Suffolk Argus 15, Nov 1998 by Suffolk Naturalists' Society

Suffolk Branch Contacts

Chairman

JamesMann, The Old School, The Street,

Darsham, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 3QA (01728 668532)

•

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Membership Secretary Paul Gilson, 18 Cheltenham Avenue, Ipswich, Suffolk IP! 4LN (01473 253276)

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Newsletter Editors (temporary)

Paul Gilson, 18 Cheltenham Avenue, Ipswich, Suffolk !PI 4LN (01473 253276)

RichardStewart, 'Valezina', l 12 Westerfield Road, Ipswich, Suffolk !PI 2XW (01473 216518) Programme Secretary Alan Johnson, 28 Medway Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 0QH (01473 715701)

Volunteers Needed

County Recorder (Butterflies)

RichardStewart, 'Valezina', 112 Westerfield Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 2XW (01473 216518)

If you feel you could run a small sales operation or just help out now and then with the growing work of the Branch, please contact James Mann on

01728 668532.

Conservation Officer (Butterflies)

JamesMann, The Old School, The Street, Darsham, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 3QA (01728 668532) Conservation Officer (Moths) Tony Prichard,3 Powling Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9JR (0 1473 270047) County Recorders (Moths)

Jon Nicholls, 18 Berners Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk !PI! 7LF (01394 271500) Tony Prichard(address as below) Secretary

Tony Prichard,3 Powling Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 9JR (01473 270047) Treasurer

Graham Bull, Willow Cottage, 1 The Street, Raydon, Suffolk IP? 5LP (01473 310371)

Published by the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation (The British Butterfly Conservation Society Ltd.) Reg. No. 2206468 Reg. Char;ty No. 254937

HeadOffice, P.O. Box 222. Dedham, Essex C07 GEY. Tel.(01206) 322342

Editedby Paul Cihon & RichardStewart Logo (Silnr-studdcd Blue) Doug I lammersky Designed and produced by StephenIon, Cat & Mouse Ocs;gn (01473 729423 afm 7pm) © I 998 allrights reserved

Publicity Officer

Steven Goss,Yaxley Manor House, Yaxley,

•

Small Copper &Small Heath by BerylJohnson

Eye, Suffolk IP23 8DG (01379 783386) President

The Newsletter of the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation

Howard Mendel, c/o The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW? 5BO (0171 938 8782)

BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION

Volume 15

The Suffolk Argus

November 1998

Contents Notes from the Editor ............................................................

Newsletter Details

Copy Dates Contributions for our newsletter should reach the Editor (address on back page) no later than:

Members Evening Quiz Night ............................................... 4 The Suffolk Show 1998 .......................................................... The Sandlings Group ......................................................... 1998 Field Trips ...............................................................

4 5-6

7-14

Observations of a Roosting Common Blue ........................... 14 Working together .................................................................

A Butterfly Historian ............................................................

Encounter with a Death's Head Hawkmoth ......................... 17 Hornet Predation .................................................................

Seaching for the Broad-Bordered Bee Hawkmoth .......... 19-20 Butterfly Line .......................................................................

Back Issues of the Suffolk Argus ........................................... 22

To Advertise in

January

Christmas Eve

May October

April Fools Day August Bank Holiday

Any piece of writing that is considered to be of interest will be published together with line drawings/prints/photographs. The Suffolk Argus is your magazine, so please let us hear from you.

n.Suffolk Argus Please contact:

Paul Gilson (014 73 253276)

Update on the Alexandra Park Butterfly Garden .................. 22

Butterfly HOTELS

Newsletter Details & General Information ........................... 23 Suffolk Branch Contacts ......................................... Back Cover

A purpose built Hotel with all the facilities that today's travellers require yet in a

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Butterfl~ Hotel, A45 Bury East Exit. Moreton Hall, Bury St. Edmunds

01284 760884

ButterflyLine 0891 884505

,. Regular Updates & Latest News All profits are used for the conservation of butterflies and their habitats. Calls charged at SOp per minute at all times

A purpose built Hotel with all the facilities that today's travellers require yet in a rustic traditional environment that is welcoming and comfortable.

Butterfly Hotel, A14 Bury East Exit. Moreton Hall, Bury St. Edmunds

01284 760884 23

November

The Suffolk Argus

Back issues of the Suffolk Argus

Update on the Alexandra Park Butterfly Garden by RichardStewart

For our newer members we have available back issues of the Suffolk Argus from volumn 1 to 14. If any members would like to make up the complete set they are available at a cost of 25p each plus postage. The following second class postage rates apply:U p to 2 copies ........... 20p Up to 4 copies ........... 31 p Up to 6 copies ........... 38p Up to 7 copies .......... 45 p Up to 9 copies ........... 55p Up to 11 copies ......... 64p Please make your cheques payable to Butterfly Conservation Suffolk Branch and send yor orders to:Paul Gilson 18 Cheltenham Avenue Ipswich Suffolk IPl 4LN Please do not send any cash through the post!

Since the editorial was written there have been a number of developments. Publicity has now extended to a good-sized photo of the opening ceremony in the Ipswich Angle with an accompanying caption. Part of a Radio Suffolk Country Matters programme was at the Garden and we then moved on to the Campsea Ashe garden of Peter Carter for the rest of the programme. As a consequence of my complaint to BBC Look East about an item featuring a young girl with a butterfly net and jar I was given the opportunity to redress the balance and part of this televised item was in the Garden. For next season a gap to the right of the display board will be filled with plants and in the rough grass at the back there will be mints and seeds of bird's-foot trefoil. I am still trying to get the best sedum, spectabile planted instead of the current one. Species noted so far are: Large, Small and Greenveined White, Small Copper, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and Gatekeeper. A Green Hairstreak was seen just thirty yards away. Less welcome visitors included whoever took the clump of plants away, which left the gap indicated above. The final visitor left his calling card which was discovered on the shoe of the BBC interviewer as he left the garden after our recording session!

