Delighted to be able to report the lowest level of (assumed) titmouse predation in sixteen winters of close study in Savernake Forest. We only lost one larva to definite bird predation, though another has just been listed as Missing in Action, after having woken up from hibernation...
Crucially, we didn't see a single tit flock in the forest all winter, and recorded only the odd individual Blue, Great and Marsh tits. There's a strong correlation between tit populations going down and Emperor populations going up!
However, three other larvae either desiccated in late winter or had their innards sucked by predatory invertebrates (e.g. shield bugs or Tree Damsel Bug).
Yesterday, most surviving larvae were poised next to buds, waiting for the bud to swell and loosen, so that they can start feeding. But one early bird, on a non-flowering branch that sprang into leaf early, has been feeding for over a week, has grown noticeably and will start to change skin to the 4th instar next week. Here he is -
Elsewhere, two larvae have just started to feed in Gloucestershire.
Emperor larvae are currently bang on time. This time last year they were romping ahead and were threatening to be on the wing at the end of May! There's no sign of that happening, yet.
Watch this space, this Emperor season is getting interesting...
