Close Encounters with "His Imperial Majesty" and 30 Days Wild

Any readers who have been following my blog for some time may recall that around this time of year I visit Oversley Wood, South Warwickshire in the hope of seeing the elusive and charismatic Purple Emperor butterfly (Apatura iris) (or "His Imperial Majesty"). Over the last four years we have had a number of possible sightings - one a fleeting glimpse near Sallow when D thought he could see the purple sheen (the butterfly disappeared after seconds never to be seen again) and on the last visit a couple of large butterflies high in the canopy. But we have never seen one close-up which would have allowed me to positively id the species. Although I have to say, even without a Purple Emperor sighting, Oversley is delightful with many butterflies seen including Purple Hairstreak, White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary and many of the more common species.

This year D suggested we visit Fermyn Woods in Northamptonshire where a sighting seemed far more guaranteed - there are a lot more Purple Emperors seen there and they have a habit of coming down to the ground on a fairly regular basis. Fermyn is only about half an hour further from us than Oversley so it seemed like a good idea!




The Purple Emperor

The Purple Emperor tends to fly high in the canopy of broad-leaved woodlands that have a plentiful supply of willow (larva foodplant) and oaks in central and southern England feeding on tree sap and aphid honeydew. Sometimes the males will come down onto the ground looking for minerals and salts found on animal dung, carrion and road surfaces. This species is not found in Northern England, Scotland, Ireland, The Isle of Man or the Channel Islands and has not been seen in Wales since the 1930's. Goat Willow is the most common food plant for the caterpillars but the female will lay eggs less frequently on Grey Willow and rarely on Crack Willow.

There is only one generation of the adult each year usually at the beginning of July or in some years late June. Males congregate at "master trees" usually at a high point in the wood where they engage in aerial battles with each other, or indeed anything else that might invade their air space, whilst they seek the best vantage point to look out for females.

Groups of Purple Emperor enthusiasts will often wander woods laying out "bait" such as rotting fish, banana skins, shrimp paste and Stinking Bishop cheese to try and encourage the males to come down and feed on it. The butterfly also likes human sweat so if you are very lucky one may land on you!




Doing some research before we went it appeared that few, if any Purple Emperors, were being seen along one of the main woodland rides opposite the gliding club which is usually a good area. Apparently logging has taken place (which hopefully long term will encourage butterflies by maintaining the ride) and so my initial plan was to drive to National Trust Lyveden and walk along the Lyveden Way alongside and then into Lady and Southern Wood where dozens of butterflies were being seen.


Timothy refused to travel in my bag - he was that excited! :)

But as we drove past the Gliding Club we

noticed that people were scattered along the ride taking photographs so we had a change of plan and decided to try this area first of all!



Within a minute of leaving the car we entered the wood.

You could see signs of the recent logging.

Then B and D spotted a large butterfly in the canopy and meanwhile I had spotted a Purple Emperor on the ground - a moment of euphoria at my first confirmed sighting of this magnificent butterfly.

(sorry about the unsavoury substance it is feeding on!)

We walked a further 50 yards along the ride and there were two more on the ground. When I think of the hours I spent wandering around Oversley Wood without much success, I can't believe how easy it all was.

*D

*D

*D



Other butterflies seen included various "whites", Ringlet, Silver-Washed Fritillary and Meadow Brown.



Timothy was rather thrilled too :)

Later in the day on the way home we stopped very briefly again at the ride and were rewarded by close views of a Purple Hairstreak (Favonius quercus) although no more Purple Emperors.

Before driving onto NT Lyveden (I will do a separate post on this) we watched gliders taking off.

*D

*D



30 Days Wild Catch-up for the final week

Purple Emperors - see above. Not much can beat that for a random wildlife event :)

Spotting the first Leaf Cutter Bees on the Bug "hotel" and the first Large Skipper of the year in the garden.

Cinnabar moth caterpillars are now really large - I will try and remember to take a photo next week.

Bought another bug "hotel" for the garden.


Checking out urban wildflower areas in North Solihull


A lovely patch of "meadow" by ASDA.

*D

*D

*D


Wildflowers on a traffic island

*D - photos taken by D with the Canon SX50 bridge camera
The rest taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera


If you want to read more about the Purple Emperor then there is a superb blog with posts on recent sightings at places such as Knepp Wildlands and Fermyn.

