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This is a thread in which to post your favourite photo(s) of a particular species taken in 2011...............or the last time you saw one!

This is part of a series which will hopefully grow throughout the winter until all 58 British species have been covered. Three new threads will be introduced per week. Our overseas friends are welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to our rare migrants, but please try to observe the alphabetical listing .

Details of places, dates, times and circumstances would be appreciated and please feel free to contribute observations of behaviour, personal encounters, anecdotes and other interesting points.

Vince

I have seen Purple Emperor twice, on two successive yeasr at Bentley Wood but alas have not been able to get photos, so I watch this post in envy!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

I like this one simply because, i think its a nice composition with the grass and flowers.

It was taken near the triangle, Chiddingfold wood on 3.7.2011 at 10-11-36am, precisely. Canon 450D, Sigma 150, shutter 1/100, A.V. 14, ISO 2OO

Here's my offering:



That egg was laid back in August and was probably the origin of my protégé, Aurelian, who is currently fast asleep on a twig in my local woods.

Guy

My obvious favourite was the female I managed (with a vast amount of luck) to get a good photo of in Bernwood Forest on 4th July. I've posted it before, but I can't see myself ever getting a better one. Two days earlier at Botany Bay there was a very obliging male who I had almost forgotten, but I was pleased with him too.

Dave

Only the first three images are from 2011, but I've such a passion for the species that I can't resist a few blasts from the past. The fifth shot will always bring back happy memories of a BC field outing where we had five perfect males on the deck during the walk and another three during the rest of the day.... and a fresh male Purple Hairstreak down low too. The ab. afflicta remains my favourite moment of 2011 (thanks to Nick and Phil!) on a fantastic day during which I saw a total of about 35 come to ground along the tracks of Fermyn and Lady Woods.
Neil

My one and only trip out in seach of Purple Emperors was to Fermyn/Lady Woods back in early July. Going by what I had read this seemed to be one of the most reliable locations and was also only about 90 minutes drive for me.

Sure enough, I saw a few individuals, mostly males in Lady Wood but also two different females in Fermyn Wood as descibed in my diary thread.
Cheers,

Neil F.

I have never seen a Purple Emperor in the UK, but I have been fortunate enough to chance across them regularly, if infrequently, on holidays in Switzerland. The individual below was sighted during a holiday last July. Sarah was feeling unwell so I spent the day out alone, and took the opportunity to try something different, in this case walking up from the village of Lungern to the cable car station at Turren. This was one hell of a climb, as it turned out, in burning heat, but had lots of wildlife interest including butterflies. At the foot of the hill there were Wood Whites, Map, and SW Frits, on the climb many blues, skippers, ringlets and whites, and at the peak at Dundelegg Apollos and Swallowtails were present in numbers. On a previous visit to this mountainside I saw my only ever Camberwell Beauty.

I came across the PE in an area where the path emerged from the woods and ran along some hay meadows, about mid-way up. This was shortly after a slope that had the greatest density of wild strawberries and raspberries I have ever seen - very welcome sustenance. The PE flew a couple of circuits around me, before settling on the path to take up minerals, at which point I was able to get my camera out of my rucksack and grab a few shots. Zooming in the picture shows the forelegs are quite barbed – does anyone know what the reason for that is? Also, is this the first ever record of a butterfly using a walking stick?

Simon C

Simon C wrote:Also, is this the first ever record of a butterfly using a walking stick?

I believe His Imperial Majesty holds a sceptre, not a walking stick!

Guy

padfield wrote:

Simon C wrote:Also, is this the first ever record of a butterfly using a walking stick?

I believe His Imperial Majesty holds a sceptre, not a walking stick!

Guy

Of course he does! How stupid of me!

Simon

Didnt manage to get to see one last year but managed to snap this by chance at Fermyn in 2010. It landed right next to me on the main path to the parking spot opposite the Glider club.

Can anyone tell me if this is a Female ? , couldnt manage to get a Purple sheen off it no matter what angle I took it from.







best wishes

Dave C

I have to say, that looks very male to me - but I can't say for certain and if it showed no blue from any angle then my intuition on just one picture might carry less weight.

I find females have a distinctly different wing shape - broader, with a more scalloped hindwing - and a richer brown tone. I photographed two different females in 2011:





I had no doubt about the sex of either from the moment I saw them.

On the other hand, this male is very similar to yours:



This is the same male from a different angle:



I'd be very interested to know if others agree (about yours - I know the sex of mine).

Guy

Hi Grumpy,
Unsurprisingly, Guy is correct. That's definitely a male. The differences are subtle, but the wing tips are more pointed, the white band on the hind wings is narrower and the base colour is a darker hue in males.
Neil

Thanks for your replies Guy and Neil, have made mental notes of the features to look for, will try to re visit Fermyn this year for another go, that was my first trip to see Purple Emperor.



best wishes

Dave C

Somehow I missed this thread when it was launched - must have been too busy enjoying Christmas.

Some shots from Lady Wood / Fermyn Woods:

As so often the case, a nice photo somewhat spoiled by the subject's choice of nourishment


Is this one slightly afflicta, or just a little worn?

Fermyn Woods (Lady Wood), 2-Jul-11. Sony A700, Tamron 180/3.5

And this one taken a week earlier at Alice Holt, which I don't present as a example of great photographic skills. Heavily cropped and sharpened, but it was the closest I got that day.


Alice Holt (Goose Green), 26-Jun-11. Sony A700, Sony 70-300 G