[UKWildlife] Purple Emperors etc

[Andrew Daw]

Purple Emperors
===============
No you haven't missed the peak for Purple Emperors (Apatura iris).
I saw my first this year on 3rd July (Oxfordshire), then 10th July
in Surrey (Botany Bay) and again this weekend just gone 18th July
(Northamptonshire).
 
On all occasions they were not very co-operative and didn't want to
come down to have their portrait taken :(  Anybody have any tried and
tested methods of attracting Purple Emperors I could try out next
year that doesn't involve dead animals ?  I mean something that you
have tried yourself with successful results :)
 
Dark Green Fritillaries
=======================
While leading the field trip on Sunday one of the members mentioned that
he had seen a Dark Green Fritillary in north Nottinghamshire were he records.
Looks like they are quite active this year ;)
 
Other stuff (From a week's holiday)
===========
The Large Blues were out early this year 19th June or thereabouts according
to a source of mine.  Doing well on one of the Somerset sites.  On visiting
the other site last week none were seen.  I guess they are over for the year
now. Unless you know better ;)
1st gen. Small Blues still out on Prestbury Hill (Gloucestershire) last Monday
(12th July).
Silver Studded Blues (New Forest) out in profusion on Tuesday (13th), but have
lost their pristine look.  Some looked rather tattered.
Lulworth Skippers out in large numbers as usual at Winspit (Worth Matravers) in
Dorset on Thursday (15th). I even saw a Wall Brown.  Nice to see the 2nd gen.
out :)
Sunday 18th ticked off 6 more Purple Emperors (Northamptonshire).  Boy I am
having
a good year with them :) The Essex Skipper was far more common than the Small
Skipper
on Sunday.  In my experience the Small Skipper is having a dismal year this
year.
 
Anybody know how the Mountain Ringlets are doing in Cumbria ?  Are they over now
or
in mid-season ?  I am tentatively thinking about a trip this weekend and
wondered if
I could squeeze some in :)  Any sightings of Scotch Argus yet ?
 
PS - Don't forget to send in your records early this year for the ButCon
Millennium
     project.
 
Andrew [ButCon - East Midlands branch field trip organiser]
 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Graham Durbin [mailto:gd at wuzza.screaming.net]
> Sent: Monday, July 12, 1999 7:55 PM
> To: uk-leps at onelist.com
> Cc: uk wildlife group
> Subject: [UKWildlife] Dark Green Fritillaries, Purple Emperors etc
>
>
> Dark Green Fritillaries are continuing to extend their range in
> Derbyshire; previously pretty well confined to the limestone valleys,
> they are gradually spreading south-eastwards - on Saturday, I saw 2
> near Ambergate, well away from limestone.  Has anyone any ideas why
> they should be extending in this direction, when other species new to
> mid-Derbyshire in recent years (eg Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper)
> have all arrived from the other direction (ie from the south or
> southeast)?
> First two (for this year) White-letter Hairstreaks spotted near
> Wirksworth today.
> Can anyone give me any up-to-date information on Purple Emperors in
> the Hants/Wilts area - ie are they about yet, or have I missed their
> peak?
>
>
>
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