From today's Entomological Livestock Group [ELG] Newsletter:JOHN QUINN: Hopefully members will be pleased if not thrilled to know that the Suffolk Purple Emperor colony that John Quinn started has had an exceptionally good year with a maximum number of 6 seen flying at any one time (July 10th). Furthermore, 2 males have also been observed and photographed over the course of several days from the canopy tree hide a few miles down the road at the RSPB Minsmere bird reserve.
Minsmere has a lot of the larval foodplants, Broad and Narrow-leaved Sallow, much of it at
sea level and exposed to very cold Winter winds. It will be interesting therefore to see in future years whether these males are part of a group now forming a new colony or whether they are just wandering males. John's colony is probably the most easterly one in the British Isles and has attracted much comment in the butterfly and birding world.
sea level and exposed to very cold Winter winds. It will be interesting therefore to see in future years whether these males are part of a group now forming a new colony or whether they are just wandering males. John's colony is probably the most easterly one in the British Isles and has attracted much comment in the butterfly and birding world.
Rob Parker, Suffolk butterfly recorder commented in a recent update on the Suffok -nh web: "...for the benefit of any other intending visitors, that A. iris survives is perhaps the best memorial to John Quinn."
According to 'The Butterflies of Suffolk an Atlas & History', by Mendel and Piotrowski, the last Purple Emperor recorded in Suffolk was in 1959. [Julian Dowding].
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