Matthew Oates suffers from such an intense butterfly obsession it consumes his life.

Oates loves all butterflies but cherishes a species he studies, talks to and feeds. He even dresses in tribute to them.

In summer he stalks woodland daily in a never-ending search for His Imperial Majesty. This royal title has been bestowed on the stunning Purple Emperor by butterfly enthusiasts like Oates. They are collectively known as People of Purple Persuasion and often dress head to toe in purple on expeditions.

Oates spends holidays pursuing Purple Emperors, their eggs and their larvae in both UK and European woods. During studies spanning more than five decades, he has discovered new populations which prove Purple Emperors are not as rare as once believed.

Wild Things: A comprehensive compendium on dragonflies

Now he has written of his experiences in an entertaining, humorous and informative book which reveals secrets of a butterfly lifestyle incorporating serious attitude and bizarre eating habits.

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Picture courtesy of Bloomsbury Publishing

Oates labels male Purple Emperors hooligans of the woods with voracious sexual appetites and a tendency to lapse into a purple haze after drinking intoxicating oak tree sap.

This may explain the male’s aggression. Fearless specimens will challenge anything perceived a threat. Oates has records of them attacking large birds like woodpeckers and white storks and raptors such as Buzzard, Hobby and Goshawk. They dive-bomb humans and one confronted a low-flying aircraft with predictable results.

Wild Things: A booming butterfly bonanza

Oates says they are sex-obsessed and can spend up to three hours mating, impressive for a butterfly with just a 10-day lifespan in June and July. The Purple Emperor is a really elusive butterfly spending much of this time high in the tree canopy where males appear all-black. Brown females descend to lay eggs and males can be lured down to a menu including dog poo, fox scat, rotting meat, smelly cheese and out of date fish paste which Emperors prefer to nectar.

When they descend to investigate, the males’ iridescent purple upper-wing sheen dazzles.

It’s impossible to decide whether Oates or his target represents British eccentricity at its finest but this is a superb example of natural history writing.

His Imperial Majesty by Matthew Oates is published by Bloomsbury price £20.