The Emperor has arrived!

The scheme launched at Rosliston Forestry Centre to attract a rare butterfly has been successful.

The project which saw the Council team up with  East Midlands Butterfly Conservation supported by the National Forest Company, was  launched in December 2023 to attract the rare butterfly has been successful. The initiative, aimed at reintroducing one of Britain's largest butterflies to Derbyshire, has yielded positive results, with the Purple Emperor being spotted in the county for the first time in nearly 200 years.

Hundreds of goat willow trees were planted as part of the project, creating a suitable habitat for the butterflies, which had been migrating northward from their traditional habitats in southern England. Ken Orpe, of the East Midlands branch of Butterfly Conservation, hailed the sighting as a significant achievement. He expressed his excitement over the presence of the Purple Emperor in Derbyshire, a species not seen in the area since records began in 1829.

The first sighting occurred on 8 July, when a male Purple Emperor was observed on a driveway in Bretby, South Derbyshire. This milestone has been met with enthusiasm, as it now offers local residents the opportunity to witness this majestic butterfly without traveling to southern regions.

The tree planting scheme was a collaborative effort between the Butterfly Conservation charity, South Derbyshire District Council and the National Forest Company. The butterfly's recent northward movements, likely influenced by climate change, had been noted in neighbouring counties such as Northamptonshire and Leicestershire.

Overall, the initiative shows that the conservation work will have future benefits but also marks a conservation success but also brings the beauty and ecological significance of the Purple Emperor closer to the people of South Derbyshire.

Image Credit - Mark Searle (not the actual butterfly spotted in Bretby) 

25 July 2024