Insect · GBIF taxon 7622059
Gatekeeper
Pyronia tithonusAlso known as Hedge Brown
Gatekeepers patrol warm, sunny hedgerows and bramble patches where adults gather in midsummer to nectar on flowers like marjoram and wild blackberry. Males aggressively defend sunny perches, darting out to investigate passing insects before returning to the same favored spot. Caterpillars overwinter in tussocks of fine grasses, feeding at night on fescues and bent-grasses before pupating near the ground in early summer.
DiurnalGrasslandPollinator
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—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Bramble nectar
- Marjoram nectar
- Ragwort nectar
Predators
- Insectivorous birds
- Orb-weaver spiders
- Dragonflies
ThreatsHedgerow removal, over-mowing of field edges, pesticide use
HabitatsHedgerows, woodland rides, scrub, grassy field margins
Life span1 year total (adults live 2–4 weeks)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyNymphalidae
- SpeciesPyronia tithonus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Identification: Look for two distinct white pupils inside the black forewing eyespot to distinguish it from the Meadow Brown.
- Best Viewing Time: Search sunny bramble hedges on warm, windless afternoons in July and August.
- Behavior Observation: Watch males territorial patrol along hedge lines, regularly returning to the same basking leaf.
Frequent Companion 
Close Relative (c) Céline, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Céline · cc-byClose Relative
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