I have seen small skippers almost everywhere I have been recently. It certainly seems to be a good year for them.
The male small skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) has a dark mark on each fore-wing which is a line of pheromone-prodcing scales.
Small skippers at rest or feeding hold their fore-wings above the hind-wings giving a very characteristic stance.
I have also seen a few large skippers but there haven't been so many about. The large skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus) is slightly larger than the small skipper (!), not easy to tell if they are not side by side.
It also has a chequered pattern on the wings. The male again has a dark line of scales on the fore-wing.
The chequered pattern is also visible on the underwings.
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