[14-07-2025]

Many things come in two, including those T. syvestris that were "dancing" before I approached them. They sat down & pretended to not have done anything - they didn't move for nearly a minute.

#Lepidoptera #Butterflies #SmallSkipper #Insects #Nature

The bramble bushes growing in our laurel hedge were the centre of attention for the butterflies this morning - these small skippers were quite happily hunting for nectar on the bramble flowers. I hadn't realized how small they really were until I zoomed in and could see that they barely covered the width of a bramble flower petal.
#butterflies
#auvergne
#smallskipper
#France
#BrambleFlower

Still needing to work on today's list while this small skipper gets to enjoy its cow vetch in peace.

(Just 40 minutes after this shot a single M. athalia missed my right eye by a few centimeters. No idea whether it was that excited or that displeased to see me fassing its territory.)

#Lepidoptera #Butterfly #SmallSkipper #Insect #Nature

From yesterday's trip: Thymelicus sylvestris feeding on yarrow.

I must admit that members of this genus, minus T. acteon, oftentimes are hard to tell apart. They tend to be of equal size and share the same color scheme, so experienced observers usually will tell you to look out for the undersides of the tips of the antennae. Since last year I've come across plenty of individuals where even that led to a genus-only entry in my notes. Latest research hints at a low possibility of T. sylvestris being a so-called "cryptic species": https://www.biologiaevolutiva.org/rvila/Lab/Publications_files/2019_Hinojosa%20et%20al_Thymelicus%20sylvestris_1.pdf – Whether that applies to my observations or not, T. sylvestris and T. lineola are two species I often struggle to tell apart, especially when said individuals either just hatched or happen to be fairly old.

#lepidoptera #butterfly #smallskipper #insects #germany #canoneos700d

Small Skipper Butterfly!
#photo #photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #ukwildlife #nature #naturephotography #outdoors #conservation #britishwildlife #britishwildlifephotography #butterfly #smallskipper #smallskipperbutterfly #grass #wales

Marvellous morning
@WWTWashington
including #hollyblue #meadowbrown (21) #comma (4) #smallskipper (3) butterflies; #southernhawker dragonfly; kestrel; curlew & a scrapeful of #avocet!

A Small Skipper butterfly feeding on Purple Loosestrife on the banks of a Dutch canal. #SmallSkipper #PurpleLoosestrife #Butterfly #WildFlowers #BloomScrolling #Netherlands