The Gatekeeper

I met this beautiful little male gatekeeper by the ahem town gate into the Winnall Moors reserve.  My butterfly guide says they are often mistaken for meadow browns, but I don't see how they can be - they are so much smaller and brighter.  This one is also slightly early - their very precise flight period is mid July to the end of August - but maybe being early is not surprising in all the hot dry weather.

In fact it's very much been a butterfly day for me.  When I got home the garden was covered in large whites, all feeding on the lavender and verbena.  So I joined them (in the garden not in the feeding) and managed to do a lot of tidying before the heat drove me inside.  A very nice day.

Hope yours has been good too.  Have a lovely evening, whatever you're doing  xx