Rare butterfly hits purple patch at Sussex rewilding project | Butterflies

A conservation project in West Sussex had its best day ever recorded for the observation of rare purple emperors, and environmentalists say that they are convinced that the species is doing well nationally.

The populations of an Emperor Violet regularly decreased during the 20th century, but they slowly recoloned the Knepp landscape since 2001, when Isabella Tree and her husband, Charlie Burrell, decided to transform the section of the old agricultural land into a relentless project “led by a process”.

Knepp environmentalists recorded 283 purple emperors on July 1 only. Since the site has the largest population of butterflies in the United Kingdom, environmentalists said they were convinced that the figures were raised nationally.

Knepp’s Violet Emperor, the expert, Neil Hulme, stressed that the butterfly populations had fluctuations rather than regular growth from year to year, but he suggested that the “rehabilitating landscape of superior quality” had allowed purple emperors to flourish. In particular, he said, the “mosaic” of sallow from Sallow from Knepp has provided a crucial location for female emperors to lay their eggs.

Nature lovers have long been fascinated by the Violet Emperor and for at least 250 years have used unusual methods to attract them from the trees in which they reside. Despite their apparently delicate nature, butterflies are renowned for feeding cowpats and decaying animal carcasses. Those looking for an observation attempt to attract purple emperors with anything, dirty layers with blue cheese.

In addition to their love for animal flesh, purple emperors can become “intoxicated” on the SAP oak, improving their reputation as “fight thugs”.

Hulme stressed that although purple emperors can be the most “glamorous” success in Knepp, other species had also benefited from reimbursement. Butterflies such as purple hairstyle outputs and money washed in silver, as well as Rossignols and Samples are also seen in record numbers. He described “butterfly clouds everywhere … None of us wants that in the summer of 2025 ends”.

Tree said that the success of Emperor Violet has shown the renovation power: “When nature is authorized to recover, fauna will come back shortly after.”