Butterfly Name

Meadow Brown
(Maniola jurtina)

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The male is much darker than the female. The only other species with which it could be confused is the Ringlet, but of course their underwings are very different

While the female has some resemblance to a Gatekeeper, the "single-dotted" wing marking distinguishes it from the "double-dotted" Gatekeeper

The underwing of the female in particular (as here) is almost identical to that of the Gatekeeper but, once again, the "dot" provides the definitive difference

The underwing of the male has the same basic pattern, but is much less distinct. The small black dots on the hindwing are highly variable (in both sexes), and may be absent entirely

Er - what do they say about "the exception which proves the rule"? This was clearly a female Meadow Brown, not a Gatekeeper, but had a "double dot"! Most confusing

Mating pair, female uppermost - as shown by her more marked underwing colouration



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