Suffolk Argus 23 Summer 2001

Suffolk Branch Contacts

Chairman Rob Parker, 66 Cornfield Road, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 3BN (01284 705476) Membership Secretary Paul Gilson, 18 Cheltenham Avenue, Ipswich, Suffolk IP I 4LN (0 1473 253276) Newsletter Editors (temporary) Paul Gilson (address as above)

Richard Stewart, 'Valezina', 112 Westerfield Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP4 2XW (01473 216518) Publicity Officer (Vacant)

Volunteers Needed If you feel you could help out now and •• then with the growing work . of the Branch, please ' contact Paul Gilson on

• , 01473253276,

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Programme Secretary Alan Johnson, 28 Medway Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 0QH (01473 715701)

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County Recorder (Butterflies) Richard Stewart, (address as above) Conservation Officers (Butterflies) Richard Stewart, Ease Suffolk (address as above) Rob Parker, Central/West Suffolk (address as above) Conservation Officer (Moths) Tony Prichard, 3 Powling Road, Ipswich,

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Suffolk, IP3 9JR (01473 270047) County Recorders (Moths) Jon Nicholls, 18 Berners Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk IP11 7LF (01394 271500) Tony Prichard (address as above)

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Secretary Tony Prichard, (address as above) Treasurer Graham Bull, Willow Cotrage, 1 The Street,

Raydon, Suffolk IP7 5LP (01473 310371) Committee Members Beryl Johnson, 28 Medway Road,

Published by the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation (The British Butterfly Conservation Society Ltd.)

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Reg. No. 2206468 Reg. Clwicy No. 254937 Head Office: P.O. Box 222. Dedham, EssexC07 6EY. Tel. (0 1206) 322342

Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 0QH (01473 715701) Stella Wolfe

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Summer2001 , , , , , , , , , , , ,

President Howard Mendel, clo The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BO (0171 938 8782)

Ed iced by Paul Gilson& Richt1rdS1twart

Logo (SiJver-studded Blue) Doug flammmky Designed and produced by Stephen/011, Cat cfrMousefU5ign © 2000 all riglus reserved

BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION

Gatekeeper & Ringlet by Be1ylJohnson

The Newsletter of the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation Volume 23

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The Suffolk Argus

Summer 2001

Contents 3-4

Editorial ...........................................................................

Early & Late Dates ...............................................................

Field Trips 2000 ..............................................................

Why the

T

Newsletter Details

4

5-6

in Buddleja .......................................................

6

To Advertise in

One of my favourite places in France .............................. 7-8 A rarely seen event - observations of the White-Letter Hai rstreak .................................................

Some insect associations ...............................................

Clouded Yellow 2000 T etrad Map ............................. 12-13 Small Skipper or Essex Skipper .................................... 14-18 22

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

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

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B"utterfl~Hotel, Al 4 Bury East Exie. Moreton Hall, Bury Sc. Edmunds

01284 760884

Paul Gilson (01473 253276)

Autumn

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.

Butterfly

ButterflyLine 09068 884505

,~ Regular Updates & Latest News All profits are used for the conservation of butterflies and their habitats.

Calls charged at 60p per minute at all times

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April Fools Day

HOTELS

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Butter;;)t,~01/ '&!~*\.+'' j .0J

Christmas Eve

Spring Summer

Please contact:

The Clouded Yellow in Suff~lk: 2000 ......................... 19-21

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

ThSuffolk Argus

9

10-11

Butterflies in Churchyards .................................................

Copy Dates

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

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Butterfly Hotel, Al 4 Bury East Exit.

Moreton Hall, Bury Sc. Edmunds

01284 760884 23

The Suffolk Argus

Summer2001

Butterflies in Churchyards

Suffolk was at one time noted for its abundant and varied butterflies. Sadly as a result of changes in the countryside many butterfly habitats have been lost.

Many of Suffolk's churchyards have retained fragments of flower-rich grassland, chat have gone from surrounding areas.

