Gatekeepers

Events having again prevented me from escaping to my country haunts yesterday, I made do with a stroll around the 'village', hoping, as the sun was intermittently out, that I might spot the odd butterfly. In particular, I was keen to see some of those cheery little July fliers with the beady eyespots, the Gatekeepers. I wandered into the grounds of the local 'Ecology Centre', enjoyed a Red Admiral nectaring on Buddleia, then, turning to the patch of meadow-like grassland behind me, I realised, with a start of joy, that it was alive with butterflies - not only Meadow Browns but beautiful dark Ringlets in large numbers. I waded in the grass for some while, as people walked to and fro on the path, bearing plates of cakes and goodies to the Fair that was going on elsewhere in the grounds. Nobody seemed to be noticing the butterflies, but that's usually the way. Around the corner from the 'meadow' is the consciously-created 'Butterfly Garden', where straight away I was inspected by Speckled Woods, bombed by a pair of Commas and bamboozled by a fast-flying Peacock - but the real joy was yet to come. The clumps of Wild Marjoram, flowering profusely, were surrounded by orange-and-brown clouds of Gatekeepers - feeding, fighting, mating, or just fluttering feebly from plant to plant, there they were, in astonishing numbers for what is in reality not countryside but a small oasis in suburbia. It's a heartening demonstration of what can be done with a little effort in the way of habitat adaptation. With a few Holly Blues and a Small Skipper also spotted (and Whites Small and Large) this amounted to 11 species seen in one short stroll in suburbia. Ah but those Gatekeepers - they lifted the heart...