{"product_id":"bb-s-denys-watkins-pitchford-mbe-butterflies-a-celebration-of-one-mans-passion-for-the-purple-emperor","title":"BB’s (Denys Watkins-Pitchford MBE) Butterflies A Celebration of One Man's Passion for the Purple Emperor","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eDiscover the remarkable story of Denys “BB” Watkins-Pitchford and his lifelong devotion to the elusive Purple Emperor butterfly. After encountering \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eApatura iris\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e in 1946, and later seeing it vanish locally in the 1960’s following woodland spraying to eliminate Oak Tortrix moths, BB began collecting eggs, hand-rearing the butterflies in protected garden cages and releasing the adults into Fermyn Wood.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eBB’s Butterflies\u003c\/i\u003e brings together vivid extracts from his books and articles, complemented by his distinctive colour illustrations, scraperboards and photographs. BB’s keen eye and lyrical prose reveal the beauty of British butterflies while capturing the urgency of protecting their woodland habitats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eFirst-hand contributions from friends, fellow naturalists and conservationists—including Douglas Goddard, Badger Walker, Bill Humphreys and John McEwen—add warmth and insight to this portrait of a pioneering nature writer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003eRichly illustrated and full of wonder, \u003ci\u003eBB’s Butterflies\u003c\/i\u003e is an irresistible invitation to enter BB’s world, celebrate the magnificent Purple Emperor butterfly and rediscover the wild beauty of rural England.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith a print run limited to just 950 copies, copies of this book are now very difficult to find in good condition. In 2026, we were fortunate to acquire 4 new (old stock) copies and make them available for sale here at WildernessBooks at half the original retail price compared to when it was published in 2013.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wilderness Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58018468594046,"sku":"9780992669805","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0996\/4096\/7550\/files\/BBsButterflies01.jpg?v=1789230585","url":"https:\/\/wildernessbooks.co.uk\/products\/bb-s-denys-watkins-pitchford-mbe-butterflies-a-celebration-of-one-mans-passion-for-the-purple-emperor","provider":"Wilderness Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}