The Rains Return...

Back to Square One in the South East, with a thundery low overhead, producing rain for much of the day.

At 11am, Herself appeared at Knepp, flying along a line of veteran oaks, before settling to bask, forewings pulled back over hind wings, high up in a blackthorn bush - in steady rain. No idea why she flew in the first place, let alone why she then chose to bask in persistent rain, but that's The Empress for you, an enigma...  Her she is - 

No other records received today, though it was dry away from the South East.

Tomorrow is July 26th, which used to be National Purple Emperor Day, when the butterfly was at peak season. They'll be at or slightly past peak tomorrow, making this an old-fashioned season.  

Fifty years ago, on 25/7/1971, I discovered my first 'master tree', and watched 2-3 males soaring around it. That clump of trees blew down in the 1987 Hurricane, but another clump has grown up instead. I'm going back...