Elusive purple emperor butterfly sighted at 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.
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The Guardian
35 minutes ago
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Daily Mail
5 hours ago
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The Independent
6 hours ago
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'Whilst the increase in government-funded early education has reduced childcare costs for working parents of under-fives in England, prices for holiday childcare are going up for school-age children. 'This risks encouraging parents to work while their children are young, only to find it is not sustainable once their child starts school. 'Availability of holiday childcare is an ongoing issue and without a clear picture of how much holiday childcare there is in each area, we cannot be sure that children – particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities – are not missing out.' Arooj Shah, chairwoman of the Local Government Association's (LGA) children and young people board, said: 'While councils recognise the importance of ensuring there is sufficient provision available for children with Send, it can be difficult to ensure the right provision is available, particularly given the challenging situation that many providers face at the moment. 'Councils work closely with providers to improve access to holiday childcare provision for children with Send but without investment and recruitment of quality staff this will be difficult to deliver.' A Government spokesperson said: 'We recognise the school holidays can be a pressurised time for parents, which is why this government is putting pounds back in parents' pockets both during the holidays and in term time. 'We are expanding free school meals to all children whose households are on universal credit, introducing free breakfast clubs in primary schools, and rolling out 30 government funded hours of early education from September – saving families money and helping them balance work with family life. 'We are also continuing to fund free holiday clubs through the Holiday Activities and Food programme which provides six weeks of activities and meals for any child from a low-income family who needs it.'
