Image from GBIF · CC BY-NC-SA
Species
Least ConcernSPECIES
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumArthropoda
- ClassInsecta
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyNymphalidae
via GBIF · IUCN
Museum specimens
- Specimen records
- 134
- With media
- 15
- Family
- Nymphalidae
- Collections
- YPM
- Recorded in
- United Kingdom, Switzerland, Spain, France
~9 min read
Encyclopedic overview
The gatekeeper or hedge brown (Pyronia tithonus) is a species of butterfly found across Europe. Given its preference for warmer weather, the restriction of range expansion can be assumed to be due to climate. Colonies vary in size depending on the available habitat, and can range from a few dozen to several thousand butterflies. Named for its rigorous patrol of hedges and woodland rides, the gatekeeper butterfly is a prime pollinator. The caterpillars primarily feed on fine grasses such as fescues (Festuca) and bents (Agrostis), which are common in meadows and roadside verges.
Similar species and subspecies
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Pyronia tithonus” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.