Baiting Purple Emperor

Bryan H · Post by **Bryan H** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:33 pm

I watched this programme last night and enjoyed seeing Chris Packham's efforts to 'coax' down a Purple Emperor from the treetops:

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/phpBB2/v ... php?t=1405

He tried pulped rotting fruit and waste products donated by his poodles, with a generous sprinkling of urine - all to no avail!

The view was expressed that Purple Emperor never fall for this, always opting instead for more naturally occurring, less contrived, sources of salts and liquid refreshment. I rather like this idea - that these magnificent butterflies look down in disdain at our pathetic attempts to lure them down to ground level just to see them up-close! If it were so easy to 'bait' a Purple Emperor, where would be the pleasure in encountering one purely by chance, which is how it seems to happen most?

Which of you will tell me that they once baited a Purple Emperor...and it worked?!

Bryan

Dave McCormick · Post by **Dave McCormick** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:34 pm

I have never seen one, given where I live, but would things like, instead of puddle doo, use cow pats covered in urine, would that make a difference? Just a guess. I could see he never succeeded, but seems that it does work on some creatures.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:25 am

Never baited one (or even seen one in the UK) but in France I saw dozens feeding off a dead fox on a hot day... I'm guessing they don't have noses though, as I couldn't even get close!

Dave McCormick · Post by **Dave McCormick** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:13 pm

Thats sick Chris, ugh. Like vultures or something! Head that many butterflies and moths have great sense of smell, well, if they did, the must actually like that smell!

alex mclennan · Post by **alex mclennan** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 3:36 pm

I've been visiting Fermyn Woods for some years and I've never seen an emperor come to rotten fruit. Two years ago, there were families of travellers camped in the wood and they threw out used disposable nappies into the ditches - the emperors readily came to them! And they are very keen on human perspiration - they are quite docile and can easily be persuaded onto a sweaty finger! I was carrying one around earlier this week and even passed it to someone else!
Alex

Bryan H · Post by **Bryan H** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 4:08 pm

Alex,

Yes, I saw the evidence on the Fermyn Wood thread!

When you say that an emperor can easily be persuaded onto a finger - is this something you are prepared to elaborate on?

Bryan

Post by **Pete Eeles** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 4:16 pm

alex mclennan wrote:they are quite docile and can easily be persuaded onto a sweaty finger! I was carrying one around earlier this week and even passed it to someone else!
Alex

Why were you carrying a sweaty finger and where on earth did you get it from? What did the person you gave it to think?

Cheers,

- Pete

Rogerdodge · Post by **Rogerdodge** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 4:31 pm

I have been visiting Bentley Wood for many years now, and there are always rotting banana skins on the top of the notice board at the entrance to the car park. These, resumably, to attract PEs.
In all my visits I have never seen an Emperor on them, neither has anyone of my acquaintance - is it a myth?
Roger Harding

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 4:35 pm

Someone put some salmon down at Alice Holt...it'didn't work. (Didn't half hum though!)

Martin.

David Tipping · Post by **David Tipping** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:10 pm

I seem to recall that somebody entered a photo in last year's competition of a PE that looked very much like it was perched on a doggy poo.
Trev Sawyer was telling me when we visited Fermyn yesterday that he'd heard salmon was more effective than rotting fruit.

alex mclennan · Post by **alex mclennan** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:17 pm

OK. Pete. I've got to 'hand' it to you - I asked for that!

Bryan, The emperor's proboscis is very long and when it is on the ground it usually 'feeds' some distance in front of itself. If you offer it a hand or finger slowly and gently, it very often will climb on and start feeding off your perspiration. It doesn't always work so I wouldn't try it if there are photographers around trying to get pics!!
Alex

Bryan H · Post by **Bryan H** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 8:14 am

Alex,

Thank you - I really am surprised by that.

Should the opportunity ever present itself, I must hope that my digit is suitably moist!

Bryan

David Tipping · Post by **David Tipping** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 4:35 pm

Chris wrote:Never baited one (or even seen one in the UK) but in France I saw dozens feeding off a dead fox on a hot day... I'm guessing they don't have noses though, as I couldn't even get close!

Apparently 19th century collectors used the rotting bodies of animals to draw purple emperors to the ground and then caught them with nets mounted on poles up to 30 feet long. Given how approachable the species seems to be, I would have thought a pole of such length would be a handicap - though by staying 30 feet away at least you would avoid the smell!

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 5:24 pm

I saw prawns used as bait last week-end...didn't work.
Niether did the Banana skins draped over the notice board at Bently Wood.

Martin.

David Tipping · Post by **David Tipping** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 7:41 pm

I notice that among the photos on the purple emperor species page is a shot taken by Mark Pike at Bentley Wood, which shows a butterfly feeding on rotting bananas, presumably on the notice board. So it must work on occasions.

Post by **Padfield** » Sat Jul 21, 2007 8:07 pm

I've had little success baiting purple emperors, but lesser purple emperors certainly land on the nearest sweaty thing and are easily handled once drawn:

(the hand is mine, the head mine also and the hat my father's - the worried-looking lady is my mother)

The animated gif below shows a purple emperor on my shoe - though I hadn't intended to attract one.

Perhaps I just smell.

An alternative to baiting is looking for likely droppings in places you know purple emperors come down and simply waiting. That has proved successful for me in Shabingdon woods, near Oxford.

Guy[/img]

Andrew Mc · Post by **Andrew Mc** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 4:08 pm

With apologies for lowering the tone, I present ten Chalkhill Blues enjoying one canine faecal item, today at Draycott Sleights.

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:09 pm

Just a thought...I wonder if they like poetry

Martin.

Bryan H · Post by **Bryan H** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:16 pm

Quite possibly, Martin.

Especially if it's c**p!

Bryan