Full Grown At Last

On Friday October 15th our rogue Emperor larva in Savernake was at last fully grown, having changed into the final instar around Sept 23rd-24th. They often take that long in the fifth instar during cool, wet Mays, and this one really has behaved like a normal Emperor larva feeding up in a poor-weather May (albeit on yellowing foliage infected by Willow Rust).  Here it is - 

I think it's female. It has two options: try to pupate or try to hibernate (green). Of course, everyone thinks it's doomed but my motto is Eruca Numquam Minoris Aestomate which is Bad Latin for Never Underestimate a Caterpillar.  

Omnia possibilia sunt optimae omnium papilionum.

The weather is turning into wet and windy, after a dry and clement first half of the autumn.  

A few 3rd instar larvae are just starting to colour up, prior to hibernation.  They're actually running on a little on the late side. 

Also late is the Dangle Leaf Season (the best time to look for PE larvae). A few dangles are showing, especially on narrow-leaved sallows but most of the undroughted sallows are still very green indeed - suggesting that the Dangle Leaf Season  is some way off.

Watch this space...

Our final instar larva in Savernake is just about full grown (Sat Oct 10th), photoed by co-workers Gary & Sarah -

It's done incredibly well to get this far, and will be wanting to pupate very soon.  I hope to visit midweek to check it.  I should be able to tell what sex it wants to be.  Alternatively, it may try to hibernate.  

 

Still Going!

Our foolhardy Emperor caterpillar in Savernake Forest is now midway through its final instar, photoed on Sun Oct 4th - 

It's moved 3m, in-bush and then back out on another branch, with sparse, yellowing leaves infested with Willow Rust. Weather and seasonality permitting, it may try to pupate later this week.

Meanwhile, some other (less insane) larvae there are starting to colour up prior to hibernation - that's early, very. 

It's a crazy year, and Emperors do Crazy big time...

 

Final Instar Larva, in September!

Our kamikaze caterpillar in Savernake has made it into the 5th and final instar! Here s/he is today - 

and this photo show what s/he's eating, coarse yellowing foliage with Willow Rust -

This caterpillar is probably developing too late for a worthwhile adult life, and cannot be 'pet rescued' in any way. All we can do is study it, and record what happens...

Also this weekend, a fair number of 3rd instar larvae, and a couple of late 2nd instars - so three instars in a day.  

Butterflies push limits!

And whatever mistake you make in life, Never Underestimate a Caterpillar (or in Bad Latin, Eruca Nunquam Minoris Aestomate!)

  

  

2nd Brood Purple Emperor!

The 4th instar larva we're following in Savernake is now changing to the 5th and final instar. Here it is, photoed today, Sept 20th, hunched up in classic skin changing pose - 

The weather is set fair, so it should at least make it into the 5th instar. If the fair weather continues longer, and it doesn't get predated, it could be on the wing in mid-October...

And, as I pointed out in last week's post, if the Emperor is threatening to double-brood in northern Wiltshire, what is it doing in the warmer, sunnier Southeast???  

Watch this space, and expect the unexpected... All things are possible with this the best of all possible butterflies...

Before I get too carried away, the other 25 known larvae we checked in Savernake Forest this weekend were in the 3rd instar, behaving normally (the trouble is, the Purple Emperor butterfly doesn't normally do normal, it pushes limits)... 

  

 

4th Instar Larva, in September!

Just when we thought that 2026 couldn't get any more amazing for butterflies, the Purple Emperor moves towards producing a second brood. 

Last Sunday, Sept 13th, Team Savernake found an L4 larva! 

Normally, Emperor larvae overwinter in L3 and change into L4 in mid-spring. 

Here it is, on a distinctly autumnal leaf -

                                Photo  Gary Knight

Now, if iris is moving towards producing some second brood adults in the frozen wastes of Wiltshire, what is it doing in the warm South East???

Watch this space...

  

Steady Progress

Purple Emperor larvae are developing steadily, and seem to be in 'average' numbers this early autumn. 

They are bang on time, and are not showing any inclination towards second-brooding, despite the blazing hot August (we don't particularly want them to waste themselves by producing second brood individuals). 

Yesterday, in Savernake Forest, half the larvae seen were in late L2 stage, whilst the other half had recently changed to L3 (in which they will remain until next spring). Here's a classic early 3rd instar larva (what we call EL3):-

Sallow foliage conditions are variable, but in general the sallows held up remarkably well through the heatwave summer. Sallow dieback has been noted on the clays, particularly on the Weald and Gault clays in the South East, with dying sallows reported in Alice Holt Forest. The sallow fields at Knepp are heavily droughted, though those along the water courses there seem OK. It looks as if we've just got away with it, but await more evidence...

Finally, here's a rather poor photo of my 2000th find:- 

Take a fresh guard, and bat on...