www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Given that you're 'up north', then the best bet for Purple Emperor must surely be Fermyn Woods, near Corby.

Hi Goldie,

David's right. If you live north of Fermyn you can't drive past this site to see them in the South! Fermyn Woods is the best site in the UK by some margin. Timing probably still first week of July, but always keep an eye on the Purple Empire website http://apaturairis.blogspot.co.uk/ for the most up-to-date news, as precise timing varies from year to year. If you cover yourself in shrimp paste, as I do, you'll have them landing on you.

BWs, Neil

Neil Hulme wrote:If you cover yourself in shrimp paste, as I do, you'll have them landing on you.

LOL!

If you can persuade Goldie to do that, then I'll stand your drinks for an entire evening!!

Hi,again Goldie,
Neil Hulme has given you the best possible advice for the timings of your visits to this part of the World.
You asked for sighting dates for this year,i was at Botany Bay on 1st and 2nd of july ,no Wood Whites,but 6 and 4
grounded Emperors respectively.
10 days later, no grounded Emperors,but a good showing of Wood Whites ( summer brood ). But 2015 could be a little
earlier or later than this.
Never been to Fermyn but by reputation its far superior to Botany Bay for Purple Emperors.
Best wishes ,TREVOR.

Just got back to postings after a busy week, thank you Trevor, Neil, David, for your advice if I don't get at least one of these Butterflies next year there's some thing gone wrong

But Neil, like David said the Peanut Butter will have to stay in the Jar

I think I'll take all your advice and try Fermyn Woods first, I didn't realize there were PE in the North, I presumed they were all in the South, I would certainly have gone there this year had I known. I've got a book that gives places to look , it doesn't mention Corby at all.

I'll keep an eye on that Web site Neill I've made a note of it. Thanks for the dates and times Guys, Ill try to spread things out a bit more next year.

The Brown Hair Streaks may have to wait I think because they may need a third journey and being as some times I'm in Kent at that time of year it may be a bit too much traveling, I'll see, at least it's some thing to look forward to and plan for

The Butterflies Have not Quite given up here yet, I took these two shots in My garden before I went shopping on Thursday, I think the Red Admiral has been in my garden before, he looks well worn now but still those unusual spots in the Orange strip on his wings look a little brighter. I couldn't resist including the Bee (think it is) in the shot with the Comma

Once again thank's for your advice , can't wait for next year Goldie

HI,Goldie,
I dont know which part of Kent you visit,but assuming its not in the extreme east of the County it may be possible to
visit Steyning.
Arrive for 11am until about 2.30pm (bring the Sun with you!) and be back for tea.
Hope this is of some use,
TREVOR.

Hi! Trevor, I go to Canterbury to my daughters, which is quite a bit a way from" Steyning" I think, but I go for 2 weeks some times so may be a country run is on the cards Goldie

Nice report Goldie and good to see you're still photographing the butterflies - I'm still seeing them but always in circumstances that don't allow photography - mind you I'm so far behind on my PD that might be a good thing so I can catch up
If you're after Brostreaks then I seem to recall that over the last couple of years Alners Gorse has had them really early if that's any use to you...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi! Wurzal , I don't know where "Alner's Gorse" is I'll have to look it up on the Internet, that's the trouble living in the North, we haven't a clue where places are and when I've looked them up we usually get lost.

Take this year for instance, while I was at my daughter's in July ( a week was spent in Hampshire before traveling on to Kent) She knew I'd been looking for the Purple E and we looked up sightings in Kent, one had been seen in Dean Woods which is near" Tunbridge"( I think I've got the name right) anyway we arrived in Tunbride and could we find the Woods
NO WAY! finally after about an hour we did but once again no luck , we could only spend an hour there my daughter had to get back so after that I promised I'd get maps etc for next year

I think that's my Winter planned , I'll find all the places to go to , time of year and day and just concentrate on the species
I've not got yet, I didn't do too well with that this year only got the Ex Skipper, still I did manage the Female Silver Washed Frit that's a bit rarer so I can't grumble Goldie

Finding information about Alner's Gorse is the straightforward bit:

http://butterfly-conservation.org/2401- ... orset.html

Actually locating it is somewhat trickier. This reserve is a particularly easy one to drive past as there's no obvious car park and the actual entrance is quite well concealed.

