www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Another Skipper for identification please, this one has me confused as it has brown antenna tips, photo taken near Revest-de-Brion, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. 24-06-2017

https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com

Looks like a Small Skipper... unless the taxonomic splitters have been at the Thymelicus sp. in Europe

But the golden apex to the forewing suggests acteon ...

Are there any upperside shots at all - even bad ones?

Guy

But the golden apex to the forewing suggests acteon ...

Are there any upperside shots at all - even bad ones?

Thanks for the comments, regrettable the above 24-06-2017 is the only picture I have.
The four photos below were taken at the same location on the 22-06-2017

https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com/

Those 4 all look like like Essex Skippers, the first 3 definitely are. I agree with Guy that Lulworth is a definite possibility with the first one (wasn't even thinking about them when I made my initial ID)

Hi Bugboy I had captioned the four skippers as Essex ,so I did get that right, initially I thought the first photo was also an Essex Skipper but the Brown antenna had me confused.
Thanks for your input, It's a big learning curve, you fellows are so helpful.

The colour contrast on the undersides is useful, if not 100% reliable.

Small skipper typically has good contrast between apex and ground colour, and the hindwing is the same colour as the apex. The undersides of the antennae are buff:



Essex skipper typically has weak contrast - often golden everywhere. The undersides of the antennae are black.



Lulworth skipper typically has weak contrast - often golden everywhere. The undersides of the antennae are buff. This is an awful picture, but it illustrates the points:



Guy