In search of Apatura iris - the Purple Emperor.
Dec 9, 2014 19:22:12 GMT
mygos, frohawksghost, and 3 more like this
Post by nomad on Dec 9, 2014 19:22:12 GMT
On this cold and wet December U.K. day, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at perhaps my favourite butterfly visit of the year . After an unsuccessful visit to Bentley Woods in Wiltshire to photograph the Apatura iris - Purple Emperor, I decided to make my first visit to Fermyn Woods in Northamptonshire U.K . Arriving on the Friday night, I stayed in a very lively pub in one of the yellow stone villages within walking distance of Fermyn Wood. I awoke the next day to gloom and light rain but the forecast was for improving weather later. As I began walking along the road along the edge of the wood, I observed that it seemed to consist mainly of younger trees. Arriving at the car park I walked along the hard track through Fermyn where already a large group that had arrived in a mini-bus were peering forlornly at the Oaks and the dark cloudy sky. I walked on through the puddles and past the cornfields into Lady Wood. I listened to the sweet melody of Blackcaps and Willow Warblers. A few hours later in the morning the sky finally brightened and there were periods of hazy sunshine that was just perfect for photography . Just before mid- day there was suddenly a click of the wings and I was circled by a large male Purple Emperor that descended onto the gravel track to ingest. No other British butterfly seems to command so much excitement. As the butterfly probed the track for minerals with his yellow proboscis those magnificent purple wings flashed in the sunlight. As the Purple Emperor is usually only seen flying around the tops of oaks with the aid of your binoculars you feel privileged when you get a close encounter. The butterfly was joined by another worn male and the first that had arrived soon tired of his company and flew up to investigate me and then landed on my old boots, where the butterfly started to ingest a strange mixture of moisture from the wet grassland and bees wax. In a different area I sat in the sun to watch two males emperors dog-fighting high up in the Oaks, stopping only to chase away a White Admiral -Limenitis camilla. In the afternoon in another part of the wood I saw a couple of males high up in the trees that descended at intervals to fly at speed along the track . At last a very nice male once again landed near where I was standing and I edged closer ; here he spent a hour rarely moving. With the suffused sunshire the light was much better to photograph those glorious purple wings. Another strange incident is worthy of comment just before I had my first sighting of a emperor I was examining the tops of some low Oaks when a forewing of a White Admiral- L.camilla in perfect condition came twirling down. Probably the victim of a bird attack, which was eaten up in the branches. Waking around Lady Wood on the Saturday I had met a few walkers, two horse riders who disturbed a grounded male, and dog owners but not one photographer seemed to have reached here. Perhaps the butterfly photographers in Fermyn Woods were being successful there or with the earlier dull weather others had decided not to make the trip.
Sunday promised to be fine and hot in the afternoon and reaching Lady Wood, today there was a throng of butterfly photographers. The circuit around Lady Wood had an interesting mixture of people all hoping for that treasured image . There was the pawn paste guy that when a large pristine male descended not on his smelly substance but yards away to ingest at a damp spot, declared that as it had descended at his bait , he then had the right to photograph it first. After half an hour and a couple of hundred of clicks later, the other disappointed onlookers slipped away except for a hopeful elderly couple. Then there was the guy on the bike, camera in one hand who sped so fast in his quest down one section of the track that he disturbed a feeding male that was accompanied by two outstretched prone photographers, who then let out a cry of anguish as their subject flew upwards and out of sight. All along one section of track a number of males were flying around and then grounding ; a magical site I have never seen before. They seemed very wary and hard to approach, probably due to the heat and I found the light was too bright to capture much of their purple sheen. As I left the Lady Wood I met a young couple with a butterfly hand book. I pointed down the track to the array of male Purple Emperors, they replied to my excited gestures " Oh we have seen those today, there seem to be plenty around "
Passing through Fermyn Woods and more butterfly enthusiasts, I noticed a resting female Purple Emperor on grass heads. I am not really sure why she was resting there, unless she was injured in some way. As I approached the entrance of the wood, that young couples words were still ringing like bells in my ears " oh we have seen those today, there seems to be plenty around ". I thought what a really splendid tribute to " BB " Denys Watkins- Pitchford. Through his grand effort of reintroducing this splendid butterfly to his beloved Northants woods we can all enjoy the fruits of his efforts. I shall certainly be joining the throng next year.
Here are some images of Apatura iris of that glorious summer's weekend they have certainly brightern up my winters day I hope they do yours.
The habitat at Fermyn Woods Oak -mixed woodland.
Glorious Male Apatura iris.
A female A. iris.
Sunday promised to be fine and hot in the afternoon and reaching Lady Wood, today there was a throng of butterfly photographers. The circuit around Lady Wood had an interesting mixture of people all hoping for that treasured image . There was the pawn paste guy that when a large pristine male descended not on his smelly substance but yards away to ingest at a damp spot, declared that as it had descended at his bait , he then had the right to photograph it first. After half an hour and a couple of hundred of clicks later, the other disappointed onlookers slipped away except for a hopeful elderly couple. Then there was the guy on the bike, camera in one hand who sped so fast in his quest down one section of the track that he disturbed a feeding male that was accompanied by two outstretched prone photographers, who then let out a cry of anguish as their subject flew upwards and out of sight. All along one section of track a number of males were flying around and then grounding ; a magical site I have never seen before. They seemed very wary and hard to approach, probably due to the heat and I found the light was too bright to capture much of their purple sheen. As I left the Lady Wood I met a young couple with a butterfly hand book. I pointed down the track to the array of male Purple Emperors, they replied to my excited gestures " Oh we have seen those today, there seem to be plenty around "
Passing through Fermyn Woods and more butterfly enthusiasts, I noticed a resting female Purple Emperor on grass heads. I am not really sure why she was resting there, unless she was injured in some way. As I approached the entrance of the wood, that young couples words were still ringing like bells in my ears " oh we have seen those today, there seems to be plenty around ". I thought what a really splendid tribute to " BB " Denys Watkins- Pitchford. Through his grand effort of reintroducing this splendid butterfly to his beloved Northants woods we can all enjoy the fruits of his efforts. I shall certainly be joining the throng next year.
Here are some images of Apatura iris of that glorious summer's weekend they have certainly brightern up my winters day I hope they do yours.
The habitat at Fermyn Woods Oak -mixed woodland.
Glorious Male Apatura iris.
A female A. iris.