The first time I visited I printed off a couple of maps and familiarised myself with the surroundings by spending time on Google Street View (using Sat-Nav is against my religion).

Hi! David, just got back to posting again Thanks for the information, it seems Dorset is the place to be in at any time,
I'm really going to have to plan holidays carefully next year if I want to get the Butterflies not yet photographed , it will give me some thing to do this Winter.

Gaits Barrow is a bit like that, it's just a gate on the road side, it does however have a sign but you can be passed it before you realize it, there's a small parking area once your in and down the lane but you need a permit to park, of course some don't bother with permits even though they're free, (so what's new) any way thanks again it will be a big help on deciding about next year's hol's Goldie

I've been going through some of the photo's i thought were funny taken this year, because of course I'm short of butterflies to post
My first Photo was taken in Kent at Temple Ewell, I was on the look out for Adonis it was only the 15th of July but I thought if the Chalk hill Blues were out there was a chance, so I walked up the hill to find Cow flaps every where and enjoying them these Chalk hill Blues
My second photo was taken the day before the 14th at Dover ,this CHB by the look on his face thought he'd encountered a monster
My third photo was taken in Spring 18th of April in the back Garden, the fun we all had with this little Comma trying his best to feed was some thing you could never buy
Last but not least was the Common Blue who got lost in a flower South Port Dunes 21st May Goldie

With the threat of work fast approaching this was a brill post to read as it really cheered me up, nice one Goldie

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Hi Goldie M,
With regard to finding Purple Emperors next year, I would say Neil Hulme's advice is excellent. I have spent a lot of time at the Bookham Commons this year and I find that generally people get to the top of the hill after about 12:30pm, see a few PEs at distance and then assume that there are a lot of them all over the Commons but I think this assumption was incorrect this year.
I have a theory about populations of predatory Blue Tits and the like being artificially high in certain areas because people generally like to keep them well fed in the winter on their bird feeders but I am not sure exactly how this relates to the Bookham Commons. Purple Emperor caterpillars can be large and if I was a predatory bird, I would probably want the human equivalent of a loaf of bread rather than a single slice making some species more vulnerable than others although there are other factors involved. I think one needs to remember that different people groups have their own interests but for conservation to work properly there needs to be a holistic approach. I am sure I will be corrected if I am wrong and not wanting to hijack your diary here with this topic, I wont be responding to other comments here regarding what I have just said.
best wishes,
Philip

Glad I cheered you up a bit Wurzal, it's always sad towards the end of October(no more Butterflies) but it's great to take a breath and look back on the photo's we've taken and the plans we can make for next year, if you've any funny shots it would be great to see them

I think your right Phil about Neil's advice I've taken note of it and your not impeding on my post at all , it's always good to get peoples inputGoldie

It rained quite a lot here this morning and with the promise of strong winds and rain tomorrow I thought I'd go for a walk in our local beauty spot "Rivington" (it's where the Commonwealth Games Swimming and Cycling were held a few years a go.)

We were lucky for the hour we were there it didn't rain and the sun came out so I took a few shots of the tree's still with their leaves on no telling what the night's weather will bring at least i've got a few shots now.

I took a shot of the Oak tree and although I've gone to Rivington for years now I've never seen any Green Hair Streaks although they're said to be there(not in the Oak Tree of course) Perhaps next year I'll see some. Goldie

Nice images, Goldie. Brings back memories as Rivington Pike was a common destination for family outings when I was a child.

Lovely atmospheric shots Goldie - I really must try and get out soon before all the leaves have gone...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Lovely autumnal shots Goldie now roll on spring

Mike

Thanks Mike David and Wurzal, I'm glad you enjoyed the photo's, I thought I'd give my Bridge Camera an airing for this outing and it proved to be a good Idea It's much lighter to carry and i knew there was no chance of Butterflies ( they all seem to hibernate early this year,)

I saw my first Butterfly on the 4th of March, a Small Tortoiseshell, usually round here it's about the middle of March, August was a wash out really except for odd days, so that'll be my trend now until next year, out with the Bridge Cam

Today was awful rain, hail, and the wind was some thing fierce, had to that the fact I attended a funeral and that sums up the day Roll on Spring Goldie