From David Murdoch

At 1230 on 28 July 2015 Mrs Iris Small (I kid you not) was at lunch in Wonston, ~8 miles N of Winchester, when she noticed a large butterfly inside her kitchen that she thought was probably a White Admiral.  Mr. Small released it onto the buddleia in the garden, when He revealed Himself as His Imperial Majesty Apatura iris.  He graciously consented to remain nectaring on this buddleia for at least 2 hours and to permit his admiring subjects to photograph Himself.

A previous incarnation of His Majesty in rather better condition graced the same buddleia in Wonston for several hours in the summer of 2014. 

it's not over until the fat lady sings

In a tiny wood near Bicester, which always returns good numbers, four were seen today: three males  clashing on the main territory, with one perching for most of the time.
The sightings were made between 3.45 and 4.45 in intermittent sunshine, 17 degrees.
So keep looking folks: it is always interesting to note when the season ends to get an estimate of the flight period. Looking at the UT data over the last 11 years, it has  been 5 to 6 weeks.

Great Chattenden Wood

A year ago Twitter informed me of a record of iris at Cliffe, near Rochester in Kent.  Today I called in at Great Chattenden Wood, by Cliffe.  This is where the British obsession with iris really began, back in mid-Victorian times.  Anyone who has read Frohawk, Tutt or even Heslop (and Stockley) will appreciate the significance of the place.  Chattenden is also effectively the type locality for iole / lugenda vars, as it produced quite a few of them (the Fermyn of its day).  It is of immense importance in the history of butterflying in the UK, actually predating collecting in the New Forest.  It is therefore the spiritual homeland of the People of Purple Persuasion.

I am more than delighted to report that iris is indeed back in Great Chattenden Wood (if it ever left).  The weather was just a little too cloudy for adults today (a shame as there is a classic sheltered high point male territory, which is probably the same spot where the bulk of Victorian specimens were collected, an oak-crowned hill top as described by Frohawk and Tutt).  However, I found an egg on one of the abundant caprea-type sallows down the lower slopes.  Habitat conditions are really good for the butterfly, due to extensive coppicing in recent decades.  I was hugely impressed by the quality and quantity of the sallows.  
  
Chattenden is currently in the news, for the eastern half of it is Lodge Hill - the top Nightingale site under threat of development for housing, as an MOD sell off.  The War Dept took over Chattenden during WW1, much of it was turned into a camp.  We want it turned back into sallow jungle...  

leaf size for ovipositing

These two eggs were found on the same bush. Obviously, size of leaf does not play a role during ovipositing

short season?

Looking at the last few blogs, it seems as if we've had a really short season, with numbers by about the 25th really low. In most places we agree about the peak being between the 8th and 12th. In a private wood in Bucks where I saw at least 20 [32 sightings] in one hour on the 11th, one week later  the numbers were down to single figures , and yesterday, two weeks later, I saw none [but found two eggs a few days old]; so, in the last two weeks the numbers have declined dramatically in Upper Thames. Yesterday, however, in two small neighbouring woods in Oxon, the Campbells, saw 6 on the three territories. The concentration is high in these two woods, making it easier to spot them, especially as, year after year,  they are very loyal to their high point territories.
The season in UT started properly on 30th June [I discount the two extraordinary sightings far apart on 14th and 15th June], so it will have lasted barely one month ; normally, it is about 6 weeks.
Matthew puts the rapid decline down to a mixture of high winds and poor weather after the peak.

Dismal day at Fermyn

With the weather forecast for the next few days being rubbish at the best, we decided to go to Fermyn for the last time this season. Entered the woods at 9.30 this morning and it was soon obvious Fermyn has taken a heavy beating from the rain and wind of last 24 hours. By midday in reasonably good conditions not a single emperor was seen. .Finally at aprox. 1pm a female was seen gliding past the log pile, and then another one appeared by one of the deer hides. It was obvious that the second one was engaged in egg laying, returning to the same stand of sallow for about 10 minutes. It would appear that the males were massacred in last nights weather as none were seen by us or any of the other visitors compared to a count of over 60 a fortnight ago.
On a brighter note, a total of 6 eggs and a freshly hatched larvae were located in between the bouts of sunshine. It would appear Fermyn's season has been brought to a premature end, with only three females seen all day today. Farewell to Fermyn till 2016 . Next year Knepp here we come :)

Disaster in Savernake

Today I conducted my annual 'peak season count' of males in territories along Three Oak Hill Drive at the southern end of Savernake Forest, N Wilts.  Weather conditions were good, with only a light - moderate breeze, for a change, and plenty of sunshine.  Note that this is a late site for iris, though today's visit may have taken place a few days past actual peak season.  I think they started here around July 10th (and would welcome clarification on this), possibly a little later. 

A thorough search revealed only five males, all in reasonable condition (looking quite dark).  This compares to six seen along the same route in rather cloudy conditions on Thursday, and a par for the course of eight or nine.  Last year's peak count was a dismal five.  

My guess is that either yesterday's rain (25mm or 1") has depleted numbers or the butterfly has again emerged here in poor numbers, or both.  Usually, the adults are quite adept at surviving rain (with the exception of the great deluge of 20/7/2007), providing it isn't accompanied by strong winds.  As they roost high in the tree canopy they are extremely vulnerable to gales.  Yesterday's winds were light.  They do, though, tend to be quiet after a very wet day - drying out perhaps.

What worries me is that if numbers here have been depleted by heavy rain relatively early in the season - before many eggs have been laid, then what will the egg lay be like?  The relatively good news is that two females were seen around Three Oak Hill Drive today, though not by me.  But more rain is forecast for tomorrow, and then more windy weather...

Here's one of today's males, framed by beech branches - 

In the early 2000s the FC opened sections of Three Oak Hill Drive, generating a much-needed new generation of sallows.  Many of these sallows were used, for the first time, in 2013.  However, squirrels have recently stripped bark from a great many of them.  Most affected trees will now die.  Here's an example - 

Next time I'm taking my cats...