Those, which are managed sympathetically, still retain a wealth of wild flowers, which in rum attract good numbers of butterflies.

This survey aims co encourage people co look for and record butterflies in their local churchyard or cemetery. The information collected will build up our knowledge of how important these areas are for this attractive and popular group of insects. A churchyard which is a haven for butterflies will also provide a valuable refuge for other wildlife. Results will be published at the end of the survey and used to produce a report giving details of good conservation management.

22

You don't need to be an expert to carry out this simple survey. Don't be put off, even if you have never identified butterflies before it's really quite easy. All you need is a straightforward field guide and a bit of patience!

If you would like co find out more about butterflies in Suffolk or how co encourage wildlife in your churchyard, please send a sae co SWf, Brooke House, The Green, Ashbocking, Ipswich, Suffolk IP6 9JY.

Editorial

by Richard Stewart Although foot and mouth restrictions have severely limited our Branch activities, we have been active in other ways.

On Saturday 31 ". March rwenty members of BC and the Ipswich Organic Gardeners' Group planted buddleias, other nectar sources and native planes in two long strips behind the water cower at Bixley, courresy of Anglia Water who own the site.

This will hopefully balance the destruction of nearby nectar sources in the old 'secret garden' which has now been cleared for building development. The hedge supporting the White-letter Hairstreak colony is nearby. This was a joint venture with James Baker and che Greenways project and a sign acknowledging che venture between che three organisations and Suffolk Coastal DC will hopefully be erected soon. The sum of £50 came from BC to assist the first batch of planting, which we hope you will agree is good use of our money.

We have also been active in writing to oppose potentially damaging developments in Suffolk. The alignment of the next batch of homes which will meet the White-letter Hairscreak hedges at Bixley has been challenged by me on behalf of the Branch, with a request for a greater depth of protection to the hedges and to allow necessary maintenance. Others in the Branch wrote individual letters and thanks to prompt action the builder's decision to proceed without the matter having been resolved was challenged by BC and work haired, pending a site meeting.

Steve Goddard has written in response co proposed development of che Suffolk Water Park, which will have limited access in future. You may recollect ir has previously been the venue for BC field meetings.

Steve's seven page submission included lists of butterflies (one practical use of the Millennium Survey), moths, dragonflies and birds, with the comment chat 'The lake and its margins are a wonderful haven for birds and the banks of bramble swarm with burcerflies, dragonflies, bees, hoverflies and myriads of other insects'. He has particularly requested access, hopefully via a yearly permit, co accredited recorders. Rob Parker and Stella Wolfe also sent letters.

The proposed scheme in the Piper's Vale area has already attracted much adverse publicity, particularly from the SWf. Our Branch has already sent in an official objection, referring to the damage it will cause to existing designated Local Nature Reserves and che ensuing fragmentation of remaining habitats. The plan, if approved, would mean declassification of designated LNR's and undermine che Council's future credibility in rhe eyes of conservationists.

Our Chairman Rob Parker has submitted a very detailed objection to rhe possible route of che Thetford Southern Link road, which would have a devastating impact on rare moth and butterfly colonies.

Again derailed lists were produced for butterflies and moths. The rime involved is perhaps best calculated by Rob's pencilled comment on my copy: This kept me busy for two days'. It is always difficult to muster our limited resources and make a convincing, well-presented case against the arsenals of those with vested interests that give little regard to the environment, bur we do have our successes. Wilfrid George and I visited a site on the edge of Aldeburgh, which had an extensive series of habitats

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The Suffolk Argus

ranging ~ut from the house and its more formal garden. Other properties nearby had similar habitats rich in wildlife, with RSPB North Warren close by. The proposal for a. caravan p_a.rkon adjacent land met with strong disapproval in the local newspaper and BC's written objection no doubt helped in the eventual rejection of the scheme. As the wise Confucius remarked, 'Better co light one small candle than to complain about the dark'

Summer 2001

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.

