www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi

I'm hoping that someone can help me identify a butterfly I spotted from a written description - I didn't have a camera with me at the time, so unfortunately don't have a photo. I've taken a look through several UK and European web sites, but haven't been able to find it. This was spotted in Essex - so potentially could have been something from the continent

Anyway, the butterfly was small, with a wingspan of around 25mm. The shape roughly resembled a Dingy Skipper, it had brown wings with creamy markings and a distinctive medium-yellow thorax. I spotted it as it flew out from under a nettle leaf before settling on a holly.

Any ideas?

Hi, I'm inclined to think you saw a moth of some sort. Sounds like you got a decent view of it so if it was a butterfly I'm sure you would have been able to ID it after looking through various websites. You say it flew from under[/u] a nettle leaf which sounds like a much more mothlike behaviour. My gut instinct would be a Geomitrid of some sort.

Sounds as if it could be a Yellow Shell moth. they are highly variable in colour with yellows and browns.
there's also a lot of Mother-of-Pearls about too, and they are nettle feeders.

bugboy wrote: Sounds like you got a decent view of it so if it was a butterfly I'm sure you would have been able to ID it after looking through various websites. You say it flew from under[/u] a nettle leaf which sounds like a much more mothlike behaviour. My gut instinct would be a Geomitrid of some sort.

Yes, I did get a good look at it - a minute or so - and a moth is a possibility and it did fly from underneath (though it then landed on top of the holly).

Essex Bertie wrote:Sounds as if it could be a Yellow Shell moth. they are highly variable in colour with yellows and browns. there's also a lot of Mother-of-Pearls about too, and they are nettle feeders.

I've taken a look at few sites and I don't think that it could have been either of those.

However, based on the leads that you've both given me, it may have been a Small Magpie. The range, habitat, size, and yellow thorax look right, however in the photos that I've come across the Small Magpie's wing colours and pattern don't look right - not brown enough & too much cream, and they look a little too deltoid - though I guess that could just be natural variation, or my memory. I wish I'd had a camera...

Thanks to you both for the pointers.