What's on this Lulworth Skipper's proboscis?

[Stevie Blunder]

I photographed this Lulworth Skipper at Tout Quarry today, But I've just noticed something yellow on it's proboscis. Any ideas?

[Allan.W.]

Hello Stevie ,
They look like Orchid pollinia ,of some sort . Regards Allan.W.

[Padfield]

Allan is absolutely right. I believe it's a device to prevent self-pollination. While it sticks out like that, the skipper can't get its proboscis deep enough into a flower to pollinate it, but with time it dries out and lies down. By then the skipper has moved on to another plant and the pollinium can meet the stigma. At least, that's what my uncle told me when I was a kid. You can imitate it by sticking a slender grass stem into a spotted orchid flower. The pollinium attaches, then slowly lies down.

Guy

[Stevie Blunder]

Thank you both. Very interesting.