Early and Late dates:

by Richard Stewart In addition to those changed by records in 200, the following are now different, as a. consequence of detailed records from the previous County Survey only recently being ma.de available to me:

Essex Skipper (early): Stuart Ling - Belstea.dWoods TM 134412 - 29.5.1983.

Essex Skipper (late): Alan Hubbard - Bromswell TM 2950- 12.9.1984.

Large Skipper (late): Alan Hubbard - Bromswell TM 2950- 31.8.1984.

Din~ Skipper (late): D. Croxson - La.ckford TL 804739, TL 806744 - 4.7.1983.

Silver-studded Blue (late): C.R. Naunton - Dunwich Forest TM 4571 - 21.8.1983.

Small Heath (early): M. Burnside-Aldringha.m TM 4560 and 4660- 5.5.1983.

Ringlet (late): S. Green at West Stow TL 8272 and LG.Palmer at Mayday Farm TL 805838 - both 27.8.1984.

4

Finally, a comment, by comparison, on the national situation. Nick Bowles in 'British Wildlife' and Mark Tun more in 'Atropos' commented on early records in County Wexford (22 nd. April) and Cheyne (Dorset) the next day. June migration was accompanied by influxes of Silver Y, Painted Lady and Red Admiral, mainly in the southeast bur moving quickly through the Midlands and into northern England. Nick Bowles specifically refers to substantial Clouded Yellow influx on 9'h. June and I decided to contact other Branches of Butterfly Conservation to see how closely their records for the species echoed the Suffolk scenario:

Also, after the 2000 report was completed, I received the following: 9'h. December - Peacock a.t Creeting St. • Mary, TM 093557 - Nigel Smarr. l 2'h. December - Comma. a.tAldringham, TM 462616- David Gawin and Simon Travis.

This beats the previous la.test by over a. month. l ". J a.nuary 2000 - Small Tortoiseshell a.t Walberswick, TM 500743 -Alan and Edwina. Beaumont (earliest ever) and Peacock at Ness Point, Lowestoft, TM 556937 - same two recorders plus P. Hansford - equal earliest ever.

This brings the l". January total to 7 a.t 6 different sites: 4 Red Admiral, 2 Pea.cock and 1 Small Tortoiseshell.

Note: 2000 Report, Argus 22, p.21 - the record of the Painted Lady at Spa Gardens Felixstowe on 5'h. November should have been two, not one, recorded by Jean and Ken Garrod.·

Lancashire: A record year, with sightings from 29'h. June to 13'h. October.

Hampshire and IOW Oohn Taverner) precise data not available as the yearly report was at the press but a modern record, well above the previous 'invasion', the Isle of Wight particularly conspicuous in numbers that probably exceeded, by a factor of five, the total for the whole of the nineties.

Kent Oohn Maddocks) - 1994-1999:

recorded 1n 186 2 km tetrads; 2000: recorded in 324: 'early arrivals in June were clearly successful in breeding over here as the butterfly was found in high concentrations later in August'. Var. helice records were accompanied by a probable Pale Clouded Yellow at RSPB Dungeness but the most unusual was '50 found in August pa.trolling an elongated mound of clover just south of the Millennium Dome.

Who said it didn't have any visitors'.

Norfolk (Brian Mcllwrath): A majority of inland sightings, with records from 31 2 km. tetrads compared to 1998 (14) and 1999 (2).

Essex/Cambs (Val Perrin): Records from 64 2 km. tetrads though 1996 had 82. Val noted an interesting sequence from 1991 to 2000, of very poor years being alternated with better ones, the respective figures being: 4,24,0,24,1,82,4,27,9 and 64.

It would be interesting to know if records from other Branches are similar.

Sussex Ooyce Gay) - thousands recorded, many var. helice, probably about 6 Pale Clouded Yellows. 284 recorded at Eastbourne, David Burrows in East Sussex had a season total of 505 and Suffolk's Richard Champion, on holiday, recorded a. pale yellow specimen near Eastbourne on 20'h. August. Detailed garden records from August suggested these maximum numbers were home bred.

