![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
I have just peeped at the "Purple Empire" website to discover that while we were sitting under a tree at Ryton on Saturday, one of the local rangers saw a Purple Emperor on the ground within about 500 metres of us...
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
8th July
It was hot, and became quite breezy. I had enough time to pop down to Denbies, and then after that to Juniper Bottom, near Box Hill. Absolutely nothing was standing still: I gave up trying to take pictures almost completely and just watched the various species flying. In fact, the roster for both sites was exactly the same, taking in Large Skippers, Small Tortoiseshells, Ringlets, Small Heaths, Marbled Whites, Speckled Woods, Brimstones, Meadow Browns and Dark Green Fritillaries. And at each site, a single Red Admiral put in an appearance. The Dark Green Frits were particularly energetic, tearing about and getting particularly excited when they encountered each other or a Small Tortoiseshell.
After picking up Elliot from school, we had a short walk locally. Once again, there were a dozen or so Small Tortoiseshells, mostly on or around the doomed nettle field. Elliot told them to try somewhere else, but to no avail, I'm afraid... We also saw Speckled Woods, a selection of Commas and a few Large Skippers. Watching a three-way tussle between one of each of these was most entertaining, with a particularly favoured vantage point occupied in turn for the briefest of moments before one of the others muscled in. One photo that was possible was of a Large Skipper burrowing right into a bindweed flower - where both sustenance and shelter from the sun were on offer. He looked most uncomfortable, but it must have been worth it. Two more Comma undersides - quite beautiful again, with summer camouflage suited to dappled sunlight. Autumn Commas have a much darker colouring designed to resemble dead leaves blown into corners for the winter.
Dave