Before the Storm... Thurs July 29th

A day out Emperoring in Heart of England Forest, SW Warwicks, in rather marginal weather conditions (too windy, too cloudy, too cool much of the time). Managed 8 males and an old female. The core area, just north of Alcester, is set to become a top national site for this butterfly.

Great to hear of a recent sighting in a park at Ebgbaston. I wrote in the book that the butterfly would get into Birmingham soon, if not already there - sallows abound along the railway line in and out of Come Friendly Bombs and Fall on New Street Station, and along the canals.

Also good to hear that the Emperor has at last been seen at BC's Grafton Wood reserve, in the Forest of Feckenham east of Worcester, and of another even more exciting sighting in a newly planted area of Heart of England Forest at Honeybourne, just east of Evesham on the Glos border. Worcestershire has Come Out...

 Also, via Twitter, a dead Empress in a polytunnel, south of Rugby - another part of Warwicks becomes Purple.  

Elsewhere today, seven in 2 hours this afternoon by the Campbells in Waterperry Wood, Oxon; six in Abbots Wood Inclosure and four in Straits Inclosure, Alice Holt Forest, Hants, by Mark Tutton. 

However, the GALE forecast for tonight could well do considerable damage, especially in the western parts of The Empire. It could effectively end the season. Watch this space...