Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon)
2009 photos highlighted in yellow. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 7689_male_Var_30Jun07 | 16399_female_Var_21Jun09 | 16352_female_Var_21Jun09 |
Another misnamed butterfly, although there is some justification for the English name, as it is still found around the Lulworth area on the Dorset coast, even though it is widespread across Europe. Acteon is not particularly common in France, and could easily be missed because of its similar appearance to the Small Skipper (T. sylvestris), especially the male in which the upf horseshoe-shaped orange band is not so well marked. This orange band is 100% characteristic of acteon, and according to T&L, more pronounced in the female.
The sexes can be differentiated by the body length, much longer in the male - see 7689 above, and the upf sex brand (black streak) which only the male has, as well as the strength of the orange band as noted above. I found, much to my surprise, that 90% of the acteon photos I have taken are of females.
7689: clearly a male, as indicated by the clear albeit weak upf sex brand and the length of the body. Altitude 220m.
16399: I originally thought this was a male based on the abdominal hair tuft, even though the upf orange band seemed more pronounced than that shown in T&L for a male. However, the absence of a sex brand and the shorter body length, as well as the strong orange band, clearly indicate female. The hair tuft at the end of the abdomen turns out to be a red herring. Altitude 20m.
16352: a female underside, even though quite worn. Altitude 20m.
