Butterfly’s purple reign starts early!

One of Britain’s most elusive butterflies has put in its earliest appearance in more than 120 years. Experts say a purple emperor butterfly was spotted at the National Trust’s Bookham Common in Leatherhead, Surrey, on June 11, the previous earliest sighting was June 10 – in 1893! It’s thought a warm spring could have prompted the early arrival. Purple emperors are Britain’s secondlargest butterfly with a wingspan of more than 3in (8cm). They mostly fly high in the treetops of woodlands.