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The Suffolk Argus

June: The first records were from Landguard (staff) and Bradfield Woods NNR (Stephen Hunt) on the I 0'h. The species was recorded on ten more days in June, with a maximum of three recorders, each with one specimen, on l 9'h and 20'h. Most records were in che second half of the month, which witnessed warm and humid southerly winds, with air chat had originated over Spain and North Africa bringing very high mid-June temperatures. Month total: 20.

July: Dull, cold and dismal weather, with many days of cool, northerly-westerly winds, led co just ten days of records and a total of 17 seen. John Walshe, an assiduous recorder, noted a female at Great Livermere Lake oviposicing on white clover, che stunted prostrate planes on a stony track and a few leafier plants on damp semiimproved pasmre. These were laid singly on the upperside of the leaf, about twenty-five being laid from midday to 12.20. It was also observed nectaring on creeping thistle.

August: A warm month with daytime temperatures above the average of 70F (21 C) on 26 days produced Clouded Yellow records on 29 days, with records each day from 7'h. August to 6'h. September. Best returns were on the 16'h (2 recorders, 59 rotal), 21" (7 recorders, 45 rotal), 29thth (6 recorders, 69 total) and 30'h (13 recorders, 43 total). Mick Wright recorded a maximum of 62 on one day from 9'h. August ro 6'h. September at Trimley Reserve and John Walshe, this time on a set-aside field with white clover near Levingron Marina, recorded 22 inflight and nectaring on bugloss and weasel's snout. Month total: 470.

Summer2001

September: This was a warm month with a marked absence of northerly winds, and a flow of soucheascerly winds from a warm continent. Records covered 27 out of 30 days with an exceptional 329 out of a month total of 522 being on I 0'h. These involved l 4 recorders buc two feamred exceptional numbers for Suffolk. Colin Jacobs reported at least 100 on a Lowescofc Field Club trip co Shingle Street, commencing 'everywhere you walked these butterflies were dismrbed' and close by, but recording separately, Steve Babbs recorded approximately 200 on a clover-like crop at Oxley Marshes. The weather conditions and close coastal proximity could indicate migrants but the relatively shore life cycle of this species could suggest a homebred emergence of the next generation after che earlier migrants. The problem is compounded by no reports of Clouded Yellows observed flying in from the sea on this day, or indeed at any other time in 2000.

2000 Field Trips

October: A final flurry produced 19 records on 7 days, mainly single sightings, with the lase at Landguard on che 19'h.

There were no reports of Pale Clouded Yellow but at least 8 of var. helice.

Grayling

by BerylJohnson

20

Kenton Hills and Sizewell Sunday J<dSeptember, 2000

by Alan Johnson The last event on last year's programme saw nine of our members meet in the car park at Kenton Hills. Ttwas a rather cloudy and overcast morning, not helped by incermircent outbreaks oflight drizzle and a fresh N.W. wind. Hardly the ideal conditions for seeing butterflies. However, just to prove the pessimists wrong, two Red Admirals were found on bramble, before we left the car park.

The initial part of our walk cook us along waymarked permissive paths around Sizewell Belts, an area rich in wildlife, comprising grazing marshes, intersected by drainage dykes and tree belts, which has been designated an SSST. It forms part of Nuclear Electric's land holding adjacent co che Power Stations and is managed in conjunction with Suffolk Wildlife Trust.

No further butterflies were noted until we crossed rhe meadow south of Rackham Pits Wood, when a combination of the shelcer of a broad thick hedge and a brief interlude of warm sunshine produced Speckled Wood, Grayling and Small Copper, the bright colours of che latter being one of the few noted this year.

We now joined the public footpath which crosses Broom Covert and then on co the Leiscon - Sizewell road, rhe weacl1er still coo cool for butterflies, not even any 'whites'! However, by the time we reached Sizewell beach, a few outbreaks of sunshine had begun co appear and we were heartened co see Speckled, Painted Lady, Small Copper and Common Blue.

