Herefordshire hardly happening

Thanks ever so much to Jon for posting the important news that iris has appeared at Minsmere, presumably as the result of natural spread from the recently introduced colony at Theberton Wood. This is a really valuable piece of information. If my memory serves well there is a large area of sallow carr at the back of Minsmere, closer to Theberton. I need to visit... .

Today? I was in Haugh Wood, Hereford, which isn't Purple - the sallow leaves don't seem right (too shiny perhaps).

Matthew

Iris makes it to Minsmere

Don't know if it's of any interest but a male Purple emperor has been around for a few days from Canopy hide at Minsmere, Suffolk.

The species has never before been recorded on the site as I understand it. Given that Theberton woods are only a few miles will no doubt cause some debate about the butterflies origin..

Jon Gibbs

upper thames report 4

It is definitely not over yet; not including this amazing season, we are normally happy if we see up to 5 in an hour or two in one of our woods; on various days this July, 16 were seen in Doddershall Wood, 9 in Chinkwell Wood, and 18 in Bernwood Forest. The total sightings are approaching 250, which is more than twice as many as ever before in the UT.
Today, 5 were seen in Waterperry Wood, including one tatty female with large bits out of her wings, but she still managed to put on a very graceful 'low-level glide show' to delight us.
Question: is it so, that, on one occasion in one place you can see a lot of activity, but one day, or even one hour later, you see either nothing or far fewer?
We have at least two examples: on the 14th of July, in a small wood, where only 2 or 3 had been seen in previous years, at least 9 were seen in various parts of the wood. The wood was visited the very next day, in high winds, and only one was seen. In Bernwood Forest on July 4th, 9 were seen in very active mode along a 300m stretch of ride, while, on the way back 45 minutes later, only one was seen along this stretch.
Why?

Matthew's Summer in Pictures

Weather: Vile, an autumn gale. This Emperor season is rapidly ending, blasted away. As the poet put it -

That ends so sudden in the rain,
The cold embittered autumn rain
That blows before the emptying of time.
Gathered from the lifeless, deathless
Windblown waves that rage on wintry seas.




Wildlife presenter Mike Dilger being presented to His Imperial Majesty. Fermyn Woods, July 9th.'





'Beeb filming shopping expeditions in advance of the 2009 Purple Emperor season... . This particular oriental store ran out of shrimp paste.'



The Emperor's Breakfast table, Fermyn Woods, July 5th. Complete with Pimms, horse manure, Stinking Bishop cheese, and 7 different types of shrimp paste.'



Erecting the Emperor's Breakfast - or rather, moving it to another location where the ruddy insect was being more cooperative... . Note Dilger and TV crew on right.'



Rare photo of Hulme and Oates sober and dressed (Emperor-spotting for BBC Nat Hist Unit, Fermyn Woods, 9th July).'



And if they foot causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, for it is better to hop into the kingdom of Heaven ...' (Matthew 18:8 & Mark 9:45 - or thereabouts)



'Normal for Fermyn...'.



'Temporary plaque inscribed to commemorate the divine visitation of Iole, Alice Holt, June 29th. A permanent version will be installed, in Greek, with Latin sub-titles - as soon as we can find a decent classicist...'.



'Oates attempting to support Australia. National One Sock Day, Botany Bay, July 1st. The experiment was an abject failure.'



Rare shot of iris attracted to banana, a frequently-used but rarely successful bait at Bentley Wood and elsewhere. The secret is to let it fester in your lunchbox for a week in the car boot, and add a Pimms - and have one yourself. Fermyn Woods, July 4th.'





'Pickled mud fish, probably the most foul-smelling bait possible - unfortunately, it works. Fermyn Woods, July 9th.'



'Dilger prostrate before the Emperor of the Woods. Fermyn Woods, July 9th.'

Poles apart

Similar submission has been noted at Southwater.

Polish paphia Podophilia Predilection

Lucy Cordrey reports strange behaviour observed recently in Eastern Poland, with paphia and iris sharing a predilection usually reserved for the darker corners of the internet.

upper thames report 4

The recent blogs re iris 'reinventing itself' in areas well away from woodland are fascinating. So, all that is needed is a vast amount of sallow somewhere, with a small copse of nice tall trees not far away, for HIM to be content?

Matthew's report re sightings on the Downs prompts me to report that every year we see a few in the Chilterns, spread across the whole area from Tring in the north to the south-west of High Wycombe in the south. It is a difficult area to investigate, and I've yet to find a territory along any of the high ridges. Any tips as to how and where to search would be very welcome.

I hope you can see the map attached. It shows where we've found HIM in 15 woods along the so-called 'Bernwood Forest remnants' axis: about 18 miles. Some of these woods are very small [ca. 0.25 sq. km and less], but close enough to each other to allow this powerful insect to fly between the woods.

The only one of these woods we cannot enter is owned by a swarthy Italian. One of our members met him in the company of his gamekeeper: a huge man with ginger hair, sporting a gun; they made it clear that we cannot go in!