I thought because of the strange double arrangement of its wings and its broad body that this was actually a moth but looking online I see that it is a Large Skipper.
Like many other skippers, the male of this species alternates between perching, patrolling, basking and feeding. Patrolling behaviour is normally exhibited late-morning, with perching behaviour the norm in the early morning and afternoon. When perching, the males will defend their territory vigorously, and see off any butterfly that intrudes. Typical perches are sunlit leaves at a height of around a metre from the ground. Both sexes take nectar, and are particularly fond of Bramble and Thistle. (source: ukbutterflies.co.uk)
My verbena bonariensis was obviously making a change from the abundance of brambles and thistles that we also kindly provide!
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