UK Butterflies - Gatekeeper - Pyronia tithonus

Wingspan
Male: 37 - 43mm
Female: 42 - 48mm

Gatekeeper

Pyronia tithonus

py-ROH-nee-uh
ti-THOH-nuss

Linnaeus, 1771

Ref: 1625

Superfamily:	Papilionoidea
Family:	Nymphalidae
Subfamily:	Satyrinae
Genus:	Pyronia
Subgenus:
Species:	tithonus
Subspecies:	britanniae (Verity, 1915)

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Introduction
Distribution
Annual Cycle
Habitat
Larval Foodplants
Nectar Sources

Imago
Ovum
Larva
Pupa
Similar Species
Videos

Sites
Conservation Status
Links
References


Male	Male Underside	Female	Female Underside

	Introduction

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.

Subspecies: britanniae

The population in the British Isles is represented by this subspecies.

	Distribution

This butterfly is found throughout most of England, Wales and the south of Ireland, being common in the south of its range, becoming scarcer further north. The habitat it 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.

	Annual Cycle

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: britanniae

	Habitat

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.

	Larval Foodplants

The main larval foodplants are Bents (various) (Agrostis spp.), Fescues (various) (Festuca spp.) and Meadow-grasses (various) (Poa spp.). Common Couch (Elytrigia repens) is also used.

	Nectar Sources

The main nectar sources are Bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.), Carline Thistle (Carlina vulgaris), Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis), Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica), Privet (Ligustrum vulgare), Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), Red Clover (Trifolium patense), Thistles (Cirsium spp.), Thyme (Thymus polytrichus) and Water Mint (Mentha aquatica).

	Imago

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: britanniae


Photo © Vince Massimo 16-Jul-2005	Photo © Vince Massimo 21-Jul-2005	Photo © Vince Massimo 21-Jul-2005	Photo © Vince Massimo 13-Jul-2005	Photo © Vince Massimo 22-Jul-2005

Photo © Pete Eeles 21-Jul-2006	Photo © Pete Eeles 09-Jul-2004	Photo © Pete Eeles 16-Jul-2008	Photo © Pete Eeles 13-Jul-2008	Photo © Gwenhwyfar 12-Jul-2009

	Aberrations

Description to be completed


Photo © Vince Massimo 26-Jul-2005	Photo © Vince Massimo 26-Jul-2005	ab. excessa Photo © Zonda 07-Jul-2009	Photo © Graham Smith	Photo © Graham Smith

Photo © Graham Smith	Photo © Rory Ravenswater 20-Jul-2009

	Ovum

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.


Photo © Reg Fry	Photo © Reg Fry

	Larva

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.

Gatekeeper - larva - Unknown location - Unknown date [REARED] [Brian Clegg]

	Pupa

The pupa is formed low down in vegetation, hung upside down and attached by the cremaster. This stage lasts around 3 weeks.

Gatekeeper - pupa - Unknown location - Unknown date [REARED] [Brian Clegg]

	Similar Species

Meadow Brown

Description to be completed

	Videos

No videos are currently available for this species.

	Sites

Click here to see the distribution of this species overlaid with specific site information. Alternatively, select one of the sites listed below.

Rating	Sites
	Moors Valley Country Park, Roudsea Wood NNR
	Whitbarrow NNR
	Fleam Dyke
	Bentley Wood

Not rated

	Conservation Status

This butterfly is relatively stable in terms of both distribution and population and it is not currently a species of conservation concern.

UK BAP Status	Distribution Trend	Population Trend
Not Listed

From The State of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland and the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) (2007 review).

	Links

The following links provide additional information on this butterfly.

	References

The species description provided here has been derived from the author's own observations and the information contained in the following works:

A Natural History of British Butterflies, by F.W.Frohawk.
British and Irish Butterflies, by Adrian M. Riley
South's British Butterflies, by T.G.Howarth (which is based extensively on the classic work, "The Butterflies of the British Isles", by Richard South).
The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland, by Jeremy Thomas and Richard Lewington.
The Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland, by Jim Asher, Martin Warren, Richard Fox, Paul Harding, Gail Jeffcoate, Stephen Jeffcoate.
The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Volume 7 (1) Hesperiidae to Nymphalidae (the Butterflies), by A. Maitland Emmet and John Heath (editors).
The State of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland, Richard Fox, Jim Asher, Tom Brereton, David Roy and Martin Warren.