National Trust Press Release
16 July 2025

“The purple emperor butterfly returns to Sheringham Park after three-year absence

The purple emperor (Apatura iris) is one of the most striking butterflies in Europe. However, they are currently a species of conservation concern in the UK, due to habitat loss.

First spotted in Norfolk in 2016 following a 50-year absence, Sheringham Park was believed to be the location of a breeding colony in 2018. However, sightings have dwindled in recent years at the National Trust cared-for site. Now, conservationists are reporting an increase in sightings, bringing back renewed hope for this species.

Males have a stunning iridescent purple sheen on their upper wings, whilst females are typically brown with white markings. Despite their colourful appearance, they are elusive, as this butterfly spends a large amount of its time in the tree canopy, making them hard to spot.

Following its initial discovery in a butterfly transect in June, a survey which helps monitor butterfly populations over time, staff and volunteers have now witnessed further sightings.

Rob Coleman, Senior Programming & Partnerships Officer at Sheringham Park, said: “This a magnificent butterfly, second only in size to Norfolk’s famous Swallowtail. It was exciting to see the first one back at Sheringham Park in 2016, after it had been absent from the county for the best part of 50 years. At the time, some people were sceptical that a breeding colony had been established, but small numbers of sightings in the subsequent years supported this theory.

“However, things had gone quiet on the Emperor front recently, and with our last sighting in 2021 and the establishment of populations elsewhere we thought ‘His Majesty’ had moved on. So, I was utterly delighted to see a handful of male Purple Emperors soaring again in an oak canopy on one of our weekly butterfly transect surveys.”

Ancient woodland like that found at Sheringham Park, with oak and sallow trees, is vital for the purple emperor’s lifecycle.

And it’s shaping up to be a good year nationally for the purple emperor butterfly, with early indications from transects elsewhere in the country showing numbers on track to potentially beat 2018, which was the last record year.

Shifts in temperature and weather patterns can impact both the butterfly’s breeding cycle and habitat suitability.

Naturalist and nature writer, Matthew Oates, said: “This is indeed proving to be a record Purple Emperor year.  Hibernating larvae survived the winter very well, with unusually low predation rates. Then larval development was assisted by the fine spring. The weather was reasonable during the crucial pupation period, and now the butterflies are benefiting from fine midsummer weather.  So, it’s win, win, win, win – and all after a ghastly year for butterflies and other insects last year. Emperors are turning up all over the place, including in the Yare valley downstream of Norwich.”

Matthew has had a lifelong passion for butterflies and is the author of The Butterfly Spotter’s Guide, a new illustrated book published by the National Trust this year. ^[1]

It’s possible that rising temperatures could lead to this butterfly moving further north in the future. However, for now, visitors are encouraged to look out for the second biggest butterfly in the UK when visiting Sheringham Park this summer.”

 

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