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.
20
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.
2.
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
•
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.
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