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The Gatekeeper, also known as the Hedge Brown, is a golden butterfly that provides a welcome sight in the middle of summer, when the fresh adults start to emerge. This butterfly spends much of its time basking with wings open, when the sexes are easy to tell apart - only the male has the distinctive sex brands on the forewings. In England and Wales this common and widespread species is found south of a line between Westmorland in the west and South-east Yorkshire in the east. In Ireland it is confined to coastal areas of the south and south-east counties. The butterfly is also found in the Channel Islands, but is absent from Scotland and the Isle of Man. The habitat this butterfly requires is found over most of the British Isles, and so we can only assume that the restriction to its range is governed primarily by climate. Colonies vary greatly in size, depending on the available habitat, ranging from a few dozen individuals to several thousand. Subspecies: Pyronia tithonus tithonus The nominate subspecies was first defined in Linnaeus (1771) as shown here (type locality: Germany). It is not found in the British Isles. Subspecies: Pyronia tithonus britanniae This subspecies was first defined in Verity (1915) as shown here (type locality: England). The population in the British Isles is represented by this subspecies.
There is one generation each year, with adults emerging in July, peaking in early August, with only a few adults remaining until the end of the month. In contrast with its close relative, the Meadow Brown, this butterfly has a relatively-short flight period. Subspecies: Pyronia tithonus britanniae The chart(s) above have been correlated with the phenology plot below, taken from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. The blue line gives average counts over the full data set from 1976 to date, and the red line gives the average for the last year. 
This species can be found wherever shrubs grow close to rough grassland. In fact, some of the largest colonies can be found at field edges and along hedgerows and we can expect to find this butterfly in scrubby grassland, woodland rides, country lanes, hedgerows and the like anywhere within its range.
The primary larval foodplants are Bents (various) (Agrostis spp.), Fescues (various) (Festuca spp.) and Meadow-grasses (various) (Poa spp.). Common Couch (Elytrigia repens) is also used.
Adults feed primarily on Bramble (Rubus fruticosus), Carline Thistle (Carlina vulgaris), Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis), Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica), Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum), Privet (Ligustrum vulgare), Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), Red Clover (Trifolium pratense), Thistles (Cirsium spp. and Carduus spp.), Thyme (Thymus polytrichus) and Water Mint (Mentha aquatica).
Males set up small territories, often centred on a particular shrub or bush, and will fly up from their perch to investigate passing butterflies in the hope of finding a mate. Pairing occurs without any obvious courtship and, once mated, a female will typically lay between 100 and 200 eggs. Although both sexes feed from honeydew, they will also feed from whatever nectar sources are available - Bramble and Ragwort being particular favourites. Subspecies: Pyronia tithonus britanniae
Description to be completed. Click here to see a full list of aberrations for this species. Unclassified Aberrations
ab. antiparvipuncta (Leeds.Proc.S.Lond.Ent.& N.Hist.Soc.(1948-49)1950.p.91.pl.5.f.3.) The apical spot of the forewing small.
ab. brunnescens (Leeds.Proc.S.Lond.Ent.& Nat.Hist.Soc.(1948-49)1950.p.90.) The ground colour brown instead of fulvous. Fig.Frohawk Brit.Butts.pl.38.f.14. ab. excessa (Tutt.Brit.Butts.1896.p.408.) = antiexcessa Leeds.Proc.S.Lond.Ent.& N.Hist.Soc.(1948-9)1950.p.92.On the upperside of the forewings there are one, two, three or even four extra spots, usually small and blind, sometimes large and ocellated.
ab. infra-unicolora (Lempke.Lamb.1934.34.p.156.) Underside of the hindwings of a unicolorous dark brown, without the normal light area.
ab. pallidemarginata (Oberthur.Lep.Comp.1909.3.p.389.) The ground colour normal with the margins pale instead of brownish, but the apical eye remaining black with a white pupil. Similar to albinotica Goodson which however has the eye-spot lacking in black pigment. Oberthur's form is not an albino.
