More Sussex Silliness

There are not many Emperors in the traditional woodland sites of Sussex this year, perhaps because they've all left in disgust and have decided to spread themselves evenly across the entire county. Here's another report of a misplaced singleton, this time from Richard Roebuck on 12th August.

"I then went to check out Wolstonbury Hill to look for Silver-spotted skippers - previous visits recently had drawn a blank. I parked at Pyecombe Street and as normal set off up the track which leads to the bridleway. Part way up I suddenly froze, as sat on the corner of a garden Flint wall was a female Purple Emperor. It was hot and the sun was beating down she was there just gently opening and closing her wings at 12.50p.m. She was sat directly under a tall Buddleia in full flower, but immediately next to her were three wheelie bins, one was slightly open with Bluebottles flying in and out, she was showing a bit of wear around the tips of her forewings but otherwise was in good condition. She took off flew round me once and then flew straight over the roof of a house opposite. She had flown some 50 feet upwards in seconds. I waited around for a bit, my camera was still in its bag, that weird feeling as what to do now descended on me yet again. Anyway she was gone heading south perhaps towards the Bright lights of Brighton? Then the questions, where had she come from, the wind direction suggested perhaps from the wooded side of Newtimber Hill opposite or perhaps woods slightly further away where I saw another Purple Emperor flying up whilst walking up a road a couple of weeks back. Most intriguingly, what was in that Bin?"