Gatekeeper Butterfly…Pyronia tithonus….also called Hedge Brown.
I noticed this medium sized, brown butterfly fluttering between along the low walls and brick columns leading to a garden. The clumps of foliage either side of the path attracted them, hence their name.. the Gatekeeper.
It is orange and brown in colour and has a large eye spot on its forewing and several scattered smaller spots.The eye spot has two tiny white spots within it.
It is a widespread butterfly in the south of England resting on vegetation in warm, hazy weather. During sunny weather they flit amongst the flowers feeding on nectar from a variety of sources…..the flowers of blackberry plants as well as bramble, thistle, thyme and mint.
devon2mother 