www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hello all.
I don't know if this is going to be possible to id, but maybe a point in the right direction may help me.

I was standing in my garden this afternoon when I saw a small orangey butterfly fly through and get caught in one of the many spider's webs.

I walked to the web to see if I could remove it and I know I probably shouldn't do this, but I have no love for spiders. I would leave anything else, but I just can't can't when it comes to butterflies .

Anyway, The spider had already got to it and had sunk his fangs, so there wasn't anything I could do except get a good look at the butterfly which was one I had never seen before. I ran indoors grabbed a book and as I flicked through the pages I realised that the spider had begun to wind the butterfly up.

I ran indoors for the camera but it was too late. The buttefly with wings crumpled up was wound into a silky parcel and a picture would have been absolutely no help.

So, all I can do is describe it and hopefully something will ring a bell with one of the experts and they can point me in the direction of where to look.
If you are still reading , here we go:
The butterfly was small as in approximately the size of a skipper. The body was very light brown. The wings were a very pale orange with a very feint brown mottling. And here is the marking that may help in the id, there was a very large white spot on each of the forewings.

I know that this is a long shot but any help will be very much appreciated. And, if you have made it this far, thanks for reading

Hi Michael,

A moth springs to mind, The Oak Eggar, although out of flight time and much bigger than a skipper...

http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=975

Cheers

Lee

Male Vapourer moth.

Of course...

Here's a link to that one:

http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=544

Lee

I'd go for the Male Vapourer too, it was the first thing that came to mind. When you see them in the flesh they are often a lot more orange than the link to the photos suggest. The fact that they are day-flying helps the confusion regarding it being mistaken for a butterfly. What you often get is a quick flash of orange as they fly past, unless a spider gets them of course.

Thanks for all the help people and I am in awe that you had a clue from just a description, but It was neither.

It most definately did not have the feathered antenna. Also, the white spot is in the wrong place. It was above and to the left of centre of the forewings as opposed to at the bottom. The body was lighter and so were the wings and I realise that lighting will play a factor, but the mottling was very much more less pronounced.

In best Roy Walker voice, 'It's good, but it's not right'.

Michael L wrote:Thanks for all the help people and I am in awe that you had a clue from just a description, but It was neither.

It most definately did not have the feathered antenna. Also, the white spot is in the wrong place. It was above and to the left of centre of the forewings as opposed to at the bottom. The body was lighter and so were the wings and I realise that lighting will play a factor, but the mottling was very much more less pronounced.

In best Roy Walker voice, 'It's good, but it's not right'.

The Herald moth? Gold Spangle? Gold Spot? Four Spotted?