GATEKEEPER

The Gatekeeper, aka Hedge Brown, likes to sunbathe on hedgerow leaves and even on open ground such as gateways.   This one seemed to think Alan's hand was a good sunbed.  It's a female.

Photo: Alan Watts

The male, shown below, is a darker orange and has brown diagonal patches on his forewings  These 'sex brands' have special cells which produce pheremones, scents to attract females. 

Photo: UK Butterflies

You might confuse it with the Meadow Brown, which is bigger and less colourful. 

If you can get close enough you will see that the Gatekeeper has two white dots in the black spot on the forewing while the Meadow Brown has only one.  And on the underside of the hindwing the Gatekeeper has tiny white points and the Meadow Brown has black points.  

Photo: Alan Watts

When at rest though, the Meadow Brown closes its wings over its back so you only see the underside, while the Gatekeeper often sits with its wings open - except for the gatekeeper in the above photo.

And here is a very unusual view of a Gatekeeper.  You can see its undercarriage and legs because Alan photographed it on the inside of a glass container  -  before releasing it outside.

Photo: Alan Watts