Sussex Still In The Starting Blocks

Scoured Southwater Woods today. White Admiral males still building (early days) - no sign of female WA yet. Silver-washed Fritillary males building - just one female. No Gatekeeper, Purple Hairstreak or Ringlet yet, but Small Skipper just starting. Emergence events are all early, but in sync, suggesting we are still 3 - 4 days to first Purple Emperor in Sussex. This Bookham chap has turned up to the party very early.

Old Records

Are we sure that the earliest record from the 1890s wasn't a released specimen?

When looking at the iris collection at the London Natural History Museum, all the released specimens stuck to pins were nearly always early dates.

Liz

Bookham Breaks Record!

Gentlemen, Lady, you are looking at the earliest Purple Emperor recorded in the UK since 1893!

This male was photographed at Bookham Common yesterday, Monday June 13th, by Surrey butterflyer Rob Hill. So once again Bookham romps home, albeit ridden by a substitute jockey as its resident rider Ken Willmott is on holiday in Bulgaria (supposedly, before iris begins...). Congratulations to Rob, who should now be suffering from an almighty hangover ... . And congratulations to Bookham.

Meanwhile, I searched hard at Alice Holt yesterday but saw none (and rather struggled to see camilla and paphia, and failed to see quercus there). None of my captive pupae is showing through (though they don't until late on), and the forecast after today is poor.

pupation and emergence

To add to Peter's and Matthew's results this year: I had 3 larvae which pupated on the 23rd May, 5th June, and 8th June. The average pupation time has been 20 days +/- 5 days, giving emergence dates of 14/6, 25/6, and 28/6. I released these three in a local Bucks wood a few days ago.

Purple Emperor now out! One seen at Bookham Common today at 2pm by Rob Hill!

Latest Betting, and Splatting

The betting on the first iris of the year has altered, not least because Ken Willmott's gone off to Bulgaria for 2 weeks (v iris, ilia and metis). The odds are now:-

3-1 Neil Hulme, Southwater Woods, W Sussex

5-1 Ken Willmott, Bookham Common, Surrey

7-1 Matthew Oates or Tony Baines, Alice Holt, Hants

8-1 Wendy Campbell, Piddington Wood, Oxon

10-1 Bar

Latest Prediction: Tues June 14th, High Noon.

It could be you... It has to be someone...

Please TEXT Matthew Oates on 07771 971488, or email matthew.oates@nationaltrust.org.uk, or Tweet http://twitter.com/NTMatthewOates immediately.

However, the cool May has prevented the all-time record being broken. This remains 'Beginning of June' in the New Forest 1893, followed by 10th June 1893, West Woods, Marlborough, Wilts - unless anyone has uncovered any earlier records?


Meanwhile, Brother Douglas photographed the following outrage in a Northamptonshire wood. We're not certain that the large green larva is iris, but as a precaution we recommend that All Great Splatted Woodpeckers Be Exterminated at once. My cat has been briefed.

Pupation on Leaf Upperside!

I've noticed that one of the captive-bred Purple Emperor larvae has pupated on the upper surface of a Sallow leaf - something I've never seen before, but this was known to Frohawk as stated in his classic "A Natural History of British Butterflies"!