Tuesday 17 April 2007

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)

OTHER NAMES: Orange Field Butterfly, Hedge Eye, Hedge Brown
Latin Etymology: Pyronia ("corn buying") tithonus (after a mythical Trojan figure)
Adult male Gatekeeper (subspecies P. t. brittaniae) at Geddington, Northants - August 2009

Featured Subspecies: Pyronia tithonus brittaniae
Length: ?  /  Wingspan: 40-47mm
UK Status: Least Concern IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated

The Gatekeeper is a moderately common butterfly found mainly on the edges of fields and in hedgerows - their food plants being largely long grasses while the adults prefer to frequent areas with blackberry plants.  This species has increased it's range in the UK over the past several decades, expanding Northwards. They are a relatively common and should be able to be be found relatively easily.

Related Species:
Order: 
Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Pyronia 
SUBSPECIES: P. t. brittaniae, P. t. tithonus

- Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM A common resident species which is seen in Summer
 - Seen in Geddington and Brigstock

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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