ab. partimtransformis (Leeds.Proc.S.Lond.Ent.& N.Hist.Soc.(1948-9)1950.p.90 & p.82.) Portions of a wing or wings with a pale or bleached patch or streaks. A pathological form which does not deserve a name.
ab. subalbida (Verity.Entom.1904.37.p.56.pl.4.f.10.) = pallidus Frohawk.Vars.Brit.Butts.l938.pl.8.f.2-3.= lacticolor Leeds.Proc.S.Lond.Ent.& Nat.Hist.Soc.(1948-49)1950.p.89. The ground colour yellowish-white. Frohawk's pallidus had the wings yellowish-white. Leed's lacticolor had the wings "paler than pallidula" which was yellow-ochreous.
Eggs are laid singly, usually in shade underneath a shrub, either on the foodplant, on nearby vegetation or at random - ejected into the air over a suitable patch of foodplant. Eggs are pale yellow when first laid but soon develop brown patches, giving a mottled effect. They darken further as the larva develops within the egg. This stage lasts between 2 and 3 weeks.
The larva eats its eggshell on hatching and proceeds to feed on the tenderest parts of the foodplant by day, before hibernating after its first moult at the base of a grass clump, usually within a withered grass blade. Larvae resume feeding in the spring and typically only feed at night. There are 2 colour forms of the larva - light brown and green and there are 4 moults in total.
The pupa is formed low down in vegetation, hung upside down and attached by the cremaster. This stage lasts around 3 weeks.
Meadow BrownDescription to be completed.
Click here to see the distribution of this species overlaid with specific site information. Alternatively, select one of the sites listed below.
This butterfly is relatively stable in terms of both distribution and population and it is not currently a species of conservation concern.
From The State of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland and the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) (2007 review).
The following links provide additional information on this butterfly.
The species description provided here has been derived from the author's own observations and the information contained in the following works:
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![Gatekeeper - aberration - Lansdown nr Bath - 04-Aug-05 [Graham Smith]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/849cfb26d91455ea2a7402d2da67cd25.jpg "Gatekeeper - aberration - Lansdown nr Bath - 04-Aug-05 [Graham Smith]")
![Gatekeeper - aberration - Blakemere Moss-9-July-09 [Rory Ravenswater]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/d7c91592dcc9fc5a095c5b516358533a.jpg "Gatekeeper - aberration - Blakemere Moss-9-July-09 [Rory Ravenswater]")
![Gatekeeper - aberration - Bath - 28-Aug-06 [Graham Smith]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/7f41bdc46789bb539ff8cbf7396ce521.jpg "Gatekeeper - aberration - Bath - 28-Aug-06 [Graham Smith]")
![Gatekeeper - aberration - Lansdown nr Bath - 04-Aug-05 (3) [Graham Smith]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/cda3b435f0268cb9c82cea93b0e6e2d7.jpg "Gatekeeper - aberration - Lansdown nr Bath - 04-Aug-05 (3) [Graham Smith]")
![Gatekeeper - ovum - Unknown location - Uknown date (2) [Reg Fry]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/ba81a01327cb4b312c121f80d977b5ba.jpg "Gatekeeper - ovum - Unknown location - Uknown date (2) [Reg Fry]")
![Gatekeeper - ovum - Unknown location - Uknown date [Reg Fry]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/6a7f665a88c28d33f4f29732e77a67bf.jpg "Gatekeeper - ovum - Unknown location - Uknown date [Reg Fry]")
![Gatekeeper - larva - Unknown location - Unknown date [REARED] [Brian Clegg]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/1cb2842715d5b86206ed84131bae3dfa.jpg "Gatekeeper - larva - Unknown location - Unknown date [REARED] [Brian Clegg]")
![Gatekeeper - pupa - Unknown location - Unknown date [REARED] [Brian Clegg]](phpBB/gallery/images/upload/104867e3575f058cee68ea5588f18798.jpg "Gatekeeper - pupa - Unknown location - Unknown date [REARED] [Brian Clegg]")
