Pictured: Essex skipper, Thymelicus lineola
Notes from Jenyns: this species is not mentioned in Jenyns’ notebooks.
200-year trend in Cambridgeshire: Hard to tell as it was discovered after Jenyns lived in the county, but probably little change.
Modern records
The Essex skipper was not recognised as a separate species in the UK until 1889, as it looks extremely similar to the small skipper. Therefore, Jenyns does not mention it in his catalogue. However, it is likely that it was quite abundant and simply overlooked by naturalists of the day. It is currently widespread and common throughout the county.
National records map
Essex skipper national records map: https://species.nbnatlas.org/species/NHMSYS0000504514