1998

Notes from. the Editor Thankfully, it's all good news. First, the eagle-eyed amongst our readers will have noted, on the back cover of the last issue, a change of address for our President Howard Mendel. He is now at the Natural History Museum in London, in charge of no less than 12« million specimens. This is a considerable personal achievement but thankfully Howard remains locally active as he is still living in Suffolk. We wish him every success in this new and demanding position.

However, there is still much to do-many tetrads are still under-recorded and a few species are still below the range recorded in the mid-eighties survey. This final year needs to be one of well-planned and sustained effort to maximise our recording result and make the forthcoming new County atlas as comprehensive as possible. All recorders will get information well before the new season starts.

Millennium Survey

This was officially opened on 11th. August at Alexandra Park in Ipswich and covered briefly in the 'Evening Star', with a photo of Chairman James Mann and Fiona, the Park Ranger most closely involved in the project. Can I add my thanks to the other BC representatives present, that is Stella Wolfe and Jean and Ken Garrod. So far the site has been visited by at least eight species but additional records will be welcomed.

Unlike a number of larger, well-established Branches who are struggling to complete their coverage by the end of 1999, the good news is that we have joined Cheshire, Surrey and Warwickshire in achieving 100% coverage. This is largely the result of hard and determined work by many hundreds of recorders who range from single sightings and one-site observers to a small band who have repeatedly sacrificed the joys of visiting good ~icesto explore the less-enticing 'empty tetrads' in under recorded parts of the County. Often the most difficult task was actually finding out which small chunk of border tetrad was acrually in Suffolk and, secondly, how it could be reached. In one instance records came from 'across the river in Essex', the two observers having to use the easiest access and then identify species on the Suffolk side!

Butterfly Garden

Articles for the Suffolk Argus If any members have articles for future editions of the Suffolk Argus could they please send them to Paul Gilson at 18, Cheltenham Avenue, Ipswich IP1 4LN. Myself and Richard Stewart will be overseeing the production of the newsletter until a new Editor is found.

The Suffolk Argus

Members' Evening on

Saturday November 21st by RichardStewart We have a new venue and a new format in the hope that this will attract a larger audience. The venue is the Quaker Meeting House in Fonnereau Road, Ipswich, not far from the Ipswich Museum and fairly central, with limited car parking in front of the building, off road, and more in the road close by. The evening starts at 7.30 pm. The evening will be in the form of a quiz, hopefully BC Suffolk versus the Suffolk Naturalists' Society, mainly butterflies but also some moths. Details of teams still have to be finalised but the evening will include an audience quiz, with prize, and refreshments. This is deliberately a change from the normal illustrated lecture and we hope you will give it your support by being there. Finally, no doubt Alan Johnson will be giving a detailed account of the recent Branch trip to Sussex in the future newsletter, but in the meantime here's a 'memorable conversation':-

"Haveyou comeherefor a junction or something?" "No, we'rebutterflyhunting." "I know a goodplace in Eastbourne-but it doesget hot inside."

November 1998

The Suffolk Show 1998 This was our fifth year at this event and we gratefully extend our thanks to the Thornham Estate for inviting us to join their tent. Unfortunately the normally good Suffolk Show weather was in short supply with continual rain on the first morning and fleeting glimpses of the sun for the rest of the time. Thanks must again go to those members, particularly Judy Clarke and Paul Gilson, who had grown butterfly attracting plants for the stall and other members who supplied flower pots earlier in the year. By late Thursday afternoon a few books and several of the plants had gone. More important though was the opportunity to talk to interested people and hopefully make them more aware of our work and why we need to enlist further support. Thanks go to committee members, whom made available their time to be at the show. We have already been invited to share the Thornham Estate tent at next year's show. We will be deciding the theme of our display at a future committee meeting and the committee hope that members can support us by helping out at the show.

Thanks to Butterfly Line Infortnants

The £10,000 raised is due to help given by ordinary Branch members, phoning through brief details of their sightings. Even details of common species seen in the garden are helpful. They all contribute to a comprehensive weekly review of our butterflies fortunes. So, if you are already contributing to this record database, a big thank you for helping raise that £10,000. If you hadn't previously provided information, you could ring details through on 01442 824 407. Butterfly Line wants to raise the next £10,000 even faster and at the same time, reflect the situation in all parts of the UK even more accurately.

Ring in your sightings on Since it began Butterfly Line has raised in excess of £10,000. If you have used the service, you'll know that the line provides feedback on the butterflies (and day flying moths) that members have reported during the previous week. It gives predictions of the end of broods and the likelihood of fresh specimens for the keen photographers among us. Then, more awkward to compile as it depends heavily on the weather, there's a guide to the areas of the UK most likely to provide specific sightings, or the best range of sightings in the coming week. The 'Line' is evidently helpful. It gets plenty of positive feedback. Complaints are rare but include the occasional moan that the exact locations of scarce species are not given, or that members' local area wasn't mentioned: invariably because the 'Line' received very little data from that district the previous week.

01442 824 407 usual call charges

~~ Listen to Butterfly Line on

0891 884 505 all calls, 50p per minute

An added inducement to phone sightings in is that Nick Bowles (who collects the data) tells me he's quite happy to chat with people phoning (most evenings) about butterfly related topics. Answer phone at other times.

Map to Quaker Meeting House

The Suffolk Argus

need to be searched for during July; particularly fresh damage to the leaf, indicating the larvae will be present, is shown by the presence of drops of plant sap on the edge of the holes eaten in the leaf. Older damage is indicated by the leaf turning brown around the periphery of the hole and by this time the caterpillar will have probably moved on. The larva during this stage is quite easy to identify; it is a small green caterpillar with an easily visible characteristic black 'horn' on its rear. After the early stages the caterpillar seems to be quite difficult to locate. Despite extensive searching of clumps of honeysuckle I have been unable to locate any caterpillars older than the 3,d instar. After the 2"d instar the larvae changes its feeding habits eating large holes in the leaf and as it grows bigger it begins eating whole leaves. The eggs are laid on honeysuckle growing in locations quite different to that used by the White Admiral butterfly. The moth seems to prefer small scrubby clumps of the plant to lay its eggs on, growing in sunny positions away from the woodland in a more heathland type of habitat. Using this technique we have managed to identify the presence of the larva at several sites where we have not necessarily seen the moth; Ipswich Golf Course, Martlesham Heath, Market Weston Fen, Bromeswell Green and Tunstall. The latter two sites are places where I have recorded the adult moth previously.

