His Imperial Majesty
BY MATTHEW OATES, BLOOMSBURY, £20
The purple emperor is Britain’s largest butterfly and it once carried a cachet and mystique reserved for mythical creatures. Sightings were fleeting, high above the oak canopy. Known localities were closely guarded secrets. First-hand observations formed a body of arcane lore shared by aficionados who lured it to feed on fresh fox scats or rancid shrimp paste. But the butterfly’s empire is expanding – rewilding, possibly climate change, and certainly Oates’ zealous half-century of deep ecological study, have shown it to be more widespread, and spreading still. To say Oates is fascinated by the purple emperor is an epic understatement.
It is clear from his rich prose that he has been obsessed for 50 years. He now writes with the authority and gravitas of the true doyen, but you can still imagine the twinkle in his eye as he pours out his boyhood heart to this wonderful insect.
Read Matthew Oates’ guide to purple emperors on our website: discoverwildllife. com/purpleemperors