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His Imperial Majesty: A Natural History of the Purple Emperor
A witty and informative account that busts the myths about Britain's most captivating butterfly species.When summer is at its zenith and the sallow foliage develops a bluish tinge, a giant butterfly – beautiful, bold and brazen – flies powerfully over the tree canopy. Females of this species, wary yet determined, haunt the sallow thickets, depositing their eggs, while the males establish treetop territories and descend to the woodland floor in search of indelicacies to feed upon. Mysterious, elusive and enthralling in equal measure, this is the butterfly that Victorian collectors yearned for above all His Imperial Majesty, the Purple Emperor. A wondrous enigma, the Purple Emperor is our most elusive and least-known butterfly – we glimpse it only through fissures in its treetop world, yet this giant insect has fascinated us for centuries and has even inspired its own 'Emperoring' language. Matthew Oates became captivated by the Purple Emperor following his first sighting as a boy. He has studied it assiduously ever since, devoting his life to trying to unravel the Emperor's secrets. His Imperial Majesty takes us on a journey, beginning with a dalliance into the bizarre history of our engagement with the butterfly, with daring doings and gross eccentricities from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Subsequent chapters explore all aspects of this remarkable butterfly's life cycle, including behaviour, habitat preferences, life history and conservation, all relayed in Matthew's unique, informative and witty style. Not so long ago, our knowledge of the Emperor was largely based on a blend of mythology and assumption.This book dispels the fabrications and reveals all about the Purple Emperor – the king of British butterflies.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 11, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 29, 2024
While at times a little pompous-sounding, I overall appreciated the style of writing, and very much enjoyed the author's love of the butterfly. Great final chapter about the future.
March 25, 2025
The author details his many summers trying to observe the Purple Emperor butterfly. I have barely known of this insect, as it only occurs in the southeast corner of Britain and on the Continent. I can hope that at some point a warm wind might blow a few couples to Ireland. The butterfly was pursued by collectors in the past, as it is large and handsome. The intense conifer forestry of the twentieth century did away with its old oak trees (the adult eats the sap) and sallow or willow (caterpillar food plants).
Today, due to rewilding and biodiversity management ideas, the butterfly has seen a resurgence, with the author seeing as many individuals in a day as he previously did all year. He tells us where to visit and when. Knepp, a rewilded wood-pasture farm, is a prime spot. We are told the life cycle in detail and given the explanation of how to encourage the insect, by planting and leaving sallows, with suitable major oaks nearby and some open glades. And, of course, by not spraying insecticide, and by joining up portions of habitat. This is a large butterfly, which stages battles against other butterflies and even birds. Tours are being run to show off the delightful Emperors.
Anyone interested in studying insects (entomology) or biodiversity will have a great time with this book, which is often whimsical and amusing but never fails to make serious points. At the end is a county by county list of venues. Glossary p. 390. Index p. 409. There are several colour photos.
I read a paperback from the RDS Library. This is an unbiased review.
Today, due to rewilding and biodiversity management ideas, the butterfly has seen a resurgence, with the author seeing as many individuals in a day as he previously did all year. He tells us where to visit and when. Knepp, a rewilded wood-pasture farm, is a prime spot. We are told the life cycle in detail and given the explanation of how to encourage the insect, by planting and leaving sallows, with suitable major oaks nearby and some open glades. And, of course, by not spraying insecticide, and by joining up portions of habitat. This is a large butterfly, which stages battles against other butterflies and even birds. Tours are being run to show off the delightful Emperors.
Anyone interested in studying insects (entomology) or biodiversity will have a great time with this book, which is often whimsical and amusing but never fails to make serious points. At the end is a county by county list of venues. Glossary p. 390. Index p. 409. There are several colour photos.
I read a paperback from the RDS Library. This is an unbiased review.
October 19, 2025
I am at that stage of life where, much like in my career, I ought to be consolidating my interests rather than gathering new ones. This book has entirely undermined that resolve.
I first encountered His Imperial Majesty, the Purple Emperor, earlier this year at Knepp, when two seasoned birders were peering high above the oak canopy — looking, quite earnestly, for butterflies rather than birds. I was intrigued enough to seek one out myself the following week in the woods at Bookham, and after my first sighting I was utterly enchanted. That was all the encouragement I needed to embark on this 400-page immersion.
The book is both a testament to the author’s lifetime’s obsession and a meticulous chronicle of butterfly behaviour. More than that, it is a quiet indictment of how little we truly understand about nature, let alone how to practise anything resembling evidence-based conservation.
