The Straits Inclosure has fallen into shadow: the western half of the wood was heavily thinned this spring (nesting season...) and most of the breeding sallows there were felled; now, the entire width of the main ride has just been mown, thistles and all... Managed to see a lone Purple Emperor male as I was entering the wood. He was in the process of leaving...
An hour in the major male territory at Goose Green Old Car Park, at Bucks Horn Oak, revealed three males, consisting of two sparring over the summit trees (beech and smaller sweet chestnut), and another male in a glade to the east. However, it is rather hard to see emperors here at present, as the roadside hedge trees have grown up immensely, reducing vistas greatly. This hedge is now tangling with wayleave wires, and will surely get cut back soon - perhaps next year the vistas will be restored.
Here's a male on territory on the Summit Beech -
And here's Herself visiting the sap run at Knepp yesterday -
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