This afternoon, after finishing work, I made the short journey to Bernwood Forest to try and photograph Purple Emperor butterflies (Apatura iris), which had been frequently reported over the weekend.
Remarkably, as I pulled into the car park, one was perched right in the middle of the road. I parked, ran back to the entrance, and it was still there, basking in the sun—absolutely unbelievable!
Key Characteristics:
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Size: One of the largest UK butterflies, with a wingspan of 7.5–8.4 cm.
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Appearance: Males have a distinctive purple sheen on their upper wings, with white bands and orange-ringed eyespots; females are brown with similar eyespots.
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Habitat: Mature woodlands, particularly those with goat willow, their caterpillar foodplant.
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Behaviour: Males spend much of their time in the canopy, feeding on aphid honeydew, occasionally descending to damp patches or animal droppings.
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Flight Period: Late June to early August.
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Conservation Status: Medium conservation priority (Butterfly Conservation).
As I walked along the forest track, I spotted four more Purple Emperors fluttering down from the canopy and landing on the path.
It was a thrilling sight to witness so many of these magnificent butterflies.
Other notable species on the wing included good numbers of White Admiral (Limenitis camilla) and Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia).
Silver-washed fritillary
Venturing into a meadow on the forest’s outskirts, I recorded two Black Hairstreaks (Satyrium pruni) and two Purple Hairstreaks (Favonius quercus) along the edge of the clearing—a spectacular display of woodland and meadow butterflies.
Purple hairstreak
By the end of my walk, I had observed a total of 15 species. Other species I managed to photograph included Large White (Pieris brassicae), Comma (Polygonia c-album), Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus), and Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).
Large white
Large skipper
Red admiral
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