I was captivated by the many unexpected details — that egg-laying sites are determined by the precise texture of a leaf, and that times of abundance may actually worsen predation, since when larvae are scarce the tits can’t be bothered to hunt them.
I have now joined Butterfly Conservation — and must mourn, rather than celebrate, my complete lack of willpower in resisting yet another hobby.
I first encountered His Imperial Majesty, the Purple Emperor, earlier this year at Knepp, when two seasoned birders were peering high above the oak canopy — looking, quite earnestly, for butterflies rather than birds. I was intrigued enough to seek one out myself the following week in the woods at Bookham, and after my first sighting I was utterly enchanted. That was all the encouragement I needed to embark on this 400-page immersion.
The book is both a testament to the author’s lifetime’s obsession and a meticulous chronicle of butterfly behaviour. More than that, it is a quiet indictment of how little we truly understand about nature, let alone how to practise anything resembling evidence-based conservation.
I was captivated by the many unexpected details — that egg-laying sites are determined by the precise texture of a leaf, and that times of abundance may actually worsen predation, since when larvae are scarce the tits can’t be bothered to hunt them.
I have now joined Butterfly Conservation — and must mourn, rather than celebrate, my complete lack of willpower in resisting yet another hobby.
August 21, 2021
A book for the dedicated butterfly enthusiast; preferably, the reader will be U.K. based, and more specifically living in the South or Midlands, and with unlimited time in June, July and August to spend prowling around Purple Emperor territory with a pair of binoculars and a pot of shrimp paste.....
To say Oates is dedicated is a mild understatement; his family obviously see very little of him during the butterfly’s flight season, and apparently the Purple Emperor is referred to by his kids as ‘the precioussss...’
I did once see a Purple Emperor in France, when I was a child, so I can understand - up to a point - and I read this book with enjoyment. As well as having in depth knowledge, the author writes well and loves the Romantic poets and cricket. Enough said.
To say Oates is dedicated is a mild understatement; his family obviously see very little of him during the butterfly’s flight season, and apparently the Purple Emperor is referred to by his kids as ‘the precioussss...’
I did once see a Purple Emperor in France, when I was a child, so I can understand - up to a point - and I read this book with enjoyment. As well as having in depth knowledge, the author writes well and loves the Romantic poets and cricket. Enough said.
Read
November 18, 2023Incredibly informative and engaging book on the Purple Emperor butterfly. The beginning and the social-history part I found the most interesting, the middle section, which was more factual and concerned with the butterfly's biology, was more of a slog, but the ending wraps it all very nicely.
July 24, 2023
I had ordered this from the library a while ago, but it had languished on my shelf for half the year whilst I wondered how interesting a book about a single species of butterfly could be. It turns out very interesting!
Turns out a lot of what I thought about the Purple Emporor was wrong. I had previously thought this butterfly depended on oak, but it’s actually sallow or goat willow (salix caprea). I also thought it was quite a rare butterfly, but really it can be anywhere sallow grows in abundance. They are just hard to spot because they tend to be higher up in the canopy. The butterflies do still need oak trees for territory and sparring - they tend to choose trees on the windward side. Oats says "the easiest territories to find are those on wooded high points and those along sheltered wood edges". Oats also explains how they are easiest to spot in the first third of the flight season, when they are most active, flying throughout the day rather than just the afternoon.
Oats' passion and humour really shine through. Even if you’re not that fussed about Purple Emperors, the book would still be enjoyable. It's definitely inspired me to go out to my local forest (Hatfield Forest) again, with more knowledge and better timing to share in the thrill of watching these butterflies.
Turns out a lot of what I thought about the Purple Emporor was wrong. I had previously thought this butterfly depended on oak, but it’s actually sallow or goat willow (salix caprea). I also thought it was quite a rare butterfly, but really it can be anywhere sallow grows in abundance. They are just hard to spot because they tend to be higher up in the canopy. The butterflies do still need oak trees for territory and sparring - they tend to choose trees on the windward side. Oats says "the easiest territories to find are those on wooded high points and those along sheltered wood edges". Oats also explains how they are easiest to spot in the first third of the flight season, when they are most active, flying throughout the day rather than just the afternoon.
Oats' passion and humour really shine through. Even if you’re not that fussed about Purple Emperors, the book would still be enjoyable. It's definitely inspired me to go out to my local forest (Hatfield Forest) again, with more knowledge and better timing to share in the thrill of watching these butterflies.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews