Knepp Day Can't Remember: Curse & Crush this Wind

I set out today to topple the 350 figure, confident that the wind would be light, as forecast. The forecast was, however, seriously wrong (moan: how do they manage to get wind speed wrong? All they need to do is look as the isobars...).  

The NE wind increased from Light to Moderate-Fresh around 2.30, and then Fresh by 5pm. This constricted Emperorial activity to west-facing edges. Consequently, I gave up at 5pm, having scored a measly 204.

The male emergence is probably now virtually complete. There is still a goodly number of fresh-looking boys around, but the majority are looking distinctly middle aged. Males were frenetically searching the sallow thickets from 10.30 to noon. Here's one pausing during the search -

Herself remains Difficult in the Extreme: I managed 12 today, included one which assaulted me (and another which beat off a male). I suspect a lot of females are still to emerge. I witnessed eight tumbledowns (mated females rejecting males), nearly all around sap run feeding trees. Here's one tumbledown - 

In this heat a lot of males are taking up positions in hedges and low down on oaks, in places offering options of both shade and light. Many are behaving as hedgerow butterflies.

Good to learn of aberrations being recorded in Fermyn and Bentley woods. So far this year I have seen over 1500 day individuals at Knepp, all of the type. I don't think this population vars at all. However, Purple Emperor continues to be commoner than Meadow Browns at Knepp.

#30DaysPurple