Emperor larvae have only made slow progress this last week, despite the fine weather - they've been held up by cool nights (and cool evenings, missing out on their evening feed).
Yesterday, of 19 larvae seen in Savernake Forest, only 8 were in the 4th instar (L4); the rest (bar one retard) were skin changing to L4. The most advanced were halfway through the 4th instar (I was hoping to find one skin changing to L5).
It seems that they've got held up skin changing to L4, as has my captive larva (who spent 5 days changing).
This means that the prospect of a May Emperor have receded, but everything depends upon the weather... We are still on for an early flight season...
Here's a nice mid-L4 larva from yesterday -
Also, I was pleased to find the leaf beetle Gonioctena viminalis yesterday. The first time I've found this distinctive beetle. It's called the Willow Leaf Beetle, but certainly isn't at all common on the Emperor's woodland sallows -
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