November 1998

It inakes you think! by Steve Goddard Some jottings taken from various natural history articles I have read over the past few months: I.

Metamorphosis: From chrysalis to butterfly is like dropping a pile of bricks onto a sheet of plans and expecting St. Paul's Cathedral to materialise - yet it happens all the time.

Butterflies are nothing more than reconstituted leaves!

3. A caterpillar reaches I 0,000 times its original size. This is like a human baby reaching the size of an articulated truck!

The Sandlings Group by JamesMann The Sandlings Group is part of the Suffolk Coast and Heath partnership and aims to promote the conservation, restoration and re-creation oflowland heath in the Sandlings and increase public awareness and support for this special landscape.

The objectives of the Sandlings Group are:(i)

To conserve all remaining areas of Sandlings heathland to ensure that:(a)

This distinctive element of the coastal landscape together with its historical and cultural association survives for the benefit of this and future generations.

(b)

The habitat requirements of the heathland plants and animals are maintained to safeguard their future survival.

Many thanks to the author(s) for their . stimulating thoughts.

(v)

To promote public awareness of the importance of conserving heathland through interpretation and publicity.

(vi) To provide a network for information exchange between organisations involved in heathland conservation. (vii) To encourage local community involvement in heathland conservation initiative. The Sandlings Group's principal roles are to ensure a co-ordinated approach to heathland conservation in the Sandlings. The group as such is not an independent fund-holding organisation however it provides support to the Sandlings project and other organisations involved in heathland management activities. All financial and administrative matters associated with the project and any corporate initiatives are dealt with by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. The group receives, from the project, interim progress reporrs and an annual report which includes a budget statement. The group is responsible for co-ordinating heathland management within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and reports progress to the meeting of the Suffolk Coasts and Heaths partnership. The group meets four times a year. The core members are:•

English Nature

•

Farming & Rural Conservation Agency

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Forest Enterprise

(iii) To promote and co-ordinate the study of the ecology of the Sandlings heathland to provide base data for management.

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Greenways Countryside Project

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National Trust

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Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

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Suffolk Coasts and Heaths Project

(iv) To maintain and enhance the Heaths as a resource for informal public recreation and education.

•

Suffolk Coastal District Council

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Suffolk County Council

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Suffolk Wildlife Trust

(ii)

To encourage and support the reversion of land back to heathland wherever feasible.

The Suffolk Argus

November 1998

The group is chaired by one of the members of the group and is reviewed every three years. The group is administered by the Suffolk Coastal District Council, again subject to a three yearly review. Representatives from other organisations are co-opted at various times ro facilitate an improved understanding and co-ordination of management initiatives. We in Suffolk Butterfly Conservation were involved last year in checking various sites for bell heather to assess their suitability for Silver-studded Blues. This has already resulted in the release of Silver-studded blues at a new site, as featured in the local press and on television The Sandlings Group is an excellent example of many organisations working together for the good of an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Thanks go to the Sandlings group for giving us permission to extract much of the above from their terms of reference.

c0J

In response to Wilfred George's article (last newsletter) by Steve Goddard I was very interested to read about Large White larvae still feeding as late as December of 1997 (Large and Late by Wilfrid George, volume 14). Like Wilfrid, I also wondered whether this was a record. However, I was astounded to find that on reference to The Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland, volume 7, part I, Emmet & Heath (Eds), Harley Books, it transpires that larvae occur 'ftom early May to early December and very occasionally into January ... '. Sorry Wilfrid, it seems that you needed to leave your cabbages to the ravages of these caterpillars for at least another month to claim any record!

Searching for Larvae of the Broadbordered Bee Hawktnoth by TonyPrichard

The Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth is a day-flying hawk-moth and as suggested by the name looks similar to a bee. It's distribution is quite localised and based around the southern parts of the country. The species seems to have undergone quite a reduction in recent years. The adult moth can usually be seen flying in May and June. There is a similar species, the Narrowbordered Bee Hawk-moth, but that moth does not occur in the county. Neil Sherman of the Suffolk Moth Group put me onto this tip for locating the early stages of the larvae on its foodplant, honeysuckle. During the early larval stages, 1" and 2"d instars, the larvae eats characteristic holes in the leaf which can be easily seen when examining a clump of honeysuckle. The young larva once it has hatched from its egg and eaten the shell positions itself along the mid-rib of a honeysuckle leaf. Starting at the tip end of the leaf the larva then eats small, roughly circular holes in the leaf either side of the mid-rib. Having eaten a hole on either side of the mid-rib the caterpillar backs down the leaf a short distance and repeats the process -of eating a hole on either side of the mid-rib. Having repeated this process a few times the larva moves onto a new leaf, leaving behind a leaf with the characteristic set of holes in the leaf as shown in the picture below.

\\ '"~ '\

Silver-studdedBlue by BerylJohnson To locate the larvae freshly created holes

The Suffolk Argus

November 1998

Hornet Predation

1998

Moth Night at Lineage Wood

Field Trips

Saturday, 9th May 1998 by Tony Prichard

byAndrew Toomey We get regular visits to our garden from hornets. Fortunately we get a fair number of butterflies too. When the hornets are hunting they always target a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly. I have seen them closely examine a small White, then leave it and move around the bush until a Tortoiseshell is spotted. Their examination of potential prey reminds me of a short sighted person reading a bus timetable! In every case I have observed the hornet removes the butterfly's wings as soon as it is captured. The one exception was when a hornet carried a struggling butterfly away from ~ the flower where it was feeding. The hornet soon alighted on the bird table to remove the butterfly's wings before carrying the body away. •

Thesepersona/observationsof garden activitiesshed new fight onto insect behaviour. The editorshope that many more wi// be sent in.

