29th June - Abbotts Wood, Hampshire

I had a lunch time opportunity to get out and visit Abbotts Wood in Alice Holt, something  that I will not be doing anymore as I move into a new phase of my life.  There had been rain first thing in the morning, but this had cleared through and the clouds were breaking up.  As I walked along the main track away from the car park I noticed that the path was damp, something that I hoped would work in my favour.

I was here for one thing in particular, the Purple Emperor.  Having had a brief glimpse last weeked at Whiteley, I wanted a much better view and if possible one on the ground.

Walking along the track Meadow Browns and Ringlets were weaving in and out of the tall grasses, eventually a ringlet settled on the broader leaves amongst the grass.

At the crossroads a White Admiral was showing well amongst the bramble.

I was heading for a partial cross roads where the a trail through the woods comes out on to the main path.  You stand back and look up to several oaks that are situated around lots of sallow.

On either side of the path were some tall thistles with the purple flower heads and at the back of flowering bramble.  These were attracting Silver-washed Fritillaries.

With very little happening in and around the oaks I decided to walk towards the main path and check down along the path to other oaks.  As I did so I noticed something on the ground to my right, I could see a flash of white, walked a little closer and realised it was what I had hoped for.

The Purple Emperor was imbibbing on some dog faeces.

It was as if it was in a trance and allowed me to move in closer.

The Purple Emperor is a magnificent and elusive insect that is actively sought out by the many subjects of "His Majesty", as the male butterfly is affectionately known. This butterfly spends most of its time in the woodland canopy where it feeds on aphid honeydew, with the occasional close encounter when it comes down to feed on sap runs or, in the case of the male, animal droppings, carrion or moist ground that provide much-needed salts and minerals.

A close up on the lime green proboscis.

The male butterfly is one of the most beautiful of all of the butterflies found in the British Isles. From certain angles it appears to have black wings intersected with white bands. However, when the wings are at a certain angle to the sun, the most beautiful purple sheen is displayed, a result of light being refracted from the structures of the wing scales. The female, on the other hand, is a deep brown and does not possess the purple sheen found in the male.

Here the purple sheen is almost gone.

Returning as the angle of the light falling on the wings changes.

I was able to get in even closer to focus on the eye and proboscis.

With the sun coming in and out the butterfly was taking the opportunity to arm up, but it soon sat up and closed the wings to show the beautiful under wing patterns, including the orangeringed eye spots.  In this one the butterfly reacted to the hover fly by closing its wings

I walked to the other side to get a view without the buttercup in the way.

It then flew up, circled around me and then settled on the main path where it did what I hoped earlier it would when I realies the track was damp, it was pushing its proboscis into the path to get the salts.

Open wings and the beautiful purple sheen.

The Purple Emperor is best seen in early morning and again in late afternoon, when the males will come down to the ground to feed on moisture from damp earth and animal droppings. The males are sometimes so engrossed in feeding that they will spend over an hour feeding in the same place, each displaying its characteristic yellow proboscis. The males are also notorious for feeding on mud and other debris that has gathered on surfaces of cars parked within the woodland.  However, both male and female spend the majority of their time resting high in the tree canopy and out of sight.

Open wings once more and more purple this time.

I walked around it to see if the light would enhance both wings, but it didn't so I thought I would focus on the one that did.

Two thirds was the best I could get.

More close ups show the colour amongst the hairs on the back and small scales on the wings.

Then it started to flap the wings a sure sign it was about to move.

And it did, completing several circuits around me and you could hear the beating of the wings as it twisted and turned.  It moved to the top of the Sallow and flew several circuits there before going from view.

I waited to see if it would return and while I did I was entertained by a couple of Silver-washed Fritillaries.

Here showing the distinctly shaped wings of this beautiful butterfly.

I walked along the track and found several more Purple Emperors flying around at the top of the oaks, there were also quite a few distant Purole Hairstreaks that other oak specialty.  In late morning, the males will fly off and ultimately congregate at so-called "master trees" that provide a vantage point for intercepting passing females. These trees are typically at a high point in the wood, such as trees growing on the summit of a hill, and the same trees are used year after year.

Walking back a Comma showed around the thistles.

The Comma is one of those over looked butterflies, a shame because it is quite as beautiful as any of the fritillaries.

There were also many skippers, this the Large Skipper.

I walked back to the main assembley area and could see a butterfly in the area of the dog faeces.  A Red Admiral, but look in the background.

A Red Admiral is considered a large butterfly, but here you can get some idea of the size difference between the Red Admiral and the Purple Emperor.

It was back on the faeces.

And completely engrossed it didn't mind how close I got.

I probably tried a little too hard it it was off, the whoosh of the wings as it took off so clear.

Once again it did several circuits before settling in the the Sallow ant about two metres above me.

When a virgin female is encountered by a male, the pair fly off and settle in the canopy where mating takes place. If the female has already mated, then she has the curious habit of descending straight to the ground, where the male ultimately loses interest and returns to his perch.

This male was sitting still and I was able to get some close shots from a different angle.

Larvae emerge from hibernation around the middle of April just as the Sallow buds are starting to expand. The larva initially feeds on the unfurling buds, until the leaves are fully-developed. The larva will then rest on a particular Sallow leaf, which is always left intact, and from which it travels to feed, returning after it has completed its meal. When at rest, the larva also sits with the front of its body slightly raised off its leaf thereby minimising any shadow that might give its presence away. It is also beautifully camouflaged with several subtle yellow stripes along the length of its body that perfectly match those of pale veins of the Sallow leaf on which it sits.

When ready to pupate, the larva travels to find a suitable pupation site, and turns a much paler green. The larva will move to the underside of the chosen Sallow leaf and spend 1 or 2 days building a pad of silk from which the pupa will be suspended. At first, the larva rests with its head facing the leaf stalk. As the time for pupation nears, the larva reverses this position, with its head facing the leaf tip. 

It started to imbib on the leaf, I am not sure if there was any water left after the night's rain.

Starting to flap the wings once more, but this time I think it was considering the need to warm up as the sun came out.

Just a hint of Purple

The ultimate close up showing the eyes and the retracted proboscis.

Wings flattened, this was to be the last photograph as just after this it flew off, circled and then was lost to view amongst the oaks.

My time was up, but I had easily achieved my objective, probably my best ever Purple Emperor encounter.  Walking back the Silver-washed Fritillary were nectaring on the thistles and were doing so with the perfect dark background.

Ian and I had agreed to visit on Saturday, and i saw no reason not to, I wanted more of this stunning butterfly.  Ian has not witnessed one on the ground in so many attempts over the year so I wanted to make sure he had every opportunity to at last experience the Purple Emperor.