www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

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

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.

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!

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!

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

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

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

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

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

Martin.

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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]

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

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

Martin.

Quite possibly, Martin.

Especially if it's c**p!



Bryan