5 minute read
My favourite patch ....................................................... 16-1 Silver-studded Blue-Aldringham Walks ............................ 1 8
New Cotntnittee
by Richard Stewart
This is listed on the back cover and 4 new committee members were elected at the recent AGM - Richard Champion had been co-opted already. He fills a big county gap from his base at Mildenhall and has been a Main Recorder in the Millennium Survey. He will also look after Conservation matters in his area of Suffolk - see back page for more derails about this. Richard will also act as Branch Publicity Officer. The remaining three were also Main Recorders in the Survey. Stella Wolfe lives in Ipswich and with husband Roger has comprehensively recorded the Srour Valley and adjacent areas, including tetrads for the Essex Survey. Beryl Johnson from Ipswich, with husband Allan, our Programme Secretary, has been responsible for the Argus illustrations accompanying accounts of their butterfly weekends and is the creator of the attractive front covers. Rob Parker, our new Chairman, is also a leading member of the Suffolk Hedge group and is currently on the SNS Council. He is also a vital contact at RAF. Barnham, which has the largest Dingy Skipper colony. He will also look after the Conservation matters between Bury St. Edmunds and Ipswich. Having restored, after many years, the female input on the committee, and filled the gap West of Ipswich, we now have a significant gap to the East, with the loss of James Mann, who lived at Darsham. Anyone in that area who feels they can contribute should contact the new Chairman. It was agreed at the Recorders' meeting recently to have a County survey of butterflies in Suffolk churchyards next year. This will also include other wildlife and we hope to liase with SWT and SNS, with plenty of publicity and a promotional launch next Spring. If you would like to 'book' any churchyards (at least 3 seasonal visits needed) please contact Richard Stewart.
Churchyard Survey in 2001
Minsmere 2000
Summer help is needed, in July and August, especially to help in the Silver-studded Blue colony counts in early July. Again contact Richard Stewart.
Talks
Three members of che Suffolk Branch give talks and details are below:
Michael and Jenny Kelsey 'Discovering Butterflies'
With colour slides. Fee £15 plus I 5p. per mile. Address: Inglescar, 25, Prospect Place, Leiscon, IP16 4AL. Within 30 mile radius. Tel: 01728 830975.
Julian Dowding
With colour slides. Contact for fee details. Address: 84, Clapgace Lane, Ipswich IP3 ORE. Ipswich area and Ease Suffolk. Tel: 01473 414092.
Richard Stewart
Colour slides and poetry based on recent published collection, with a few about buccerflies. Fee £25. Address: 112, Westerfield Road, Ipswich IP4 2X'W. Ipswich, Ease Suffolk. Tel: 01473 216518.
Hibernating Butterflies:
An interesting record has been passed on by Jenny Kelsey from Leiscon. This concerns observations of hibernating buccerflies by Andrew and Jane Leng at their holiday homes, Long Acre, Church Road, Thebercon. A check of che deep foundations where clusters of buccerflies hibernate revealed, in January 1999, 4 8 Peacocks and I Small T orcoiseshell. A check in March 2000 revealed just 1 Tortoiseshell. Obviously che counts aren't direccly comparable as they weren't in che same month but ic does emphasise the very mild winter we experienced and helps co explain che unprecedented early sightings chis year. Since writing che editorial a fifth new record has come in - a Small White on 25th. February seen by John Walshe ac Saxon Street, Scowupland, TM 087616. This is almost two weeks earlier chan che previous record.
Peacock by Douglas Hammersley
AGMon Saturday Septetnber 16th 2000
By Richard Stewart
Yes, two in one year, but we will call it the Autumn General Meeting. This has been done so we can reconcile our accounts with the National BC Financial Year, which we couldn't do if the AGM was in Spring. Our speaker is Ken Willmott, a leading member of Butterfly Conservation and very active in the Surrey and Hampshire Branches. His colour slides were used extensively in the Thomas 'Butterflies of the British Isles', definitely the best field guide to British Butterflies, and should be prominent in both the National Millennium publication and the new Suffolk book. He is also the author of two of the BC species booklets, on Purple Emperor and Holly Blue. There will also be an update on the Brimstones and Buckthorn campaign and a session for members' slides. We are also trying something different for refreshments. As well as drink and biscuits halfway through, we are asking those coming to bring some prepared food, sweet, savoury or both, so we can share it at the end of the proceedings. Please contact Richard Stewart (details on back) so we know what to expect. The venue is close to the middle of Ipswich. For those who are familiar with the Ipswich Museum, the route is up to the top of that road, turn right, and the Friends Meeting house in Fonnereau Road is two thirds of the way down, on the right. There is some parking in front of the building, in the street nearby or at Charles Street car park, close by. Please try and come-and bring a friend or two-they don't have to be in BC as we would like a big audience for someone who is recognised as one of the country's leading lepidoptera photographers.
Ken has been persuaded to give two talks, the first on butterfly variations and aberrations (I'm told he has some excellent slides) and, for the moth enthusiasts, 'Moths of South-East Englandselected biology and ecology.
Autuinn General Meeting
The Autumn General Meeting will take place at the Friends' Meeting House, Fonnereau Road, Ipswich at 2.30 pm on Saturday 16th. September 2000.
The programme is:-
2.15 p.m. 2.30 p.m.
3.30 p.m.
Doors open. Talk by Ken Willmott. Butterfly Variations and Aberrations Autumn General Meeting.
1. Apologies. 2. Chairmans opening address and report. 3. Treasurer's report. 11. Butterfly Conservation Officer's report. iii. Moth Conservation Officer's report. iv. Newsletter Editor's report. v. Membership Secretary's report. vi. Programme Secretary's report. 4. Election of Committee. 5. A.O.B. only items handed to the
Chairman in writing prior to the start of the meeting will be accepted. 4.15 p.m. Members' slides. 4.40 p.m. Refreshments - at a small charge. 5.00 p.m. Update on the Brimstones and Buckthorn Campaign by Julian Dowding. 5.15 p.m. Talk by Ken Willmott: Moths of South-East England- selected biology and ecology. 6.15 p.m. Shared meal; chose wishing to stay for this are asked to contact Richard Stewart and bring something savoury and/or sweet.
Note. Committee nominations will be taken on the day or in advance too the Chairman, all we need is a nominator, a seconder and the willingness of the member to stand.
Please try to attend and make this another successful event for the Suffolk Branch.
Agenda
Puss Moth by Mervyn Ceawford