Dingy Skipper survey in the King's Forest by RichardStewart Small Tortoiseshell •

by DouglasHammersley •

Suffolk's rarest breeding butterfly once again failed to reveal any new colonies but this coverage, added to that done separately by John Walshe, means that all of the remaining area should be covered in 1999. A private quarry near Euston was also surveyed, with permission, but no colony was found. The existing colony at the Wordwell end of the King's Forest was visited by several from the survey group and we actually witnessed a mating pair, a good sign for the future. It is ironic that, elsewhere in the King's Forest, two Dingy Skipper sites have been damaged by the very organisation set up to protect them, namely Forestry Enterprise. Both sites were notified on maps, in letters, and I physically escorted one officer from Forestry Enterprise around the sites in 1997, after minor damage was reported to one site. My suggested precautions for preventing such incidents in future were not taken up and at the time I disrnvcred the damage I was, undast.indably, very upset. Since then an on-,ite meeting lus taken place, future 111.1n.1gerncnt h.1sb,cn agreed for both sites .1nd one 11.1,bc.:n scarified, with removal of b.1rk litter and seeding with birdsfoot trefoil, cur-leaved and dovesfoot cranesbill, by Marie and myself. More seed will be used next Spring.

Five people turned up for this night in Lineage Wood. Whereas most parts of Suffolk seemed to experience quite a warm night Lineage Wood seemed to be quite cold. In addition a fullish moon in the clear sky promised to provide some competition with the lights. As a result not many moths turned up at the lights although the quality made up for the quantity. The area we trapped within the wood had some large stands of beech so it was not too surprising that several Barred Hook-tips turned up at the light. This species is not that common in Suffolk probably due to the lack of stands of beech trees. Several Orange Footman were seen during the evening which is another very localised moth within Suffolk. A singleton Sloe Carpet turned up in one of the traps near the end of the evening before the generator decided to pack up. The Sloe Carpet feeds on blackthorn and although there are not many records of it in Suffolk Essex mothers find it in quite large numbers around Colchester where they have large thickets of blackthorn. The lack of power brought a rather abrupt end to the evening although with the cold not many of us were that displeased to pack up. The full species list was; Anthophila fabriciana (the Nettle-tap), Plutella xylostella (the Diamond Backed Moth), Syndemis musculana, Barred Hook-tip, Red Twinspot Carpet, Common Carpet, Shoulder Stripe, Water Carpet, Purple Bar, Small Phoenix, Broken-barred Carpet, Green Carpet, Rivulet, Brindled Pug, Scorched

The Suffolk Argus

Carpet, Brown Silver-line, Brimstone Moch, Waved Umber, Sloe Carpet, Iron Prominent, Pebble Prominent, Coxcomb Prominent, Lunar Marbled Brown, Pale Tussock, Orange Footman, Least Black Arches, Powdered Quaker, Clouded Drab, Hebrew Character, Silver Y, Spectacle. 31 species in total.

Joint Meeting with Butterfly ConservationGreen Hairstreak Survey at Rushmere Common and Bixley Open Space Tuesday 12th May 1998 by RichardStewart This was one of those rare meetings where everything fused together to produce some incredible and unexpected results. The thinking behind this survey came from last year when I found a few Green Hairstreaks in unexpected areas of the Common and wondered how many were missed by just searching the known areas. With 14 present at the start, a lovely sunny afternoon and the peak of the butterfly's flight period, we were able to cover all of the area-probably the first time this has ever been achieved for butterflies. The overall result of the small groups counting each sighting was:7 Large White, 5 Small white, 7 Green-veined White, 32 Orange Tip, 8 Holly Blue, 19 Small T orcoiseshell, 5 Peacock, 19 Small Heath. The last species was freshly emerged.

November 1998

The 'big two' were 369 Small Copper and an incredible 345 Green Hairstreak. Most who have seen this lovely butterfly will know it is usually found in Suffolk in relatively small numbers. On this occasion it was everywhere, not just on the expected gorse and broom bushes but also feeding on the honeydew of hawthorn, elm oak, and sycamore. Small clumps of flowering rowan also produced good numbers-I counted 32 around one sunlit small group. The large numbers of Small Copper also made this a memorable meeting and other sightings included Jay, Miscle Thrushes, Magpies and calling Cuckoos, Blackcaps, Lesser Whicechroats and Nightingales. There was a good view of a Green Woodpecker at the edge of the Bixley play area, tucked away behind closer Mistie Thrushes. I just hope, with the houses now very close, chat this area can retain its rich variety of wildlife.

Encounter with a Death's Head Hawkrnoth By Audrey Morgan

Green Hairstreak

by DouglasHammersley

• Death's Head • Hawkmoth

On the warm morning of 3rd. September 1996 Olive Playle called with a commodious glass jar containing a large Death's Head Hawkmoth caterpillar. I had succeeded in rearing a Privet and Elephant Hawkmoth from caterpillar to moth and knew the creature wanted to pupate so I supplied it with a large flower pot and mixture of dryish sandy soil and bark chips. Ac first it roamed round the edge of the pot so I covered it with a net curtain and wire cake cooling rack which it succeeded in lifting until a weight was applied. Within half an hour the caterpillar had disappeared. In the afternoon two more caterpillars were found. They vanished speedily and it was quite a moving experience co watch chem. We looked for a possible food plant. All potato haulms had long gone but we found a Jasminium stephanense had been well chewed. The creatures had travelled twenty co thirty feet to the tarmacadam drive where they were found. The pot was kept in my unheated but frost-free dining room, with occasional spraying. One moth eventually appeared on 30th. June 1997.

Editor's note - this was myfirst Death's Head and both my wife and Steve Goddard saw it as well. Steve took severalphotos.

