Latest news with #purpleemperor
The Independent
16-07-2025
- General
- The Independent
Elusive purple emperor butterfly sighted at National Trust estate
An elusive species of butterfly, which is the second largest in the UK, has been sighted at a National Trust estate. The purple emperor, with a wingspan of around 8cm, was sighted at Sheringham Park in Norfolk in June during a weekly survey to monitor butterfly populations over time. The National Trust said sightings at the estate had dwindled in recent years, but that it has now seen an increase – bringing renewed hope for the species. The purple emperor, second in size only to the swallowtail, was spotted in Norfolk in 2016 following a 50-year absence. Sheringham Park was believed to be the location of a breeding colony in 2018, but after a last sighting in 2021 things appeared to have 'gone quiet' until this summer. A purple emperor was discovered in a butterfly transect at the estate in June this year, and staff and volunteers have since reported further sightings. Male purple emperors have a stunning purple sheen on their upper wings, while females are typically brown with white markings. Despite their colourful appearance, they are elusive as they spend a large amount of time high up in the tree canopy. Butterfly enthusiasts have been known to try to lure males down from the canopy with banana skins and even shrimp paste, according to the Woodland Trust. Rob Coleman, of the National Trust's Sheringham Park, said: 'This a magnificent butterfly, second only in size to Norfolk's famous swallowtail. 'It was exciting to see the first one back at Sheringham Park in 2016, after it had been absent from the county for the best part of 50 years. 'At the time, some people were sceptical that a breeding colony had been established, but small numbers of sightings in the subsequent years supported this theory. 'However, things had gone quiet on the emperor front recently, and with our last sighting in 2021 and the establishment of populations elsewhere we thought 'His Majesty' had moved on. 'So, I was utterly delighted to see a handful of male purple emperors soaring again in an oak canopy on one of our weekly butterfly transect surveys.' The estate's ancient woodland, with oak and sallow trees, is vital for the purple emperor's lifecycle. Early indications from transects elsewhere in the country show numbers of purple emperors on track to potentially beat 2018, which was the last record year, the National Trust said. The conservation charity said that shifts in temperature and weather patterns can impact both the butterfly's breeding cycle and habitat suitability. Naturalist and nature writer Matthew Oates said: 'This is indeed proving to be a record purple emperor year. 'Hibernating larvae survived the winter very well, with unusually low predation rates. 'Then larval development was assisted by the fine spring. 'The weather was reasonable during the crucial pupation period, and now the butterflies are benefiting from fine midsummer weather. 'So, it's win, win, win, win – and all after a ghastly year for butterflies and other insects last year. Emperors are turning up all over the place, including in the Yare valley downstream of Norwich.' It is possible that rising temperatures could lead to this butterfly moving further north in the future, the National Trust said.
The Guardian
04-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Rare butterfly hits purple patch at Sussex rewilding project
A conservation project in West Sussex has had its best day on record for rare purple emperor butterfly sighting, and ecologists say they are confident the species is doing well nationally. Purple emperor populations steadily declined over the course of the 20th century but they have been slowly recolonising the landscape at Knepp since 2001, when Isabella Tree and her husband, Charlie Burrell, decided to turn the stretch of former farmland into a 'process-led' rewilding project. Ecologists at Knepp recorded 283 purple emperors on 1 July alone. Since the site boasts the UK's largest population of the butterflies, the ecologists said they were confident the numbers were high nationwide. Knepp's purple emperor expert Neil Hulme emphasised that butterfly populations experienced fluctuations rather than steady growth year on year, but he suggested the 'top quality rewilded landscape' had allowed the purple emperors to flourish. In particular, he said, Knepp's 'mosaic' of sallow scrub provided a crucial location for female emperors to lay their eggs. Nature lovers have long been fascinated by the purple emperor, and for at least 250 years have been using unusual methods to lure them from the treetops where they reside. Despite their apparently delicate nature, the butterflies are renowned for feeding on cowpats and decaying animal carcasses. Those in search of a sighting attempt to entice purple emperors with anything from dirty nappies to blue cheese. Alongside their love for animal flesh, purple emperors can become 'intoxicated' on oak sap, enhancing their reputation as 'brawling thugs'. Hulme stressed that although the purple emperors may be the most 'glamorous' success story at Knepp, other species had also benefited from the rewilding. Butterflies such as purple hairstreaks and the silver-washed fritillary, as well as nightingales and swifts are also being sighted in record numbers. He described 'clouds of butterflies everywhere … none of us want summer 2025 to ever end'. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Tree said the success of the purple emperor showed the power of rewilding: 'When nature is allowed to recover, wildlife will return soon after.'
