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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.
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A lovely species with very smart underside hindwing markings.
Its distribution & Flight patern is North Africa, Iberian peninsula and Mediterranean France. April to July. Can be found in early May in south France at sea level and early July in Morocco at 2200m.
Its Habitat consists of 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 hides from the sun by resting low in bushes or below tufts of grass.