The Suffolk Argus

A Butterfly Historian by Steven Goss Those of you who know me will be aware that one of my main areas of interest is in the history of British butterflies, of butterfly collecting, butterfly collectors and the development of our knowledge during the past 300 years. I suppose I am a sort of

'butterflyhistorian'. As part of my research I buy old collections whenever the opportunity arises, mainly at auctions. Each specimen that I choose to keep is transferred into my 'master collection' which is housed in sixty drawers in two large cabinets, where it is given a reference number and its derails recorded on corn purer disc. I have independent records of every locality a specimen was captured (some of which are very obscure and rake a lot of identifying) and also of every collector whose specimens I encounter. We all know that collecting butterflies is completely inappropriate today. In an age of digital colour photography and rapidly declining populations we have thankfully reached a point in history where it is quire unnecessary. However, the millions of specimens collected by our forefathers offer us a wealth of valuable information and an insight into the lives of those who collected them. Take for example a large collection I bought at auction recently. It comprises about 1,400 specimens caught between 1901 and 1912, with a few earlier specimens which the collector had either been given or bought.

November 1998

By analysing it as a whole I can tell that this collector would often have visited a sire specifically for one species himself and then captured as many of them as he could while he had the chance - more than he needed or should have taken. In rhar collection there are no less than 61 Large Heath, yet only 4 Comma, which interestingly reflects the changing fortunes of these two species. Furthermore the Commas were all labelled as caught at Newport in 1894 by someone else, so our collector probably never ever encountered the species himself. A hundred years ago i~ was confined mainly to the Monmouthshire area and was even considered quire a rarity. On the other hand he would have enjoyed the thrill of discovering a colony of Large Tortoiseshells, a pleasure lost to all of us at the present rime. One question I am currently pondering concerns the migratory habits of the Pale Clouded Yellow. Do they migrate here in roughly even numbers of males and females, or is it mainly males that reach us? In days gone by, this species would be eagerly netted by almost any collector it had the misfortune to fly past. Having acquired many collections over the years, it seems reasonable to assume that the specimens I have should be a fair representation of what has migrated here. Yet for every female, I have sixteen males. Incredibly disproportionate. Could it be that it is principally males that make rhe journey? I have certainly never read anything to that effect so the answer is probably 'no'. Anyway, more knowledgeable people than I would surely have noticed if that were the case. I suspect that the reason for such a disproportionate rate of capture is that the females are very light in colour and on a sunny day might easily be mistaken for one of rhe common whites.

Joint meeting with the Suffolk Naturalists' Society at RAF Barnham, the target species being Green Hairstreak and Dingy Skipper Sunday 17th May 1998 by Richard Stewart This meeting, jointly led by Nick Sibbert and myself, attracted a large number, being an area normally out of bounds to most naturalists. Three County Recorders were present and we were also able to use the expertise of Michael Chinery. A complete list of records was sent to Rob Parker, who presented copies to all at a later management me~tin_g, emphasising the rich diversity of the wildlife and the management needs for certain species. Turning to butterflies, the following were recorded: Green Hairstreak (fewer than expected), Large, Small and Green-veined White, Brimstone, Orange Tip, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Small Heath. A close search in the morning revealed at least 10 Dingy Skipp.ers at rhe known site but the decisio_n of a small group to explore the far corner in the New Plantation area, TL8680, was richly rewarded by rhe discovery of 40 plus Dingy Skippers, easily the best colony during the survey and also in a new tetrad. Rob, to whom much thanks goes for all his work on the site, has already returned here with the Base Warden and, as indicated earlier, has presented management suggestions to ensure this colony survives and hopefully expands.

A Visit to Kent Saturday 23 rd May 1998 by Alan Johnson A total of twelve of our members attended a joint morning meeting with the Kent Branch, some having made an early start from Suffolk, others having stayed locally. The site we were to visit, Bonsai Bank, is within the Denge Forest and about 5 miles S.W. of Canterbury. It is a Site of Nature Conservation Interest owned by the Forestry Commission and leased to the Kent Wildlife Trust. The reserve is situated in a wooded valley and is very rich in chalkland flowers. Earlier this century the Forestry Commission planted this chalk bank with conifers. The growth of many of these trees was stunted due to lack of moisture and nutrients in rhe chalk soil and the grazing by rabbits. Thus, the dwarf trees gave the bank its name. The trees were harvested or abandoned as uneconomic in the late J980's, leaving areas of chalk grassland with dense patches of scrub vegetation and dwarf trees surrounded by woodland. The reserve is home to many interesting plants including, Chalk Milkworr and the Lady, Greater Butterfly, Twayblade and the Pyramidal Orchids. Butterflies include, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Grizzled and Dingy Skipper, Green Hairsrreak and Marbled White. The rarest butterfly found on the reserve is the Duke of Burgundy, which was to be the target species for our visit. We were met by Trevor Hatten of the Kent Branch and Paul Johnson of the Suffolk Branch who were to be our leaders. We were then taken along a forest track to the reserve. Our arrival coincided with the sun breaking through the clouds and

The Suffolk Argus

November

Working Together Carlton Marshes 5th July 1998 GrizzledSkipper by DouglasHammersley

warming the chalk slope and we were soon able to observe several of the Duke of Burgundy, which live in close-knit colonies. One member's first sighting was of a male butterfly which had selected a small bush of Viburnum lantana, growing at the intersection of two narrow paths, for its perch. The male having distinctive territorial behaviour patterns, selects a small bush or tuft of grass, defending its terrirory against rivals by spiralling dog-fights. We spent a most enjoyable hour or so watching and photographing this now scarce species before having to return to our cars for lunch prior to moving on to our next destination. Having played "follow-the-leader" in our cars and with our "master navigaror" following the instructions given to us by Trevor, we duly arrived in Temple Ewell, a few miles N.E. of Dover. We then made our way onto the eastern end of the Downland above the village.