The Guardian
04-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Rare butterfly hits purple patch at Sussex rewilding project
A conservation project in West Sussex has had its best day on record for rare purple emperor butterfly sighting, and ecologists say they are confident the species is doing well nationally. Purple emperor populations steadily declined over the course of the 20th century but they have been slowly recolonising the landscape at Knepp since 2001, when Isabella Tree and her husband, Charlie Burrell, decided to turn the stretch of former farmland into a 'process-led' rewilding project. Ecologists at Knepp recorded 283 purple emperors on 1 July alone. Since the site boasts the UK's largest population of the butterflies, the ecologists said they were confident the numbers were high nationwide. Knepp's purple emperor expert Neil Hulme emphasised that butterfly populations experienced fluctuations rather than steady growth year on year, but he suggested the 'top quality rewilded landscape' had allowed the purple emperors to flourish. In particular, he said, Knepp's 'mosaic' of sallow scrub provided a crucial location for female emperors to lay their eggs. Nature lovers have long been fascinated by the purple emperor, and for at least 250 years have been using unusual methods to lure them from the treetops where they reside. Despite their apparently delicate nature, the butterflies are renowned for feeding on cowpats and decaying animal carcasses. Those in search of a sighting attempt to entice purple emperors with anything from dirty nappies to blue cheese. Alongside their love for animal flesh, purple emperors can become 'intoxicated' on oak sap, enhancing their reputation as 'brawling thugs'. Hulme stressed that although the purple emperors may be the most 'glamorous' success story at Knepp, other species had also benefited from the rewilding. Butterflies such as purple hairstreaks and the silver-washed fritillary, as well as nightingales and swifts are also being sighted in record numbers. He described 'clouds of butterflies everywhere … none of us want summer 2025 to ever end'. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Tree said the success of the purple emperor showed the power of rewilding: 'When nature is allowed to recover, wildlife will return soon after.'
BBC News
26-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Project coaxes purple butterfly as big as your palm into Derbyshire
A "conservation success story" has seen a British butterfly species coaxed in to a new purple emperor is a relatively common sight in the south of England but until last summer was previously unrecorded in planting of sallow trees in shaded spots close to the oak woodlands the species inhabits in the county since 2023 encouraged two sightings, in Bretby and Aston-on-Trent, in a further record of the purple emperor basking on a driveway in Ticknall on Wednesday means the butterfly is "100% going to establish" locally, according to Derbyshire recorder for charity Butterfly Conservation Ken Orpe. Mr Orpe, who was awarded a Green Apple environmental award for his work encouraging landowners to create caterpillar habitats including at Kedleston and Hardwick estates, said the species had been noted expanding north from Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and most recently Leicestershire due to climate said: "We thought if we can get some sallows, which is the food plant of the caterpillar, planted, it might just entice it into our beloved county." Purple emperor males can be the size of a small bird, says the Woodland Trust, and have an iridescent purple sheen to their wings, while the females are smaller and brown in enthusiasts call the species "His Majesty" said the trust, and Mr Orpe added in Victorian times spotters would "go crazy" for sighting them can prove tough, as when mature in late June to August, the males prefer to congregate on the tops of oak trees waiting for females to pass Orpe said: "They're absolutely brilliant, quite large, as big as the palm of your hand, and when the sun shines on the male it's a beautiful purple sheen on the wings."It's really good news that they've reached Derbyshire. I used to have to go to Wiltshire or Hampshire to see them, that was 20 years ago, but now they've come to see us."
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Project coaxes purple butterfly into new county
A "conservation success story" has seen a British butterfly species coaxed in to a new county. The purple emperor is a relatively common sight in the south of England but until last summer was previously unrecorded in Derbyshire. The planting of sallow trees in shaded spots close to the oak woodlands the species inhabits in the county since 2023 encouraged two sightings, in Bretby and Aston-on-Trent, in 2024. And a further record of the purple emperor basking on a driveway in Ticknall on Wednesday means the butterfly is "100% going to establish" locally, according to Derbyshire recorder for charity Butterfly Conservation Ken Orpe. Mr Orpe, who was awarded a Green Apple environmental award for his work encouraging landowners to create caterpillar habitats including at Kedleston and Hardwick estates, said the species had been noted expanding north from Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and most recently Leicestershire due to climate change. He said: "We thought if we can get some sallows, which is the food plant of the caterpillar, planted, it might just entice it into our beloved county." Purple emperor males can be the size of a small bird, says the Woodland Trust, and have an iridescent purple sheen to their wings, while the females are smaller and brown in colour. Butterfly enthusiasts call the species "His Majesty" said the trust, and Mr Orpe added in Victorian times spotters would "go crazy" for them. But sighting them can prove tough, as when mature in late June to August, the males prefer to congregate on the tops of oak trees waiting for females to pass by. Mr Orpe said: "They're absolutely brilliant, quite large, as big as the palm of your hand, and when the sun shines on the male it's a beautiful purple sheen on the wings. "It's really good news that they've reached Derbyshire. I used to have to go to Wiltshire or Hampshire to see them, that was 20 years ago, but now they've come to see us." Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Droppings of Springwatch bird being analysed Pine martens could return to county countryside Project aims to return 'keystone' elk to UK 'Iconic' butterfly seen in county for first time Tree planting aims to attract 'iconic' butterfly Butterfly Conservation
