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Bookham Common, near Letherhead. Saturday 15-7-06.

Saw 4 individuals. 3 Male, High in the Oaks, doing what they usually do, staying for ages on a leaf, leaving for a bit of a swoop, then returning to the very same leaf, again for ages. I know where the tree is in the wood (or trees) and was quite chuffed to find the insects in the same place as they were three years ago. (I visited last year with no sucess).

The fourth was a female hanging around ivy about 10 feet up. I was describing to a bunch of people where "The Tree" was and then this fourth individual appeared! The bunch of people along with me, then collected around the ivy, binoculars and cameras flailing.

Other sightings were SWF, White Admiral, Purple Hairstreak (lots, and they were on the ground too), Red Ad, Comma, 2 Brimstone, Common Blue, MB, Gatekeeper, Battered Ringlet, and a really unusual Holly Blue. It was white! I thought it was a wood white at first, but the binoculars detertmined it to be a holly blue.

Danny

Hi Danny,
I made the trip to Bookham on Saturday, too. I wish I'd known where that tree was as I went all over the place with no luck. Managed to see 1 female swooping over some Sallow and that was all. The silver lining was the incredible number of Purple Hairstreaks, as you say, landing on the vegetation low down on the floor at the edge of the rides. Also saw White Admiral laying on honeysuckle and it was the first time I'd seen their eggs - nice looking things under a hand lens. Think I am out of look for Emperors this year,
Andy.

Go to this web addy: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x ... search.srf.

There is a car park that's difficult to get to, called Pond something or other. The tree, or trees are just south of Hill Farm. If you go to that neck of the woods (literally, that neck of the woods!) and look up, you can be pretty sure of seeing them. I am told that the butterfly prefers the highest part of any terraine, so I presume that bit of Bookham Common is a high bit. Saying that, the female I spotted last was near the main car park on the track to the "Isle of White", and I don't think that's particulary high.

There is also talk of their behaviour re the time of the day. They say the males come down in the morning and fly high up in the afternoon. That's what was happening on Saturday, but I've heard conflicting evidence. The mating pair I saw in Botany Bay Triangle (nr Dunsfold) two sunday's ago, were at head height.

I have been told that there is an emperor tree near Bookham Station too, but don't know that one. I know it's frustrating not knowing where the trees are, so I think it's valuable info for butterflyers like us, to know. Hope that helps.