The Gatekeeper is also known as the 'Hedge Brown' and both names describe where it is found - in clumps of flowers around gateways and along hedgerows. It is one of the latest ones to appear during the year, and is not usually found until July. It is similar to a meadow brown, but smaller, and the orange colour is much brighter, making it look more orange in flight. When settled on a plant, they usually open their wings and you can clearly see the other distinguishing mark - they have a double white dot in their wing spots. The one shown below is a male, having the dark patches on the forewings (called the sex brand),

The female (shown below) is very similar, but lacks those dark patches. Gatekeepers love bramble bushes, where they can often be seen in large groups. There are many bramble bushes to the south of the estate, and along the river.