Large Skipper.

[JohnP]

I have a liking for these little butterflies, it's ofter possible to get in really close.

[JHFoto]

Good shooting.....................................

[Ryewolf]

I see these a lot, they seem to have a fondness for thistle flowers and you can get very close to them - though to be honest I never know if it's a Large or Small Skipper I'm seeing, as they both look very similar. Nice shots - I seem to be lacking in butterflies around my way and I know from when I got my camera this time last year I was seeing lots of them. I wonder if the cooler than average may/June has held them back a little?

[JohnP]

I see these a lot, they seem to have a fondness for thistle flowers and you can get very close to them - though to be honest I never know if it's a Large or Small Skipper I'm seeing, as they both look very similar. Nice shots - I seem to be lacking in butterflies around my way and I know from when I got my camera this time last year I was seeing lots of them. I wonder if the cooler than average may/June has held them back a little?

I usually see them on the edges of several local woods, not in the woods themselves as they prefer the sunny grassy areas leading into the woods. In fact yesterday I saw them in an area near my closest wood where I've never seen them before ever. Obviously the easiest way to ID both species (large & small) would be to see both together but this is unlikely, from my experience the Large Skipper is the most common and the easiest way to identify them is by the pointed hooked antennae.

[Ryewolf]

Yes, the ones I've seen locally have been in open grassy areas, with lots of thistles as they do deem to like the plant.