30 degrees Celsius in the Empire today, and not a breath of wind, and never a cloudlet... Congrats to all who braved it.
Knepp News: A big emergence there today, and about a dozen seen feeding on the tracks. Interestingly, they didn't conk out in the mid-afternoon heat, like they did yesterday - probably because there were so many of them about. They wind each other up.
I drove back home for a couple of days, via Savernake. Instant Emperor there, looking for moisture on a very dusty Grand Avenue. A second coming down to feed, but only a solitary male in any of the territories (the infamous Dead Beech Glade). Very early days in Sav. Here's No 2, feeding on the aphid 'honeydew' secretion (there's actually a bit of honeydew around this summer for them) -
Elsewhere, Leicestershire has declared itself Purple for the year, and Hatfield Forest in Essex, and Trench Wood in Worcs, but none yet in Notts. Also good to hear of a male in the FC Research Centre grounds at The Lodge, Alice Holt Forest.
Any news from Kent?! Must be out there...
This is looking like a very good Purple Emperor summer... (The only butterflies faring poorly are large blue, whose larvae fail in dry springs, and the poor Ringlet).
Onward! and take plenty of water with you...
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