Bumblebees and Gatekeepers

[chris butterworth]

First some good news! I was just walking passed the pub by my house when i noted 3-400 Bombus lucorum / terrestris ( the workers can't be distinguished in the feild )feeding in c.20m of flowering Lavender, this is the highest concentation of Bumblebees I've seen for many a long year. 2nd, the commonest butterfly around at the moment is Gatekeeper but c10% are noticably smaller than the rest, c60 - 75% the 'usual' size. Has anyone else come across this, either this year or previously? Thanx, Chris :err:

[beltonbirder]

Male and Female Gatekeepers are different in size, this could be what you have observed.