www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Gatekeeper - Favourite Photo of 2018

Week 5

So we’re already in the ‘D’s’ and about a quarter of the way through!

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

No room for manoeuvre here, as I only took one shot of this species, when it took a subordinate role during my search for Brown Hairstreaks along the Roman Road onto Otmoor, Oxon.
Mike

My contribution comes from the south west of France from Les Landes.
This pair was seen on the edge of a corn field and I particularly like the contrasting undersides.
July 14th : Context: Chris

I took my shots mostly in East Blean/ Blean Woods on the 23rd and 10th of July with the exception of a mating pair I saw on the Dover Cliffs 14th July, I didn't actually see a Gate Keeper here in the North until I came South in July which was unusual because other years I'd seen plenty, no idea why unless it was the hot weather. Goldie

I had a great walk at Upton Towans on 11 July, the dunes were alive with butterflies. Gatekeepers, Small Skippers and Silver-studded Blues in large numbers with Dark Green Fritillary also putting in a good performance. Ragwort, seemed to be particularly popular. Although I have chosen a rather poor photograph, it is a fair representation of the dunes that day.

Gatekeepers had a rather poor year compared to many others who seemed to flourish during the heatwave, they were certainly down in numbers by some way compared to previous years and unlike most years had all but vanished by the time the Brown Hairstreaks began to appear. I put this down to the late emerging nature of the species required the larvae to endure a larger portion of the summers lack of rain, and therefore poor grass growth. Anyway this female is the stand out specimen of the year for me and I quite like this little gang from Bookham

I really struggled to get good pictures of Gatekeeper this year. I think their emergence coincided with the peak of the heatwave, so I rarely saw them basking, or even with open wings. This picture comes from a memorable day during my fieldwork, at Llanymynech Rocks on the English/Welsh border on 25th July. I'm sure there will be more photos from that day in later 'favourite photo' threads...

Another species which seemed to have a short flight period this year and which were certainly down in numbers around my local patch. Having said that, they were regular visitors to my garden where they appear to be breeding in the areas of long grass that I leave.
I quite like the following shot which was taken on some ragwort down the bottom of the garden with the dark shade under a shrub in the background.
Cheers,

Neil.

Whilst searching for something rarer I happened across this pair of Gatekeepers at Aversley Wood, Cambs. I came across 15 or more feeding on the brambles nearby 7th July

I arrived back in the UK from the south of France in mid-July to find conditions hot and parched and Gatekeepers were already on the decline.

Such were the temperatures, I struggled to see any basking with wings open so this was probably the optimum shot I managed, on Kilvey Hill, Swansea, on 19th July:

Hedge Brown

This Hedgie fell into the Favourite bracket for several reasons; it was one of only a few ‘aberrants’ that I saw all year being an ‘excessa’, it was taken relatively early in the morning and so, to my eyes, as a lovely golden glow about it and finally it was one of the first butterflies I saw on what turned out to be an epic day with a return visit to this site and a visit to Shipton Bellinger sandwiched in between.
Have a goodun

Wurzel

This species had a disappointing year locally. I saw the first one on 21st June, but after a brief peak in mid-July, the last sighting was very early - 1st August. Here is a pairing from 9th July. Dave

millerd wrote:This species had a disappointing year locally. I saw the first one on 21st June, but after a brief peak in mid-July, the last sighting was very early - 1st August. Here is a pairing from 9th July.GK pair2 090718.JPG
Dave

A beautiful photo, Dave, I love the soft colours and the way the butterflies stand-out from the muted background.

Mike

Thank you, Mike - I think the sun had gone in suddenly, which softened the lighting somewhat. I was pleased to get both butterflies in focus!

Cheers,

Dave

Numbers of Gatekeepers around here were well down on last year, and my only half-decent photo opportunity in 2018 was of this rather shy female at Birch Wood, Cuxton on July 10th...