is a mixture of seeing a new species for the first time ever and also the fact that I identified it correctly too. That is a confidence boost too as I feel ...

Lovely photos David and I bow to your incredible knowledge. I have a lot to learn and a long way to go.

Brilliant photos Dave. You certainly have both the volumes and an enviable variety of species.

Lovely photos Pauline. All first rate as ever but the first Marbled White photo on Monday 8th June is a corker. I have yet to see a Painted Lady this year (my garden was full of them last year).

Stunning DGF photos Neil. Those Small Tortoiseshell photos are a bit special too. Really crisp, pristine looking specimens.

Thank you Wurzel, much appreciated. Exhibit B Skippers are new to me and I really like seeing them but they prove really challenging to identify. A week ago I was seeing Large Skippers and my first Skipper that I saw today seemed smaller. I was fortunate in that it sat up for a photo. Looking back a...

I seem to have been putting my many novice identification challenges on other threads like some sort of forum cuckoo. I have decided to put them all in one place and I hope that nobody minds. I was challenged a few times today. I would be really grateful for your help as ever. Exhibit A What is this...

Absolutely wonderful photos everyone. I always enjoy browsing the offerings submitted. As well as learning for me it also serves as an early warning as to what I may encounter next. Possibly Ringlets it seems. It was good to get out again with the sun on my back today looking for butterflies after a...

I have never seen one of those before. It is a wonderful looking moth. Thank you for sharing Tracey.

That's a faded sort of dusty looking Painted Lady David.

I missed that mention of a continental Swallowtail (plus photos) visitor. Thank you for sharing. Do these visits happen often?

I am both fascinated and educated by this thread and I am grateful for the contributions. I have just watched a few videos on You Tube to supplement by knowledge, particularly with regards removal. The link below was a short and sweet video about removal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27McsguL2Og

For the time that lies immediately ahead of me this will prove to be an invaluable thread.

...Returning to nature is helping my wellbeing in these strange times. It is sparking my wonder, curiosity and creativity. Really struggling to make sense of everything else! Good to hear, Jane. We spend so much time concentrating on the stressful, everyday things that we forget there is a whole wo...

Thank you for your responses David and Lee. I think I shall make a purchase of this and keep the shorts. As an aside by wearing shorts my ankles and lower legs are absolutely ripped to shreds with a network of bramble scratches. There is something to be said for wearing long trousers.

Lots more lovely photos to look at. Thank you everyone. The day I have Large, Small and Essex Skippers all in my locale at the same time is a bit daunting for me. So long as they all sit up for a photo and I can identify them later at home (with help possibly) I will be ok. I too saw a Comma a week ...

A lovely selection of photos Dave. A tough call but I would say my favourites were the last two.

Yes, I am new to Meadow Browns and the few I have seen (less than 10) are incredibly active. Furthermore, I concluded that they have a bit of a bad attitude about them.

Lovely Large Blue photographs Medard. It is an extremely attractive looking butterfly. It might be my imagination but the photos suggests that it knows that it is attractive !

It looks like a little sweet that I would have devoured ravenously when I was a lad. Sorry that wasn't very helpful was it. Brilliant find. I haven't got the foggiest idea what it is though and don't think I have ever seen one before. I will gladly support what Bugboy suggests.