This area of chalk grassland lies on a steep S.W. facing slope adjacent to the A2 main road, and has probably always been used for grazing stock. It has a rich and varied flora, including Horseshoe Vetch, which is a food and nectar source of the Adonis Blue, our next target species of the day. The task of finding this butterfly was not made easier by the weather, which by this time had become increasingly cloudy and overcast with a freshening wind. After nearly an hour of searching and concentrating our efforrs on the lower and more sheltered parts of the slopes, several Adonis Blue were located, mostly inactive and reluctant to fly. Occasionally these butterflies made a short flight which enabled us to see the vivid blue of the males, making a very satisfying end to the day and our visit to Kent.

byJamesMann Early in June I had a telephone call from Dorothy Casey of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust asking if I would be willing to conduct the Butterfly walks at their meadow walk on the 5th of July at Carlton Marshes. I was willing and pleased to agree. As I had never been to Carlton Marshes before I made a visit early that week to see what was required of me. I was taken round the route of the walk by Christine Luxton the Suffolk Wildlife Trust Education Office. We went back to the office where she explained the day, made me a cup of coffee and recruited me to give a talk on butterflies to one of her children's courses in the Winter. July 5th. dawned a somewhat windy day but with lots of sunny intervals. I duly arrived at 1.30pm in plenty of time to check my route out and to be ready for my first walk at 2.30pm. I was given a cup of coffee and directed to my start point which was fortunately in one of the few sheltered spots on the marshes. On my preliminary walk round I was confronted by a Grass Snake which was at least 4ft long. It eyed me up for a few

1998

seconds and having decided I was too big to eat slid off into the grass. I found a few sheltered spots on the walk but was not confident of seeing many butterflies. At the beginning of my 2.30pm walk I explained the life cycle of a butterfly as we walked through the grass putting up several Meadow Browns. As we walked along a path partly bordered by nettles a keen eyed member of the group spotted some black spikey caterpillars. I was able to tell him they were the caterpillar of the Peacock butterfly and for the rest of the afternoon each group searched for and found more of these. We stopped at a viewing point overlooking open water and were able to admire several species of dragonfly and damsel fly. On each walk we sighted 5 Spot Burnet moths giving me the opportunity to talk about day flying moths. At one of the few sheltered spots we saw Large Skipper, Ringlet, Small Heath and Small Tortoiseshell. Other species seen were Large White, Green-veined White and Red Admiral. Each of the three walks took about an hour and I learned a lot about various other species from the other specialists we met on route. It was a welcome sight when around 4 o'clock some S.W.T helpers came round and gave us all a can of drink and a bag of crisps. A very enjoyable afternoon working with other groups and I look forward to other opportunities to do the this again in the future.

ck by D. Hammersley

The Suffolk Argus

Moth Night at Martlesham Heath Saturday, 13th June 1998 This meeting did not take place due to the heavy and persistent rain during the evening.

Hockley Wood: Joint meeting with the Essex and Cambridgeshire Branch of Butterfly Conservation Sunday, 21st June 1998 By RichardStewart There were 19 present for a meeting led by Graham Bailey, whose knowledge of these woods was a tremendous asset in giving everyone a full opportunity to see a large number of Heath Fritillaries. To me the most memorable part of the day was having lunch in a sunlit glade full of cow-wheat, which was thriving in a recently coppiced clearing. Here also were the Heath Fritillaries, giving ample opportunities for close-up views and photos, including a mating pair. Other than a member of the group stepping into a wood ant's nest while taking a photo, the meeting was a great success, though this specialised habitat produced only a few other species, namely Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Comma, Large Skipper and early Meadow Brown. Can I add my thanks to Iris Newbury for helping to arrange the meeting and additionally to Graham Bailey for allowing us to reproduce part of an article about the wood which he originally wrote for the Essex and Cambridgeshire Newsletter. This will be in the next newsletter.

November 1998

Observations of roosting Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) by Steve Goddard

Moth Night at Priestley Wood

Visit to Bower House Farm, Polstead

Saturday, 30th May 1998 by Tony Prichard

Winner of the 1996 F.W.A.G. Suffolk Farm Hedgerow Challenge

On Saturday August 15th, I was sitting in the garden when I saw a Common Blue fluttering above the flowers which edge my pond. The time was 4.45 pm and still warm and sunny. I did not expect the butterfly to stay long but to my delight it alighted on a sedge thus allowing me to obtain a closer view. It was a female blue form. I stayed with it for a short while and thought no more about it. Later that evening I wandered up to the pond again and noticed that the butterfly was still there. I was most surprised to think that it had chosen to roost at what seemed to be a rather early time and in such warm and sunny conditions. Sunday dawned warm and sunny again although a little hazy and windy. It was around 9.00 am when I thought I would check to see if the butterfly was still present particularly as the sun had not yet warmed this area. Yes, it was still there and with this part of the garden still sheltered from the sun I waited to see when it would move on. Around JO.SOam not long after the sun had reached the pond (and just when I wasn't looking) it disappeared. Not only did I find the roosting time interesting but also the fact that it had rested for no less than 18 hours! It was a pleasure to have experienced this little observed event.

Three people turned up for this moth night byJamesMann with the weather promising quite a good night for moths. As there was quite a Bower House Farm was taken over by the breeze we opted to set up the lights in the Baker family in 1990. Prior to this time the interior of the wood. non arable parts of the farm had been Things got off to a good start with unmanaged and there was virtually no quite a flurry of geometers turning up in the grassland with hedges and ditches flailed first hour or so. However, things did not annually. Since then 13% of the 750 acres really progress from there and things became have been actively managed to improve very quiet after 11pm. It was quire wildlife potential. surprising rhar we had very few noctuids during the evening especially as we had placed the sheet under a massive oak tree where they could just drop out of the tree • Small Copper and onto the sheet. Even so some localised by DouglasHammersley species did turn up, most notably the Mocha which is a beech feeder, a Pretty Chalk Carpet and a Cream Wave The full species list for the night is as follows; Common Swift, Endrosis sarcitrella (the White-shouldered House Moth), Syndemis musculana, Epiblema cynosbatella, Scoparia ambigualis, ,. , ···;..-:;:: Udea olivalis, Chinese Character, Mocha, Cream Wave, Red Twin-spot ,,/'1/ Carpet, Silver-ground Carpet, Common ,/ ;~;,,---Marb.led Carpet, ~reen Carpet, Pretty !) Chalk Carpet, Brmdled Pug, Small ; White Wave, Scorched Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Pale Oak Beauty, ',--Jtf,.J!f!,. ,,· 1 Brindled White-spot, Common White/ P···,;~~ . .··.,.: ':!,'Jo\ Wave, Light Emerald, Pale Tussock, ·••.,.,q White Ermine, Turnip Moth, f

Saturday 6th June 1998

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Ingrailed Clay, Rustic Shoulder-knot, Beautiful Golden Y, Spectacle. 29 species in total.

