From Ashley and Jackie Whitlock

Date: 03 August 2013

Weather: Windy at times, Large amounts of cloud, sunny periods

Temperature: 65-70f

Recorders: Ashley & Jackie Whitlock

Abbott Wood Inclosure

Despite the weather which was very windy at times, with periods of complete calm when the sun shone, there was a lot of butterflies about, with Silver-Washed Fritillaries, which looked as if they had hatched yesterday, and there was also some Purple Hairstreaks to be seen, with several seen flying in and around the base of the tree line of several of the oaks. Unfortunately the White Admiral seems to have succumbed to the bad weather at the end of the July.

As for ‘him’ well one was seen at the top of an oak battling against the wind trying to ‘oak’ edge, but seemed to give up and dived into an oak sprig thicket at 1050. As I walked just along the main ride the wind seemed to be taking charge, and there wasn’t much at the tree tops at all, probably why the Purple Hairstreaks were down lower. Walking back to the car I espied another male flying very quickly in and out of the oaks along the ride at 1122.

I did go to have a look at one of the territory areas, but alas I think I was too early, and the weather seemed to be getting very windy, so seeing one was going to be a tall order. So here end’s the best Purple Emperor season for quite some time in Hampshire roll on 2014!