Please see here



And yes I am still on Cloud 9 over my encounters with H.I.M. :)

30 Days Wild, Recent Reading and Baking and Grotesques on Coleshill Parish Church

Last week's 30 Days Wild was mainly garden based (I just didn't have the time to go out).


I found Cinnabar Moth caterpillars on Ragwort in the no mow zone of the lawn. I spotted a pair of moths in this area of the garden a month or so back so am assuming that was when the eggs were laid.

I watched a female robin taking nest material into ivy on the patio. I think she is now sitting on eggs as I have seen the male taking the occasional insect in there. I will try and get some photos when they start feeding young and are making more visits.


I found two new species of wild flower that have colonised the garden. I thought the first was Birdsfoot Trefoil but am now having second thoughts and wonder if it is Meadow Vetchling?

The second species is Travellers Joy or Old Man's Beard.

Edit - Huge thanks to John Scurr (see comments) for pointing out that this plant shows more of the characteristics of White Bryony - still a new species for the garden :)

I set free a House Sparrow trapped in the garage



I spotted a stunning sunset (sorry about the telegraph poles and wires!)

One day I spent 10 minutes looking up at the sky and saw a Buzzard soaring over, a screaming Swift and Black-headed Gulls. I also looked for bats, without success, at dusk.

There is a large office block not too far from here where I know Peregrine Falcons have for several years used one of the nest boxes provided. They were there when I went a few years ago but no sign this time. Although to be fair I didn't linger for long as they have changed the car park which now has barriers which I decided not to attempt to pass in case I couldn't get out again!

I spent 10 minutes counting butterflies in the garden - 2 Large White, Speckled Wood and a new species for the year Large Skipper were spotted.


Here is the Green Man pot I planted two weeks ago. To be honest they are not the plants I would have chosen but they were left over from purchases B made for the front garden. On the positive side B and Q have stopped using neonicitinoid pesticides on the plants they grow and sell so at least any insects can forage in safety.

I paid a brief visit to Elmdon Nature Park but have to be honest here and say the main reason for going was to see a Red Arrows fly-past to celebrate Land Rover/Jaguars 70th anniversary. Unfortunately I chose the wrong park! Elmdon is right next to the vast Land Rover complex but the main festivities were taking place in Solihull Town Centre and Tudor Grange Park and that is where the jets flew past!!! I was not happy with myself - should have researched it more carefully although quite a few other people were caught out too and there were many disappointed faces!

Recent Reading


If you like Jane Austen's novels I am sure you would enjoy this book.

I really do enjoy nature writing by John Lewis-Stempel and if you liked The Running Hare and Meadowlands you would also love this book.

The Poldark book is a re-read - I first read all these novels about 30/40 years ago. I suddenly realised the new tv series was about to start and had to race to finish this one. I've also just started re-reading the next in the series. I can't believe I got rid of all my hardback Poldark books in one of my clearing out sessions - some look now to be worth more than what I paid for them!

"Beloved Warwickshire" was a real find in my favourite second hand bookshop in Coleshill. I first came across this author at the same bookshop a year or so back when I bought and read a delightful fiction story called "Good Harvest" - a charming romance set on a local farm earlier in the twentieth century.

Mary Rose Hadfield was born in Marston Green, Warwickshire. Her father was the second master at Coleshill Grammar School and when Mary was three years old the family moved to live in a farm near the market town of Coleshill. Mary married into a local farming family and she and her husband ran a dairy home in rural Wales for many years before finally returning to Warwickshire when she began to write.

Beloved Warwickshire is full of charming poems of so many places in Warwickshire that I know and love (many very local) and illustrated with her beautiful paintings of wild flowers, grasses, leaves and seeds.

D and I were in Coleshill last Saturday to pay one of our regular visits to the same bookshop and also to take some photos of grotesques on the parish church.

Beechmast on Copper Beech

The Church of St Peter and St Paul

Stone carvings

Stone Angel

Grotesques - it is amazing how many you can find when you look hard.

Stone Deer

A friendly Wood Pigeon

Baking

I love meringue roulade and I love strawberries so when I saw the competitors in Britain's Best Home Cook having to bake in 45 minutes a Strawberry Meringue Roulade I just had to find the recipe and make one.

I would have been voted off the contest for appearance and for taking longer than 45 minutes! but it was delicious.

You can find the recipe here


I will certainly be making it again :)