Key to Golden Skippers

	This can be a tricky group, particularly the Lulworth type species. The key below should help to separate the group:

1	1a) Underside hindwing relatively unmarked, only orange or greenish, sometimes with veins paler than ground colour. GOTO 2) 1b) Underside hindwing clearly marked with pale or white spots GOTO 7)
		1a) unmarked underside hw. e.g. Small Skipper, T. sylvestris
		1b) underside hw with pale yellow spots. e.g. Large Skipper, O. venata

2	2a) Upperside ground colour dull, rich golden orange; often with subtle paler markings or patches on the forewing. GOTO 3) 2b) Upperside ground colour clear bright orange; uniform colouration. GOTO 6)
		2a) Rich golden orange ups with markings e.g. Lulworth Skipper, T. acteon
		2b) Uniform bright orange ups e.g. Essex Skipper, T. lineola

3	3a) Hills/ mountains of N Africa GOTO 4) 3b) Hills/ mountains of Greece/ Greek islands GOTO 5) 3c) Not Greece or N Africa: Lulworth Skipper, T. acteon

4	4a) Male: upf sexbrand long, fine; cell pale orange, pale orange markings (sometimes an arc like female) towards apex. Female: upf orange cell and distinct arc: Lulworth Skipper, T. acteon. 4b) Male: upf sexbrand shorter, thicker; pale orange smudge near outer end of sexbrand. Female: upf with large area of uniform orange: Moroccan Small Skipper: T. hamza.
		4a) Lulworth Skipper, T. acteon
	Moroccan Small Skipper, T. hamza - no photos	4b)

5	5a) Small, upf markings broken. Male: sex brand continuous. Female: distinct orange arc on upf. Lulworth Skipper, T. acteon 5b) Large, upf bearing solid paler orange area against a darker ground colour. Underside hindwing rather uniform green. Male: sex brand short and broken. Female: without orange arc on upf. Levantine Skipper, T. hyrax.
	Lulworth Skipper photos - see above, point 4a)
		5b) Levantine Skipper, T. hyrax NOTE: contrast between orange area and ground colour is not as obvious as many field guides suggest

6	6a) Underside of antennal tip black: Essex Skipper, T. lineola 6b) Underside of antennal tip orange: Small Skipper, T. sylvestris
		6a) Black antennal tips. Essex Skipper, T. lineola
		6b) Orange antenall tips Small Skipper, T. sylvestris

7	7a) Underside hindwing with pale yellow-green spots: Large Skipper, Ochlodes venata 7b) Underside hindwing with clear silvery white spots: Silver Spotted Skipper, Hesperia comma
		7a) Large Skipper, O. venata
		7b) Silver Spotted Skipper H. comma

Identification: Golden Skippers

(Small/ Lulworth Skipper group, Large, and Silver Spotted Skippers)
(Thymelicus sp, Ochlodes venata, Hesperia comma)

Identification: Golden Skippers

(Small/ Lulworth Skipper group, Large, and Silver Spotted Skippers) (Thymelicus sp, Ochlodes venata, Hesperia comma)

(Small/ Lulworth Skipper group, Large, and Silver Spotted Skippers)
(Thymelicus sp, Ochlodes venata, Hesperia comma)