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Chequered Skipper - Favourite Photo of 2022

Week 3

Another week passes and still the butterflies are on the wing but for how much longer who knows? Still the Favourites threads are up and running so the winter should fly by.

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.
Here we got then!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

On 27th May, a window of weather opportunity opened during an otherwise hit-and-miss week, and I decided to drive up to Fineshade Wood on the further edge of Northamptonshire and join one of the advertised guided walks with the aim of seeing the recently reintroduced Chequered Skippers. Despite rather a lot of other folk having had the same idea, resulting in a much larger group than the poor guide had anticipated, it was a very successful day with several of the target species seen. Dave

Took a trip to Port Appin hoping to see the marsh fritillary. Stopped off at Glasdrum NNR where there were chequered skipper, small Pearl bordered fritillary and small heath on the wing. This was my favourite of the chequered skipper. Photo taken on 4th June.

A male Chequered Skipper viewed head-on, showing the "all-orange" underside of the antennae - compared to the "half-black, half-orange" underside of the antenna of a female - (see inset). NB: The colour difference can ONLY be seen from directly underneath. Photos taken at the English reintroduction site in May this year.

Not sure why the colours look so muted on here... they were OK on my screen before I posted it and look ok when the photo is clicked

I have been involved with monitoring the reintroduction of the Chequered Skipper to Fineshade Wood on and off since 2019, and have yet to choose a day when they are in any numbers! This year I went along on the 2nd June and it was a case of spot the butterfly in general, not just the Skippers. But this beauty more than made up for the low numbers.

Nice to see a few 'English' specimens on this page. I daresay this species will be more accessible to many in the UK going forward.

I chose this slightly unusual view that I took at the English site as my favourite.