29 June 2023 29 June marked the end of the period during which male Purple Emperors dropped to the rides like confetti. After this date, groundings became far less frequent and usually involved more-elderly males. We were now ten days into the season, so I made the most of the 3 I saw on the deck, ...

27 June 2023 The Purple Emperors of the Knepp Wildland continued to entertain on 27 June, with a change to periodically cloudy conditions meaning that some of the grounded males (of which I saw 5) were now willing to provide those much sought-after open-wing shots. I was 'trousered' twice and one o...

25 & 26 June 2023 I was still focusing on baiting males to the ground on 25 June, but Matthew was ranging further afield and achieved the first three-figure count of the season (103 not out). I enjoyed 4 groundings, but the male Emperors were still reluctant to open up in the heat. I achieved a...

Thanks, Trevor. Yes, you're right, throughout this spell of hot and sunny weather, the grounded Emperors were very reluctant to open up. Even worse, they were constantly tilting their closed wings beyond the vertical, making an in-focus shot from the side very difficult; they do this to avoid castin...

24 June 2023 The Purple Patch continued on 24 June. Matthew and I met Gail Jeffcoate, one of the 'greats' of BC Surrey, having promised her plenty of Purple Emperor action at the Knepp Wildland; I'm pleased to say that we over-delivered. I remember that it was stinking hot that day, so despite the ...

Thanks you, David. I'm using this quieter spell to lose some of those excess pounds accumulated over Christmas, so I'm out as often as possible, clearing scrub from chalk grassland, coppicing or 'popping' birch on heathland. As it's voluntary work, there's no quotas, deadlines or reports - just good...

23 June 2023 By 23 June Purple Emperor numbers were beginning to build rapidly, with my total for the day being 36. I enjoyed 9 groundings (including 'trouserings') and my first Empress of the year was rapidly hunted down by a male and mated at 15.40 hrs. UKB PE (1) Knepp 23.6.23.jpg UKB PE (2) Kne...

22 June 2023 On 22 June, a great many Purple Emperors dropped to the tracks across the entire Knepp Wildland Southern Block. I alone enjoyed 20 groundings (including 'trouserings' and 'bootings') in just the relatively small area I had baited, although this doesn't equate to 20 individuals; some of...

21 June 2023 Just a day after the first confirmed sighting, the Purple Emperors of the Knepp Wildland started to descend from the oaks to take minerals from the tracks, the majority being attracted to my stinky liquid baits (either laid as puddles, or the spillage deliberately wiped on my trousers)...

Thanks, Matsukaze. Interesting that you get them on Wild Rose down there. In Sussex, we (mainly Bob) have only found them on Blackthorn and Hawthorn, in that order of preference.
BWs, Neil

12 June 2023 The first three weeks of June were a blur of surveying and monitoring work, so I didn't have much time for photography. I packed in as many sites as possible, as I had ring-fenced the last week of June and first week of July for Purple Emperor hunting; I'm very glad I did. However, I d...

Year Of The May Blossom I can't recall a better spring for Hawthorn blossom; it was simply magnificent in 2023. Of course, this was followed by a bumper crop of berries in the autumn. I must confess to having an ulterior motive for taking photographs of Hawthorn-rich landscapes, but that's another ...

Yes, more of the same this year, Paul. Plenty of new projects in the pipeline.
BWs, Neil

24 - 27 May 2023 I spent these consecutive days on the Downs at Storrington, counting butterflies over a cluster of metapopulated habitat patches, and with one of my aims being to catch Duke of Burgundy numbers at peak (this is a late site). The best of the rest of the 20 species recorded were Griz...

18 & 21 May 2023 As a 'thank you' to all the wonderful BC Sussex volunteers who help manage the Park Corner Heath & Rowland Wood reserves every autumn and winter (and a few hot, sweaty days bashing Bracken in late summer), I led a walk there for them on 18 May. Of the 15 Pearl-bordered Frit...

14, 15 & 16 May 2023 On 14 May I was joined by my brother, for a thorough survey of butterfly numbers at Rewell Wood; as is so often the case, it really didn't feel like work! We ended up with a near-peak count of 152 Pearl-bordered Fritillary, including mating pairs. 3 male Duke of Burgundy we...

Thanks, Mark and Neil. Yes, better late than never, and hopefully some of the stuff to come will help with that building anticipation for the butterfly-filled days ahead of us.
BWs, Neil

11 & 13 May 2023 On 11 May, I monitored the butterfly fauna at Kithurst Hill, where Duke of Burgundy numbers were building nicely; the total count of 39 adults included two mating pairs and 5 females busy egg-laying. Among the 16 species recorded were Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Small Blue...

9 & 10 May 2023 On 9 May, I went to check on the only Monkey Orchid ever recorded in Sussex; a plant first discovered in 2021. This year, my timing was spot-on, as the flowers 'go over' very rapidly from peak, from the top down. It's a stunning plant, especially when the flower is still in perf...

I've got a bit of catching up to do! Every year, I promise myself (and others) that next summer I'll take things easier, and every year I add more sites to the long list that I monitor and provide habitat management advice on, whether that be for the South Downs National Park Authority, some of the ...