Pyronia bathseba, the Spanish gatekeeper, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found on the Iberian Peninsula and in France, Morocco, and Algeria. A similar gatekeeper species is Pyronia tithonus, which is found in northern Europe.
The wingspan is 18–19 mm. The butterfly is on wing from May to July depending on the location.
The larvae feed on Poaceae species, mainly Brachypodium species.
A lovely species with very smart underside hindwing markings.
Identification & Similar species: The white stripe on the underside hindwing is distinctive. Orange upperside with broad brown borders. Males have a large and prominent sex brand in the the basal and discal areas.
Distribution & Flight: North Africa, Iberian peninsula and Mediterranean France. April to July. I've found it in early May in south France at sea level and early July in Morocco at 2200m.
There is only one generation which flies from March to September, something which depends on the altitude of the place. They are more active in May and June.
Habitat & Behaviour: Grassy rocky places usually amongst dry scrub. Generally skulks low down amongst the entwined twigs and branches of scrub and grasses. I've found it on a beach where the only grasses to be found were amongst low scrub that was stabilising the dunes. Frequently hide s from the sun by resting low in bushes or below tufts of grass.Closed wings: The hindwing is brown, and a white stretch which goes across it. Behind it, there is a series of eyespots, which is broken by a light stretch. The forewing is orange, with a double eyespot and a wide grey and brown margin.
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Open wings: This species hardly ever stretches the wings. Both sexes are orange with broad brown margins in the shape of an eight, although sometimes male butterflies miss one of the white dots in the centre. There is a series of eyespots on the hindwings. Female butterflies have larger orange sections, as the androconia covers a big part of male wings.
It is common and rather numerous in forests and woodland. In dense forests, it looks for clear areas, such as paths or forest tracks. At midday, when it is rather hot, it rests in shady areas. There can be dozens of butterflies resting or drinking on the flowers of the Helychrisum stoechas or Teucrium lusitanicum. Nevertheless, these are not its caterpillars' foodplants, but gramineous plants, or grasses, such as Mediterranean False-brome (Brachypodium retusum) and Purple False-brome (Brachypodium phoenicoides), or Rough Meadow-grass (Poa trivialis).
