www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Ok, the time has finally come now I'm in Hampshire to properly go looking for these things and see what all the fuss is about

Just wondering if bait is essential for seeing these close, and if so, what do people recommend?

I unfortunately can't stretch to a trip to Ghana for any of Neil's Shitto. A trip to Tescos is however within budget

Whatever bait you use, or none (I always find enough natural bait lying around), a useful tip to know is to BE PATIENT when HIM (His Imperial Majesty, not just bad grammar) first lands on the ground. Normally, He will not land directly on the nasty stuff but make His leisurely way there, sniffing and poking around. During this time, He is easily flushed. Once He has been on a good bit of poo for little bit He becomes almost impossible to shift and you can make lens-to-antenna contact if you so desire. Don't rush in as soon as He lands, or you risk losing Him.

I say that having understood from your post that you've not had dealings with the species before. Apologies if I've only told you what you already know!

Guy

Guy
In my experience, I find this "wait for it to get comfortable" advice to hold true for most butterflies.
Many times I have seen over enthusiastic photographers move in on a butterfly the instant it settles, only to be disapointed when it zooms off.
I now wait for a minute or so, and, if it is still settled then, move in slowly.
This is generally the case for nectaring, mud puddling, poo tasting and sun basking.

Thanks. Good advice. Patience is definitely a virtue with active butterflies that's for sure.

The places I have in mind both have good horse traffic I believe and was thinking maybe there'l be plenty of attractants already present.

Fingers crossed for a bit of decent weather in a week or two!

Horse poo not bad but wet fox poo is excellent.
However, giving all the poo a miss in the right area if you can catch one within reach on for example tree leaves you'll be much happier with the results.
At Fermyn I've seen people put Ribena on their hands attract a PE over then transfer it to a leaf already baited with Ribena. It did actually work.

Yes definitely butterflies on poo aren't the best looking photos.

On a fishing trip in congo once I found some species quite partial to urine which is a bit better. Not soaking my hands in it tho!

I'd go 100% with what Guy said. Also, the biggest problem also with Purple Emperors can be (at well-known spots) is that you have another 12 photographers in the same spot all waiting to spook the Butterfly by accident .

Sometimes you find in a slightly overcast couple of minutes of weather they are down on the ground already, probing around, in a surprisingly calm mood anyway.

As Paul mentioned, fox poo can be a real treat for them, especially newly (what would be the phrase?) excreted!

I have no problem with photographing them on poo. It's part of their natural behaviour.

Michael

I am actually hoping to capture an image of Purple Emperor (it would be my first) on poo this year as I am thinking about writing a book specifically about that. So far I have Small Blue on dog, Wall on horse to name just a few!I think PE on fox would be the crowning glory of this tome

Have a goodun

Wurzel

also check out this website for all the latest... http://www.thepurpleempire.com

Hi all,

Just to add to the sage advice given above, here's a paragraph from the 'Butterfly Photography Guidelines and Tips' article I wrote for the BC Sussex Butterfly Report this year.

"If it’s the Purple Emperor you wish to ‘capture’ for posterity, you need to be out on a sunny morning in the last few days of June or first two weeks of July, and the earlier during this period the better. I appreciate how exciting it is to see a male Purple Emperor descending to the woodland ride for the first time, and every single time thereafter, but you must control that excitement, or go home disappointed. You must wait until he has landed and fully settled in one spot. Resist the urge to approach until he has stopped wandering around in search of salty delicacies, which might involve several short ‘hops’ along the ride and further meanderings on foot. Finally, check with binoculars that his long, yellow proboscis has stopped probing around, before finally moving in - very slowly. Every season I see a dozen Emperors spooked by photographers that ‘give in’ to the adrenalin-rush and make a premature and clumsy approach. Your patience will be rewarded, for once he has fully settled down to feed he will behave impeccably!"

After some years of experimentation I think my Purple Emperor bait has finally been perfected. Last July I had three males on one small patch, and after pouring some of the liquid onto a ride I had an Emperor fluttering around the neck of the open container for 10-20 seconds. But the best lure remains a fresh, urine-soaked fox scat.

Neil

Hi Wurzel Plenty of natural "bait" at Fermyn - tho' I am saving my sweaty butterflying shirt and jeans to act as a "human" bait....
A good indicator that I am on the right track was the fact that a Small Tortoiseshell I encountered the other day was far more interested in tasting me than the nearby flowers!
(PhilB is also saving his PE "bait" too! So, apologies beforehand to anyone who gets too close..... )
N

Hi Nick,
I've heard of people using dead hedgehogs, frogs, deer, cats, squirrels, crows etc..... but never a gorilla's thumb. Shame on you.
Neil

Sussex Kipper wrote:Hi Nick,
I've heard of people using dead hedgehogs, frogs, deer, cats, squirrels, crows etc..... but never a gorilla's thumb. Shame on you.
Neil

...they're so hard to get hold of, too, what with the lack of gorillas these days.....
N

Imagine trying to get a Gorilla's thumb without asking the Gorillas permission.

Wow, that's a real poo in Nick's photo!

Michael

...they're so hard to get hold of, too, what with the lack of gorillas these days

I prefer to use gorilla knees.
They are so much cheaper.
After all - you get two ape knees for a penny!!
(I'll get me coat!)

Michaeljf wrote:Imagine trying to get a Gorilla's thumb without asking the Gorillas permission.
Michael

...that may explain my usual battered-self round-about PE season......

("Thank-you - and Goodnight, Roger!")

Since offering PE advice is the order of the day...

...the best days for a good flush of males down to the rides are almost certainly those hot and humid mornings after an early rain shower, when everything seems to be steaming, not just the bait.

Piers.

This gives me the opportunity to drag out that old photo again ... ... I must have been hot and steamy ..... or stunk like a gorilla's thumb.

Darn it. I know a fishing guide in Uganda that leads Gorilla Treks in Rwanda. If only I'd realised Gorilla thumbs were the thing to have I could have got him to ship me a load over. Too late now dammit!

Will have to make do with whatever I can scrape up on the walk there instead.

Yeah; just think of the monopoly opportunity you missed
N

A Tale.
Over the years I have been faced with all manner of species being brought in after accidents to see what I could do for them.It is the nature of the job.Deer injured or killed,badgers,owls,swifts,slow-worms,lizards,spiders,snakes,etc.but never a butterfly.Until yesterday.Someone brought me a Purple Emperor-could I help it and mend its antenna.But it was dead! So,it is in a nice little box and will be kept for his grandchildren to marvel over,and their children.But that is not the importance of this tale.This person lives about two miles from the triangle at Botany Bay.I live some 300yds from him.We are surrounded by old oak trees and there are pussy willows about.This one flew into his conservatory and failed to escape despite the windows being open.So next July I shall be scattering manure of all sorts in my garden (subject to wife's approval)and trying to persuade them to live in my oak trees!
P.J.U.