Another day of stupefying heat... Not many Purple People out.
Spent three hours looking for egging females (no chance!) and male territories in Cirencester Park Woods, where previously only larvae had been found. A bit like the Battle of Waterloo but eventually found a linear rideside territory with three males behaving appallingly 90' up around the tops of tall beeches, I think they were getting tanked up on beech sap.
Later, another territory, with just a lone occupant, again within a beech cathedral, Savernake style.
The Bathurst Estate is already doing a fantastic job keeping Pearl-bordered Fritillaries going in these woods. Purple Emperor will be much easier.
I'm heading back to Knepp this evening...
Congrats to Mark Tutton for seeing 11+ Emperors in Creech Woods, S Hants, which had been a rather difficult site to work. Also to Lawrence Drummond for finding more Emperors in Hatfield Forest, Essex.
Tomorrow could be much better, as lower temperatures are forecast, plus an easterly breeze - so work west-facing edges.
2 comments:
At least four Purple Emperors in oak tree tops in Cotgrave Woods 7pm this evening. Potholes in track have been filled in so no puddles for them.
West wood, hants 6 purple emperors on the ground including 4 in a 50 yard stretch of track
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