Gatekeeper Butterfly/ also Hedge Brown Pyronia tithonus
The Gatekeeper butterfly (also called Hedge Brown) is orange with a brown border and black eyespots;
the male (above) has two brown "scent marks" crossing the forewing.
The female Gatekeeper (above) doesn't have the brown scent marks on the forewing and has a lighter underside.
Female
Male
Male
Both male and female can look similar to a Meadow Brown from above, but, unlike the Meadow Brown, the Gatekeeper almost
always has two white "pupils" in the eyespot. From the side, if it has spots on the lower wing, they are always white
(and the Meadow Brown always black spots).
However, rarely, some Gatekeepers have only one visible white "pupil" in one or both of their eyespots.
The face.
The male is smaller and darker than the female.
Female left, male right.
Coupled
Size comparison with sloe
The pair above were flying while attached, before landing on the thistle.
Gatekeepers above were all photographed in Northwest London: Totteridge Fields, Stoneyfield and in my garden.
Links:
Meadow Brown butterfly