Only three days left ...

[french frank]

I still use my OM4Ti + lenses - the spot metering remains superb , but not as much as I used to now that I have acquired a Nikon digital SLR + lenses.

I now seem to remember that the problem was getting replacement batteries for the OM1. I used the 50mm macro f/3.5 as my standard lens - obvious disadvantages but the macro lens was always at the ready. In fact I used it a lot for copying work (manuscripts &c). After nigh on 40 years, I think I ought to part with it, and the lenses, and get a digital one if I want to take wildflowers and BUTTERFLIES

[Richard Tarleton]

Some thoughts on butterflies in general, and the legendary Purple Emperor in particular, from Matthew Oates.

[Anna]

Some thoughts on butterflies in general, and the legendary Purple Emperor in particular, from Matthew Oates.

Fascinating Richard, just listened and have found a page on UK Butterflies site all about them.

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?vernacular_name=Purple%20Emperor

[AmpH]

The Purple Emperor season this year ( July ) was superb, especially compared to the damp squib that was the 2012 season. Emperors were generally a bit later than usual emerging this year in many places, but the timing of the hot weather produced some spectacular butterflying at well known sites such as Fermyn Woods ( Northants ) where on the day of my visit my friends and I stopped counting at 50 sightings and just enjoyed the experience - several males descended to the woodland tracks to imbibe on the natural ( canine ) and unnatural ( smelly fish paste etc ) offerings to provide spectacular close up views and on occaisons even on boots, trousers and rucksacs !

The Purple Empire website is well worth visiting for anyone interested in this beautifull butterfly

http://www.thepurpleempire.com/index.html

[french frank]

People go absolutely bonkers about this insect (which, apparently, they call H.I.M.). I had no idea that the enthusiasts' practice was to bait it with unpleasant-smelling substances!

[AmpH]

His Imperial Majesty is indeed a wonderfully charismatic butterfly, whether on the ground or engaged in a high level territorial battle with rival males at a ' master tree '.



Whats not to like ?

[amateur51]

The Purple Emperor season this year ( July ) was superb, especially compared to the damp squib that was the 2012 season. Emperors were generally a bit later than usual emerging this year in many places, but the timing of the hot weather produced some spectacular butterflying at well known sites such as Fermyn Woods ( Northants ) where on the day of my visit my friends and I stopped counting at 50 sightings and just enjoyed the experience - several males descended to the woodland tracks to imbibe on the natural ( canine ) and unnatural ( smelly fish paste etc ) offerings to provide spectacular close up views and on occaisons even on boots, trousers and rucksacs !

The Purple Empire website is well worth visiting for anyone interested in this beautifull butterfly

http://www.thepurpleempire.com/index.html

I had no idea that anything so large and highly coloured as this was to be seen in this country - stunning

[Ian Thumwood]

Amateur

The problem with the Purple emperor is that it lives amongst the leaves at the top fo trees and therefore is usually out of site. I've never seen one although they are supposed to be quite common in Alice Copse which is near Farnham.

[amateur51]

Amateur

The problem with the Purple emperor is that it lives amongst the leaves at the top fo trees and therefore is usually out of site. I've never seen one although they are supposed to be quite common in Alice Copse which is near Farnham.

I guess we both need to increase our pungency factor at the appropriate moment, Ian Thumwood

[french frank]

Intriguing that there are several butterflies which have a similar edging to the wings in a different colour - Emperor, Camberwell Beauty, tortoiseshells, and no doubt others. Is that because they are all from the same family (if they are)? Or is there some other, biological, reason for it?

His Imperial Majesty is indeed a wonderfully charismatic butterfly, whether on the ground or engaged in a high level territorial battle with rival males at a ' master tree '.



Whats not to like ?

[Richard Tarleton]

Intriguing that there are several butterflies which have a similar edging to the wings in a different colour - Emperor, Camberwell Beauty, tortoiseshells, and no doubt others. Is that because they are all from the same family (if they are)? Or is there some other, biological, reason for it?

