Gatekeeper butterflies take to the wing in the height of summer when blackberry flowers are at their best. The nectar provides a valuable food source for these butterflies, which are commonly found around hedgerows and field gates, giving a clue to the origin of their common names: gatekeeper and hedge brown. The males have a dark brown patch of scent-producing scales on the forewing, used to attract females during courtship. Gatekeepers are common and widespread in Europe, and the British Isles has its own subspecies (britanniae).

How to identify common garden butterflies.

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