The Suffolk Argus

November 1998

The 99 acres of non arable land consists of Ancient woodland 11 acres, 30 year old plantation 12 acres, new tree plantation 23 acres, grassland in woods I O acres, grazed pasture 8 acres, haymeadow 3 acres, field margin/ditches 18 acres, 8

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plants have been put in for _:·__ \ ._·~--~~•;;• • .,,•• " the new woods and hedges, to ~' ··. l '?/\ continue, the hay meadow has been ---..,.,,;1;1,,-).i'. ... • planted with the necessary seed •,. mixture to replicate an ancient meadow giving continuous rotation of flowers Common Blue throughout the Spring and Summer. It is then grazed by sheep in the Autumn. 5 of by DouglasHammersley the ponds have been cleaned out and reshaped and more are to be worked on. It is well worth a walk round the farm to see what can and is being done for the wildlife but today they were keeping well hidden. on a working farm. Walking back along one of the older tracks When I left Darsham on the morning we came across a few Common Blues on the of the 6th the weather was overcast and I ran grass around one of the cleaned out ponds through some drizzle on the way to and were given hopes of better things by the Polstead. Some half a dozen of us were met presence of one or two dragonflies and at the farm by Will Baker the Conservation damsel flies flying over the water. Manager. Others were no doubt put off by We crossed the track, went through a the weather. gate in the deer fence and across an area of We did not expect to see many newly planted woodland towards a very tall butterflies but the newly created habitat, mature hedge. Behind the hedge we where some even aged trees had been felled discovered a very large shallow pond with in the 30 year old plantation and native only the deep end containing water, shrubs planted, produced the odd sighting remember this was before the wet June of whites trying to find likely spots to warm weather. Will explained that this had been up. Will took us to see some newly planted dug as a skating pond some 50 years ago and trees which had been closely fenced to keep intended to hold about a foot of water and to be used every Winter for a few weeks for out rabbits and deer. We walked around the grass margins that on three sides abutted ice skating. hedges that were being allowed to mature This requires serious thought about and the other side had a crop of wheat. On global warming for I can't remember the last our visit last Autumn we had found both time a winter was cold enough to freeze a Common Blue and Brown Argus present pond solid for several weeks. Leaving the

Brimstone

by Angie Steele

pond area we entered Will's colourful haymeadow, again last year this had supported many Common Blues but we only saw the odd white and a Small Tortoiseshell. We ended up around lunchtime behind Will's house overlooking yet another cleaned out pond that was home to various wild ducks. Will's wife kindly supplied fruitjuice and biscuits and it was decided to forgo lunch,_mainly because we had left it in the cars, and to visit the fish pond and cricket bat willow wood at the Boxford end of the farm. I admired the log grass lawn and was told that it was better for wildlife than the original bowling green. Shortly after leaving the house the sun shone briefly just as yet another cleaned out pond came into view. We witnessed the fantastic sight of hundreds of damsel flies and dragonflies flying around, mating, egglaying and generally enjoying the brief sunshine.

Walking along yet another field margin towards Boxford we sighted a Small Heath, a first for this farm. When we reached the cricket bat Willow plantation we noticed several recent buckthorns growing. Will explained that he had planted them as he was given to believe that they were the foodplant of the Brimstone caterpillar. On searching we found several Brimstone caterpillars and the expression on Will's face when he found some for himself reflected his pleasure at the success of his venture. Not the best of days for butterflies but a pleasure to see what can be done on a working farm for the benefit of wildlife when there is a willingness and an interest by the owners. I am certain that like me, many people would like to visit again and I know they will be made welcome.

The full list of species seen were as follows:

LargeSkipper, BrimstoneCaterpillars,Large White, Green-veinedWhite, Orange Tip, Small Copper,Common Blue, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell,Peacockand Small Heath.

The Suffolk Argus

November 1998

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Brimstone

by Angie Steele

The full list of species seen were as follows:

LargeSkipper, BrimstoneCaterpillars,Large White, Green-veinedWhite, Orange Tip, Small Copper,Common Blue, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell,Peacockand Small Heath.

The Suffolk Argus

Moth Night at Martlesham Heath Saturday, 13th June 1998 This meeting did not take place due to the heavy and persistent rain during the evening.

November 1998

Observations of roosting Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) by Steve Goddard

Moth Night at Priestley Wood

Visit to Bower House Farm, Polstead

Saturday, 30th May 1998 by Tony Prichard

Winner of the 1996 F.W.A.G. Suffolk Farm Hedgerow Challenge

Saturday 6th June 1998

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Ingrailed Clay, Rustic Shoulder-knot, Beautiful Golden Y, Spectacle. 29 species in total.

The Suffolk Argus

November

Working Together Carlton Marshes 5th July 1998 GrizzledSkipper by DouglasHammersley

1998

ck by D. Hammersley

The Suffolk Argus

November 1998

The Suffolk Argus

November 1998

Encounter with a Death's Head Hawkrnoth By Audrey Morgan

Green Hairstreak

by DouglasHammersley

• Death's Head • Hawkmoth

Editor's note - this was myfirst Death's Head and both my wife and Steve Goddard saw it as well. Steve took severalphotos.

The Suffolk Argus

November 1998

Hornet Predation

1998

Moth Night at Lineage Wood

Field Trips

Saturday, 9th May 1998 by Tony Prichard

Thesepersona/observationsof garden activitiesshed new fight onto insect behaviour. The editorshope that many more wi// be sent in.

Dingy Skipper survey in the King's Forest by RichardStewart Small Tortoiseshell •

by DouglasHammersley •

The Suffolk Argus

November 1998

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Searching for Larvae of the Broadbordered Bee Hawktnoth by TonyPrichard

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Silver-studdedBlue by BerylJohnson To locate the larvae freshly created holes

The Suffolk Argus

November 1998

It inakes you think! by Steve Goddard Some jottings taken from various natural history articles I have read over the past few months: I.

