Here Come The Girls

Having failed to see Matthew's iole at Alice Holt on 30 June (although there was plenty of great PE action) I headed home, as I had one or two mundane matters to deal with. As I passed through Midhurst I was suddenly overcome with the urge to see more Emperors. A quick diversion to Botany Bay, a sprint through the woods on my Japanese Commuter Bicycle, and I was back on the butterflies. Although it was well past 5 pm there was still plenty going on both in the air and on the deck. 3 different males were working one ride, and I spent some time chatting to local enthusiast Nick Broomer, as we stalked them between doggy poos.


I was in the process of leaving at 6.30 pm when I spotted a newly emerged female Emperor drying off in the long grass, just below a sallow. We spent some time watching her as she made her first clumsy attempts at flight. At least she would avoid the attentions of the amorous males that had just retired for the night. I doubt that her virginity would have lasted until noon today.