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The emporers are out! One pristine male at Bramshott Common car park on Sunday 28 June (an unusual location) and one high over Bentley Station Meadow later in the afternoon.

Dave.

Thank's Dave!
That gives me hope in finding some at the weekend!
Em

At Fermyn Woods today, between 10am and noon, we had probably a dozen purple emperors on the ground or on low vegetation very easy to photograph! White admirals were abundant (including at least one ab.).
If you are coming to Fermyn, try to make it on a weekday - this place will be heaving with people at the weekend and parking is a real problem.
Alex

A fantastic day at Fermyn woods today, at one point you couldn't walk more than 20 yards before you were virtually stepping on a Purple Emperor taking minerals from the track, I lost count of how many I saw in the six hours I was there, they were still coming down to the ground at 3 o'clock this afternoon!
There was also an excellent amount of White Admirals including a single of the aberrant form obliterae.
Also seen and photographed were two female White-letter Hairstreaks egg-laying in an Elm alongside the main ride and a single Silver-Washed Fritillary that flew straight up the main ride towards the entrance without stopping.
Alex and Jack, it was good to meet you both today.

i was at Fermyn yesterday ( 29th ) & today.

yesterday i saw 4 separate male Emperors on the track with the pond. Unfortunately the forestry commission had recently removed a large proportion of the Sallows near the pond ...i do not know if they rehoused the caterpillars/pupae which were living there.

today i went back . One Emperor landed on my companion's ankle... no doubt enjoying the Lynx shower gel !!

Charles

Hi,
Can any body give me directions to see the Purple Emporers i would be traveling south along the A1. Many thanks in advance.
Stan.http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/phpBB2/p ... f=8&t=3294#

Hi Stan

Coming south down the A1 leave at junction 17 ( where the A1 becomes the A1M )

Take the A605 towards Oundle. From Oundle follow the signs to Brigstock ( about 6 miles away )

Then you should look for Fermyn Woods country park at SP 951850.

Once there use this map:

http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/en/c ... s%20PS.pdf

The Emperors are mainly found on the Red Track and on the more Westerly of the two Blue tracks.

I find that 9am to 12 noon is a good time to see them on the ground.

Good luck

Charles

Please someone confirm this was a Female, it was massive, brown, and came down from the canopy at about 3.30pm.

Gruditch

Hi Gruditch,
Yes, it's a girl. Although quite subtle, the give-away is the thickness of the white stripe on the hind wing. Females just emerging on most sites now.
Neil

Sorry to slightly sidetrack but could someone let me know exactly where the White-letter Hairstreak are likely to be in Fermyn Woods? Also is Essex Skipper a possibility here or is it too early/wrong area - thanks!!!

Cheers Kipper

Gruditch

Hi Charles
Many thanks for the info on Fermyn woods, I went today and it could,nt have work out better every few yards i came across Purple Emporer and there was quite a few White Admirals and Commas, so once again many thanks.
Stan.

Dave, I don't know about Fermyn but I think it's too early for Essex skippers in my area, east of Bristol, although small skippers are active.

Dave wrote:Sorry to slightly sidetrack but could someone let me know exactly where the White-letter Hairstreak are likely to be in Fermyn Woods?

If you park at the gateway opposite the Welland valley gliding club and walk down the ride the White-letter Hairstreaks were in the area where the first track crosses the main ride (about 200m or so down the main ride). Look in the Elm on the lefthand side for egg-laying females and around the tops of the Ashes nearby, there were several about on Tuesday.
Good luck.

Stan35 wrote:Hi Charles
Many thanks for the info on Fermyn woods, I went today and it could,nt have work out better every few yards i came across Purple Emporer and there was quite a few White Admirals and Commas, so once again many thanks.
Stan.

Glad you were successful Stan, its a magical place to visit at this time of year.

Thanks eccles and fourwings. I was going to go today, it's tiddling down here in Cheshire so assuming it's the same at Fermyn I'm glad I didn't.

At last, my first UK, PE at Bentley Woods today. I was very disappointed that the open winged shots that I took came out so dark not even a hint of blue. (What did I do wrong?)

Only two tics today on my hip!
It was very nice to meet you Felix.

Denise

EDIT.
Just one photo with a hint of purple. Oh well, I'll just have to try again!

Denise wrote:I was very disappointed that the open winged shots that I took came out so dark not even a hint of blue. (What did I do wrong?)

You could try center-weighted or spot metering that might help as the background (dirt track) is quite bright when sunlit compared to the PE. This would make the camera meter light from the PE only. Just a thought.

Cheers

A magical time at Bernwood Forest yeterday. My first ever Purple Emperor too. In the 5 hours was there I saw 5. This one was shared with a lovely couple (didn't catch their names but I think the lady was called Sue...)

Denise wrote:I was very disappointed that the open winged shots that I took came out so dark not even a hint of blue. (What did I do wrong?)

SO, I did some experiments today, specially for you, Denise! I found a male purple emperor and tried to take a photo without a hint of purple. With my camera, the only relevant variable was angle. Here's a seres of piccies from dark to bright, all of the same butterfly:


The only one without any purple at all.


A hint of purple.


Dull, but visible.


Gleaming purple at this angle.


The most I could get on one side.

Obviously, it depends not just on your angle with respect to the butterfly, but the butterfly's angle with respect to the sun. But my guess is that it is
all about angle. No camera could have failed to pick up the blue in my last shot.

Guy