Metamorphosis: From chrysalis to butterfly is like dropping a pile of bricks onto a sheet of plans and expecting St. Paul's Cathedral to materialise - yet it happens all the time.

Butterflies are nothing more than reconstituted leaves!

3. A caterpillar reaches I 0,000 times its original size. This is like a human baby reaching the size of an articulated truck!

The objectives of the Sandlings Group are:(i)

To conserve all remaining areas of Sandlings heathland to ensure that:(a)

This distinctive element of the coastal landscape together with its historical and cultural association survives for the benefit of this and future generations.

(b)

The habitat requirements of the heathland plants and animals are maintained to safeguard their future survival.

Many thanks to the author(s) for their . stimulating thoughts.

(v)

To promote public awareness of the importance of conserving heathland through interpretation and publicity.

English Nature

•

Farming & Rural Conservation Agency

•

Forest Enterprise

(iii) To promote and co-ordinate the study of the ecology of the Sandlings heathland to provide base data for management.

•

Greenways Countryside Project

•

National Trust

•

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

•

Suffolk Coasts and Heaths Project

(iv) To maintain and enhance the Heaths as a resource for informal public recreation and education.

•

Suffolk Coastal District Council

•

Suffolk County Council

•

Suffolk Wildlife Trust

(ii)

To encourage and support the reversion of land back to heathland wherever feasible.

The Suffolk Argus

Members' Evening on

"Haveyou comeherefor a junction or something?" "No, we'rebutterflyhunting." "I know a goodplace in Eastbourne-but it doesget hot inside."

November 1998

Thanks to Butterfly Line Infortnants

01442 824 407 usual call charges

~~ Listen to Butterfly Line on

0891 884 505 all calls, 50p per minute

Map to Quaker Meeting House

November

The Suffolk Argus

Back issues of the Suffolk Argus

Update on the Alexandra Park Butterfly Garden by RichardStewart

1998

Millennium Survey

Butterfly Garden

The Suffolk Argus

November 1998

Contents Notes from the Editor ............................................................

Newsletter Details

Copy Dates Contributions for our newsletter should reach the Editor (address on back page) no later than:

4 5-6

7-14

Observations of a Roosting Common Blue ........................... 14 Working together .................................................................

A Butterfly Historian ............................................................

Encounter with a Death's Head Hawkmoth ......................... 17 Hornet Predation .................................................................

Seaching for the Broad-Bordered Bee Hawkmoth .......... 19-20 Butterfly Line .......................................................................

Back Issues of the Suffolk Argus ........................................... 22

To Advertise in

January

Christmas Eve

May October

April Fools Day August Bank Holiday

Any piece of writing that is considered to be of interest will be published together with line drawings/prints/photographs. The Suffolk Argus is your magazine, so please let us hear from you.

n.Suffolk Argus Please contact:

Paul Gilson (014 73 253276)

Update on the Alexandra Park Butterfly Garden .................. 22

Butterfly HOTELS

Newsletter Details & General Information ........................... 23 Suffolk Branch Contacts ......................................... Back Cover

A purpose built Hotel with all the facilities that today's travellers require yet in a

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Butterfl1;)~ Af m":::.::~,";":,'u 'jJg;~¼~-' welcoming and j ·~ ,._.,, comfortable. Ho TEL s

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Butterfl~ Hotel, A45 Bury East Exit. Moreton Hall, Bury St. Edmunds

01284 760884

ButterflyLine 0891 884505

,. Regular Updates & Latest News All profits are used for the conservation of butterflies and their habitats. Calls charged at SOp per minute at all times

A purpose built Hotel with all the facilities that today's travellers require yet in a rustic traditional environment that is welcoming and comfortable.

Butterfly Hotel, A14 Bury East Exit. Moreton Hall, Bury St. Edmunds

01284 760884 23

Suffolk Branch Contacts

Chairman

JamesMann, The Old School, The Street,

Darsham, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 3QA (01728 668532)

•

I"'

Membership Secretary Paul Gilson, 18 Cheltenham Avenue, Ipswich, Suffolk IP! 4LN (01473 253276)

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Newsletter Editors (temporary)

Paul Gilson, 18 Cheltenham Avenue, Ipswich, Suffolk !PI 4LN (01473 253276)

RichardStewart, 'Valezina', l 12 Westerfield Road, Ipswich, Suffolk !PI 2XW (01473 216518) Programme Secretary Alan Johnson, 28 Medway Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 0QH (01473 715701)

Volunteers Needed

County Recorder (Butterflies)

RichardStewart, 'Valezina', 112 Westerfield Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 2XW (01473 216518)

If you feel you could run a small sales operation or just help out now and then with the growing work of the Branch, please contact James Mann on

01728 668532.

Conservation Officer (Butterflies)

Jon Nicholls, 18 Berners Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk !PI! 7LF (01394 271500) Tony Prichard(address as below) Secretary

Tony Prichard,3 Powling Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 9JR (01473 270047) Treasurer

Graham Bull, Willow Cottage, 1 The Street, Raydon, Suffolk IP? 5LP (01473 310371)

Published by the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation (The British Butterfly Conservation Society Ltd.) Reg. No. 2206468 Reg. Char;ty No. 254937

HeadOffice, P.O. Box 222. Dedham, Essex C07 GEY. Tel.(01206) 322342

Publicity Officer

Steven Goss,Yaxley Manor House, Yaxley,

•

Small Copper &Small Heath by BerylJohnson

Eye, Suffolk IP23 8DG (01379 783386) President

The Newsletter of the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation

Howard Mendel, c/o The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW? 5BO (0171 938 8782)

BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION

Volume 15

Suffolk Argus 15, Nov 1998

Articles inside

Encounter with a Death's Head Hawkmoth

The Sandlings Group

A Butterfly Historian

Newsletter Details & General Information

Notes from the Editor

Seaching for the Broad-Bordered Bee Hawkmoth

Hornet Predation