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The Suffolk Argus

Our lunch was eaten in a nearby picnic spot, before we set off northwards along the beach, facing into a fresh breeze but with more sunny periods developing. When adjacent to Sizewell 'B', we saw our first Clouded Yellow, also a Small Heath, then a female Common Blue resting on a dry seedhead.

A second Clouded Yellow was then seen at the top of the shingle ridge, well camouflaged when diving down to rest on sea pea. Also noted in this area were Grayling on sea holly.

We had now reached the point where we had to leave the beach and turn inland.

A very sheltered area rich in flora, including bird's-foot trefoil, wild carrot, hemp agrimony, knapweed, fleaba.ne and restharrow. Common Blue were in abundance and their white eggs, which are la.id singly, were searched for and found on the leaves of rest-harrow. Confirmation being made with the aid of a hand lens. Small Copper, Large White, Speckled Wood, Small Heath and a very late and faded Meadow Brown were also noted in this area.

The final stage of our walk was along woodland rides, following the southern edge of Goose Hill, then Kenton Hills. These

Summer 2001

Why the

in Buddleja?

by Steve Goddard Much has been written a.bout the wonderful 'Butterfly Bush' perhaps more commonly with the spelling of'Buddleia.' but also with the spelling of'Buddleja ', So, which is correct? Well, strictly it is the latter and the reason goes something like this: When Carl Linnaeus assigned the name of the Reverend Adam Buddle (16601715) to the genus, he mis-spelt the word with a 'j' instead of an 'i'. However, by the rules of international nomenclature, the original spelling- even though in error - must take precedence. '·· \~~'.

Hence 'Buddleja' is to be ~r...~:;. .. preferred over ,,.,..

'Buddleia'.

The Clouded Yellowin Suffolk:2000

by Richard Stewart (Suffolk County Butterfly Recorder) For Clouded Yellow 2000 Tetra.d Map

see Pages 12-13.

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woodlands were planted ~~-'\ by the Forestry ~'Commission in 1958, again : . ) .. forming part of Nuclear Electric's land '....,l~·•" holding.

Good clear views were had of a Wall Brown on sow thistle and many Speckled Wood were in evidence along the rides. The weather by now had improved dramatically with almost unbroken sunshine and our walk ended with sightings of Red Admiral, Comma, Small White, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown, Common Blue making a total of 14 species. All very rewarding after a most un-promising start.

by Douglas Hammersley

6

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Clouded Yellow

by Beryl Johnson

It is difficuJt to refer to a record year for a species of butterfly witl1 complete certainty, since modern detailed recording is a relatively new mechanism. However, the previous years when detailed recording was used for the Clouded Yellow produced coverage of 113 2 km. tetra.ds in 1996 and 119 in 1983. The year 2000 easily exceeded these, with 161 tetra.ds being covered.

There is a noticeable coastal concentration of records from Southwold down to La.ndguard though the coastal gaps elsewhere are surprising. As expected there is a concentration in and a.round Ipswich, Clouded Yellows probably following the Orwell in from the coast and here there is the greatest concentration of recorders. The concentration of West Suffolk records in cl1eextensive King' Forest again probably reflects the number of recorders but for the whole of the TL tetrads the total was just 46, i.e. 28.6% of cl1ecounty total. This is probably consequent on reduced recording here, as already indicated in the 2000 Butterfly Report.

The Clouded Yellow was recorded on all but one of the current transects and ~ total of 112 recorders were involved out of 179 submitting records. These include late ones received after recent publicity, and this represents 62.5% of all Suffolk butterfly recorders seeing the Clouded Yellow in 2000.

The total number for 2000 was 1048 and a monthly analysis follows.

Weather comments come from the monthly summary by Ken Blowers in the EADT:

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The Suffolk Argus

WHALLEY, P., 1981. TheMitchell Beazley pocket guide to Butterflies.

Mitchell Beazley.

Once more the under forewing is well illustrated by Richard Lewington on pages 18 and 19 but there is nothing in the text.

