Side view of a Gatekeeper on a leaf

Gatekeeper. Photo: Penny Hawes

This beautiful shot was taken by Penny on 07/07/2017 at Stoborough Heath, near Wareham.

It shows the underside markings of this species very well: not only the two white spots within the black eyespot on the forewing, but the white dots on the hindwing. Meadow Browns, very similar to Gatekeepers, have one white spot in the black eyespot and black spots on the hindwing – a useful way to tell them apart if they refuse to raise the forewing enough to see it.

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