2005 : The skippers

The Small Skipper remains widespread throughout both counties. The flight season runs from early June through late August although the start and finish times vary slightly from year to year. The timing of the single 2005 brood was in keeping with that of earlier years and ran from mid-June to late August with peak emergence at the end of July.

New squares: 23    Lost squares: 196    Both squares: 91

The Essex Skipper was poorly recorded in 2005 but obviously remains widely distributed throughout both counties. The 2005 flight season was relatively brief compared with that for 2004, which started in June, and that for 2002, which ran into September.

New squares 17  Lost squares 132   Both squares 17

The 2005 flight season for the Silver-spotted Skipper ran appeared to be slightly longer than normal running from late July to early September. Apparently, warmer temperatures have increased breeding habitat and at national level it is proposed to downgrade the SSS from a Priority Species to one of Conservation Concern. In Sussex re-colonisation of its former range appears to be complete and further westward spread does not appear to be happening. Local abundances can be high – in 2005 Jim and Judith Steedman recorded 213 in a single visit to High and Over (TQ5001).

New squares 6   Lost squares 22   Both squares 21

The Large Skipper can be encountered anywhere within the county in good numbers. The 2005 flight season was slightly briefer than that of 2004 & 2003 and ended in early August.

New squares 17  Lost squares 187  Both squares 83

Although in decline at the national level, the Dingy Skipper is well represented on the South Downs although more records from the north of both counties would be reassuring. Year on year the onset of the flight period seems to vary by several weeks between late April and early May. In the last three years there is some slight evidence of a second brood.

New squares 8   Lost squares 41   Both squares 32

The Grizzled Skipper is also in national decline. In Sussex it was recorded from 8 new squares (as was the Dingy) but lost from 62 squares (compared with 42 for the Dingy). Nevertheless it is not difficult to find this species along the South Downs. The onset and close of the flight season of this species also varies considerably from year to year but always within the range early to mid April to early to late June.

New squares 8   Lost squares 63   Both squares 31