Search Results for: Gatekeeper

Two brown and orange butterflies with some black and white markings

Gatekeepers. Photo: Mark Pike

A brown butterfly with orange, black and white markings on agreen leaf

White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Mark Pike

Two photos from Mark both taken on 17/07/2024 and sent in telling us:

Another average day for me at Alner’s Gorse with the best being a pair of fresh Gatekeepers until about half an hour before I left when I came across a couple of White-letter Hairstreak nectaring at waist level. Although one was a bit of a wreck this one was fine and it was nice to capture this photo of it between feeds on a bramble leaf.

An orange and brown butterfly with some black and white markings amongst some green vegetation

Gatekeeper. Photo: Stewart Balmain

Stewart sent in this photo he took in his Bourton garden yesterday, 14/07/2024 telling us:

This is one of the two Gatekeepers that were all I saw in my garden yesterday while doing the Big Butterfly Count –  it really is worrying that there are virtually no butterflies in my garden at the moment.

Two brown and orange butterflies with some black and white markings

Gatekeeper. Photo: Jane Hopper

A brown and orange butterfly resting amongst some mature vegetation

Gatekeeper. Photo: Jane Hopper

Two photos from Jane sent in with the following comments:

There was a brief sunny moment around midday today,  13/07/2024 in our Chalmington garden before the rain set in and I was delighted to see a couple of Gatekeepers among the Meadow Browns.  This male settled behind the basking female seen in the background and immediately started to vibrate his forewings.  A few moments later he initiated a successful approach and mating ensued but in a rather inconvenient location as evident from the rather fuzzy and obscured photo!

A brown and orange butterfly with some black and white markings on a pink flower

Grayling. Photo: Sharon Towning

A brown and orange butterfly with some black and white markings nectaring on a white flower.

Gatekeeper. Photo: Sharon Towning

Sharon sent in these two photos she took yesterday, 10/07/2024 at Higher Hyde Heath.  She told us this was the first Grayling she has seen this year and that there were lots of Gatekeepers there nectaring on the wild Clematis (Old Man’s Beard).

A black and white butterfly on a purple flower

Marbled White. Photo: Lynda Lambert

An orange and brown butterfly with some black and white markings on a green leaf

Gatekeeper. Photo: Lynda Lambert

Two photos from Lynda sent in telling us:

I visited Badbury Rings on 02/07/2024 and although a bit cloudy and breezy there I saw my first Comma of the year – rather late as I usually see them in early Spring. Also saw a number of Gatekeepers and 81 Marbled Whites in just a small area.

A golden brown butterfly with black markings

Silver-washed Fritillary. Photo: Mike Kirby

An orange and brown butterfly with some black and white markings on a green leaf

Gatekeeper. Photo: Mike Kirby

Two photos from Mike sent in telling us:

It was good to see my first Gatekeeper and Silver-washed Fritillaries at Alner’s Gorse this morning, 29/06/2024.  This is the earliest date I have seen a Gatekeeper and I’m aware that a few have already been seen in Dorset this year. Happy to report that there seemed to be plenty of White Admirals showing too, spread across the reserve. I saw at least 10, including one that kindly stopped for a photo.

An orange and brown butterfly with some black and white markings on a plant seed head

Gatekeeper. Photo: Roy Norris

Roy sent in this photo of a male Gatekeeper he saw yesterday, 27/06/2024 on the edge of Maiden Castle in Dorchester. This is the first photo of a Gatekeeper added to the Gallery this year.

A brown and yellow butterfly with some black and white markings

Gatekeeper ab. Photo: David Parish

David sent us this photo of a Gatekeeper he saw in his Bournemouth garden yesterday, 03/08/2023 commenting as follows:

This Gatekeeper looked so different from the rest in flight and I was able to get this photo when it settled. Probably just a worn example as the pale markings are not symmetrical, but the question remains – why is it different from all the others I have seen?

Editor’s Note:  When I received this photo I decided to refer it to Mark Pike for guidance as he has a considerable knowledge of butterfly aberrations and he responded saying:

Variation among Gatekeepers is pretty common, I have seen quite a few similar to this one in most years, some with just one pale wing. It is an ab but an unnamed one, probably because they vary so much and are not distinct. Always good to find something out of the ordinary though.

My thanks to Mark for his advice.

An orange butterfly with black markings on a white flower

Comma. Photo: Stewart Balmain

An orange and brown butterfly with some black and white markings on green vegetation

Gatekeeper. Photo: Stewart Balmain

Two photos from by Stewart both taken in his West Bourton garden  – the Comma was seen on 24/07/2023 and the Gatekeeper on 18/07/2023. Stewart also told us that he has been getting at least a dozen Gatekeepers in his garden while doing the Big Butterfly Count, as well as double figures of Red Admiral and Peacock.