The ones you name are all members of the large Nymphalidae family. I'm no entomologist but I presume this reflects one set of evolutionary strategies, just as those of the blues, coppers and hairstreaks (Lycaenidae) and whites and yellows (Pieridae) reflect others......I don't know in which order or how they evolved......

[french frank]

The ones you name are all members of the large Nymphalidae family. I'm no entomologist but I presume this reflects one set of evolutionary strategies, just as those of the blues, coppers and hairstreaks (Lycaenidae) and whites and yellows (Pieridae) reflect others......I don't know in which order or how they evolved......

Thanks for that information. There are usually reasons for these things, aren't there?

[Richard Tarleton]

Is that because they are all from the same family (if they are)? Or is there some other, biological, reason for it?

A better answer, and I'm no expert, to the question might be: the Darwinian priorities of the adult butterfly stage of the insect's life are to reproduce, and avoid getting predated for long enough to do so. Some species seem to go down the route of exotic coloration and patterning for display/attraction/territorial purposes, others down the cryptic camouflage route.

As to the former, part of the answer will doubtless lie in how colours, patterns etc. are perceived by other butterflies of the same species. I certainly don't understand how this works. Several of the brightly coloured species also have "eyes" on their wings which may be to do with signalling to potential predators that they are larger and more terrifying than they really are (see also some moths and caterpillars).

Many of the grassland species (browns, heaths, skippers etc.) seem to go down the cryptic route. One of my favourites is the grayling, a species of coastal grassland, heath, dunes and cliffs. It has disruptive coloration and patterning above and below, which enable it to blend in perfectly when it is perched. When it settles on bare ground in sunlight, it has a trick of closing its upper wings behind its lower wings, then swivelling round until its shadow disappears, like a sundial, rendering it invisible unless you saw where it settled, or disturb it.

Having said which, the sole purpose of the umpteen pages of practically identical blues, whites, fritillaries etc. in the book can only be to reduce the amateur lepidopterist to despair

[Anna]

I'm hoping Richard (who seems to know lots) or someone can answer this question.

I've just emptied a rarely used wardrobe - autumn/winter heavy jumpers/jackets, etc., are stored there. I took two thick cotton jumpers into the other room to put on the charity shop pile, shook them out and - two Red Admirals flew out!! So, did they overwinter after flying in by mistake or did they somehow hatch out there, did I unwittingly bring the caterpillars in from the garden? I am very baffled. (They seemed fine and I shepherded them out of the window and they seemed to fly happily away, there are no holes in the jumpers)

[Richard Tarleton]

I'm hoping Richard (who seems to know lots) or someone can answer this question.

I've just emptied a rarely used wardrobe - autumn/winter heavy jumpers/jackets, etc., are stored there. I took two thick cotton jumpers into the other room to put on the charity shop pile, shook them out and - two Red Admirals flew out!! So, did they overwinter after flying in by mistake or did they somehow hatch out there, did I unwittingly bring the caterpillars in from the garden? I am very baffled. (They seemed fine and I shepherded them out of the window and they seemed to fly happily away, there are no holes in the jumpers)

Hi Anna - just returned after a walk! These would definitely be this year's adults, as opposed to ones that had spent last winter in your wardrobe (they'd have died long ago). To quote from Robert Goodden's "British Butterflies",

[Red Admirals] are usually first seen in May and June, and these are normally immigrants from abroad. They lay and produce further butterflies by July and August, during which time further immigrants arrive.......they may be seen almost into December if the weather then is fine. Hibernation is in the adult stage. A very few do hibernate here, and these exceptionally late butterflies may attempt hibernation, but probably few survive.

So yours are either second-generation ones born here this year, or recent immigrants from the Continent. It's unlikely they were thinking about hibernating this early, with so much buddleia about (they move onto ivy blossom, rotting apples etc. later in the year). My guess is that they strayed into your house by accident, probably enticed by the smell of your cooking .