Skipping

After a dreary morning, late this afternoon the sky suddenly brightened, and it warmed up by several degrees. Within a couple of minutes the black horehound patch, which had been virtually deserted, filled with competing bees, butterflies, and hoverflies, and I found myself spoiled for a choice of subjects. However, after due consideration of some rather nice bees, I've chosen two Skippers for this post, because they're busy, feisty little butterflies, and I like them. 

The main image shows a Small Skipper, identifiable by its orange-tipped antennae and relatively plain wings. I was pleased with the balance of butterfly and plant here, and despite the slightly clashing colour scheme, and the areas of soft focus on the antennae and wings, I think the photo works pretty well. In some ways though I find the extra more interesting, because it was taken from a slightly unusual angle as the butterfly worked its way round from the far side of the plant. This is a Large Skipper, identifiable by the hint of a chequerboard pattern on the wings, and the pointed ends of the antennae. 

There's something about Skipper faces that always makes me think of kittens, though now I've said this, I'd be hard-pressed to explain why.