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Purple Emperor - Favourite Photo of 2022

Week 13

Some lucky peeps are already off the mark in 2023! But for those of us still missing the butterflies and counting down the days here are a few more fabulous Favorites to pick through!

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I missed the window of opportunity for this species last year (2021) so decided to make the effort and make the short trip to Savernake Forest, Marlborough, in July.

I'm glad I did as a very showy male performed admirably as soon as I arrived at the renowned Ailesbury Column.

The usual selection of long distant shots from the canopy this year. At least my long lens makes it recognisable!

I always look for Emperors at Bookham, but have yet to see one on the ground there - I only ever end up with fuzzy versions of the classic view Paul has successfuly captured above.However,I had more success at Chiddingfold, though, and this one played ball. That said, it insisted in sitting in patch of ever-changing dappled sunlight which made getting the light right very tricky.All in all, though, this context shot is perhaps my favourite of the year. Dave

Stevieb wrote: ↑Mon Jan 09, 2023 1:11 pmI missed the window of opportunity for this species last year (2021) so decided to make the effort and make the short trip to Savernake Forest, Marlborough, in July.

I recognise that green railing.

David M wrote: ↑Tue Jan 10, 2023 1:47 pm

Stevieb wrote: ↑Mon Jan 09, 2023 1:11 pmI missed the window of opportunity for this species last year (2021) so decided to make the effort and make the short trip to Savernake Forest, Marlborough, in July.

I recognise that green railing.

Probably my favourite emperor photo was actually of a pupa. I spent several evenings in June wandering around the woods with a uv light looking for these and using Flossie, my spaniel, as cover for a weird bloke being in the forest at ungodly hours with a strange blue light!
In all I managed to find five or six, shining like beacons in UV even at distance, but they proved devilishly difficult to relocate in daylight, and I only managed to refind two.
One was fairly easy being on an isolated branch at head height and the one in the photo was about 10m up in a mature Sallow. The next day it took me thirty minutes to relocate using binoculars. However once I had located it my eye went straight to it on subsequent visits - easy when you know!
The other photo is of Flossie standing guard over what might be the adult that I found on the path immediately adjacent the pupa some days later, although I couldn’t relocate the vacated pupa. Her resigned look is because she knows she has to remain sitting until the butterfly leaves!
Kind Regards
Mark

Two firsts for me with these emperor shots .............The first that i,ve seen in Orlestone forest (Kent ) in nearly 40 years of trying ,and a first posting in this thread ,although i have seen and photograped Emperors before in the Kent hotspot at Dene park wood ,i,ve still only seen PE in Kent and nowhere else .
I had 4 good sightings in Orlestone in 22' one a brief flight view ,two grounded but very jittery individuals ,and this male which flew straight at me,circled me twice ,and then flew up onto a low Oak bough ,before finally land ing on the ground where it found a fox scat . It was in partial shade and tight against a clump of plants ,and it stayed put for over 10 minutes . This is probably my best ,and most satisfying sighting of 22' my 35th species for Orlestone ......................its been a long wait ! Allan.W.

Nice work, Allan. 35 species is some going. We only have 30 on the whole of the Gower!!!

Purple Emperor

I’ve given up hoping that the ‘three year cycle’ is actually a thing as it’s been several more years than that since I’ve had a grounded Emperor, let along one all to myself. However this year His Nibbs was slightly less reticent and I managed a few distant and heavily cropped images - nothing to write home about for sure BUT at least I managed some images – which is the best result I’ve gotten for many a year! Of these mediocre images this is my favourite as it’s the closest and sharpest of them!
Have a goodun

Wurzel

In my neck of the woods the Purple Emperor was very early, then struck by the super heatwave which brought its flight period to a premature halt. I saw very few worthy of a photograph this year, but this was a nice touch with this male drinking the sweat from my friend's fingers in Chambers Farm Wood, Lincolnshire.