We're off!

Greetings from the 2016 Purple Emperor season, which kicked off today at Knepp Wildlands, West Sussex, with three males (the first exploring the oak tops at 3.05, then a vicious thug of a male which attacked me at 3.45, then one going into roost in the oak crowns at 5.15).

In addition, Rob Hill saw a male on territory at Hill Farm Territory on Bookham Common, Surrey, at 3.35.  

I think these are the first nationally (and rather hope so as I've never managed to see the first of the season, at least in the modern era).  

This is very early days, though, so don't expect a plethora of sightings in the next few days.  I doubt this is going to be a particularly good season, but a great deal depends on flight season weather - which can only improve...

Does My Cremaster Look Big In This?

Here is a photograph of Raymonda, the Knepp media tartlet, following her latest costume change. She threw on something less comfortable knowing that the TV cameras were turning up today, although you'll have to wait until late summer before she appears on the box.

With the exception of Duke of Burgundy (which went bonkers) no species of butterfly has performed well yet this year in Sussex. The same fate may befall Him/Herself, but there will be more at Knepp than anywhere else, with the possible exception of the Mighty Fermyn.

Inappropriate Dress

A gentle reminder about our dress code...

You should know that it is grossly inappropriate to appear in an Emperor site dressed like this - 

In this instance the offending logo was successfully covered up -

But if it happens again the offender's guts will be splayed out on a tree stump for His Imperial Majesty to feast upon...

Apatura iris, of course, possesses one of the biggest egos in the universe, and a violent temper.  Don't upset the powers that be...

Pupating...

The Knepp Wildlands larva (known as 'Raymond') whose antics have been chronicled on this blog since last September spent the weekend pupating, and revealed itself to be Raymonda...

She'd travelled 4.5m up tree to pupate towards the end of a branch. Here she is on Sat 18th, spinning a silk pad -

She didn't mind being manipulated for photography, and carried on slowly spinning silk.  (She's must be the most photographed Purple Emperor caterpillar of all time, and a true media tart).  

Today, Sunday, she had turned around, attached her back end to the pad she'd spun, and was ready to swing free and transform - 

Here she is photographed from below, when the branch (which comes down easily) had been gently released - 

Given that the insect spends on average 18 days in the pupal state, she's likely to emerge circa July 8th.  But note that she's probably a late-emerger as she fed throughout on the shady side of a tree - most larvae move to the sunny side in spring, and progress quicker. 

My guess is that the first males will start to emerge in Sussex and Surrey on July 1st (given that the forecast for the next five days is poor).  

Watch this space, something Big will happen...

Fasciating A.ilia!

L3 A.ilia on a rare, fasciated Populus nigra Italica leaf.

Prospects for the 2016 Purple Emperor Season

My predictions for the forthcoming season -

1  They're unlikely to start before 1st July, as larvae came out of hibernation and commenced feeding late due to the cold April, and have since been further held up by periods of cold weather.  This timing could change if we get a very hot June, so there is a chance of the first males appearing at early sites in late June (e.g. in Sussex and Surrey).  

At present, larvae at Knepp in West Sussex are only in the early to mid stages of the final instar - they need another week of feeding, time to pupate, and then an average 18 days as pupae.  

2  Numbers may not be high because last year's egg lay was poor, larval mortality in the autumn was unusually high, there was another pulse of mortality in late winter, and spring was fairly inclement (with many cold evenings, which inhibited feeding).

But much depends on flight season weather and I predicted a poor emergence in 2013, only for the butterfly to emerge in remarkably good numbers.  Also, there's no such thing as a bad Purple Emperor season: other species have bad seasons, this one only deals in superlatives... 

Watch this space for updates...

Here's a mid-final instar larva I found at Knepp on Monday (named 'Sir Vauncey Harpur Crewe' after the most barking mad and OCD collector of all time...) -

Growing up

All the caterpillars I can still locate are now 5th instar. In this instar they wander a lot and it has been hard keeping track of them. I cannot find Gautama, who was the first to reach 5th grade, but have no reason to believe he has not simply moved higher up the tree.

Of those I can still find, Kisāgotamī is the most mature. She turned 5th instar on the night of 21st-22nd May and so is about one week away from moving off to pupate. This was her this evening:

This picture shows how difficult it is to spot a cat even when it is as big as her:

She's in there ...

This is Rāhula, who shed his skin this morning:

The last two are Kanthaka and Svapna, both photographed yesterday:

Guy