This book contains the only reference I have found which mentions chat the forewing underside of a male Small Skipper is 'orange-red'. This feature is emphasised by annotation to the male Small Skipper illustration seemingly in contrast to the Essex Skipper which is illustrated as less so.

Is this something else to look for?

READER'S DIGEST NATURE LOVER'S LIBRARY, 1984. Field Guide to the butterflies and other insects of Britain. The Reader's Digest Association Limited, London.

The photograph of a mating pair of rhe Small Skipper on page 30 seem to bear out the "new" idea - the upper insect more than the lower although the wing tip seems more grey than olive-buff. The female Essex Skipper on page 31 shows the uniform orange under forewing and the antennal tips seem to be black on the lower sides.

SOUTH, R., 1906. The Butterflies of the British Isles. Frederick Wame&Co. This gem from the Wayside and Woodland Series makes no mention of the under forewing in the text (pages 187 & 189). It simply focuses on the two most well-known characteristics. However, plate 125 just about shows the differences. Richard South incidentally, was the first to entitle 'lineola' as Essex Skipper in 1906. It is suggested chat he was ptobably following existing oral practice since the first specimens were collected from Sc. Osyrh in Essex.

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Summer 2001

BU1TERFLY CONSERVATION/ CENTREFORECOLOGYAND HYDROLOGY, 2001. The Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland. Oxford University Press; The beautiful photograph on page 57 under the heading of Small Skipper is unfortunately wrongly placed as rhe two insects are quite clearly Large Skippers. The Essex Skipper on page 61 is an upper side view of a female, so perhaps we cannot be totally convinced of the identification but on balance ir does appear that the black colour is wrapping around the antennal tips.

There are no descriptions of butterfly topography in the text since this is not an identification guide.

Incidentally, what an excellent book this is - everything we hoped it would be and more. For more information see preview in the Winter 200 I issue of Butterfly Conservation News (No.76). Every member should own a copy.

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Small Skipper

by Douglas Hammersley

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One of rr1y favourite places in France

by James Mann

Less than half a mile from our house the road crosses a bridge over a river called Le Tech. To the left the river crosses the plain and issues into the Mediterranean some ten miles away between the towns of Argeles and Sr. Cyprien. To the right it twists, turns and tumbles down from a height of around 1700 feet from a tiny village called Le Tech some twenry miles away. By all logic with the same name as the river we would expect this to be the source, but no, the source is another twenty miles up the valley on the Spanish border at a height of7800 feet.

My favourite place is in the village of Le Tech. A little track forks off the 'majn' road and crosses the river by means of ague. Ague is a low bridge that is without parapets and is submerged at times of flood. The track proceeds for only about a quarter of a mile on a narrowing piece of land between the river on the left and a cliff rising ro about 50 feet high on the right. The track used to go some 250 yards further but the floods of November 1999 swept this bit away.

It is only a small area but it has an amazing diversity of habitat. It starts off with an arid sandy patch, ideal to hide Graylings. As the river curves to the left away from the path it makes way for an area of woodland containing both sunny and shady areas, on the right is an open rough grassy area where I have already seen at least four different blues and three different Skippers. This patch is surrounded by various indigenous flowering shrubs and the usual escaped buddleia. As the river curves back towards the path the

7

The Suffolk Argus

woodland becomes more sparse and open to the sun. To the right as the path nears the cliff the atmosphere becomes cool and moist. There was still dew on the leaves at I lam on a July morning with the temperature in the arid bit in the middle 80's F. The river in the summer is a tinkling mountain strean1, there are lots of wagtails and I am told kingfishers bur so far every time I have seen their flash of colour it has turned out to be a large dragonfly.

I have so far definitely identified 33 different species plus some blues and fritillaries to sore out, but at least I have discovered that my two different large Nymphalidae are ArgynniJ paphia, Silverwashed Fritillary and Argynnis Pandora, Cardinal for in this area the two species overlap. My list to date is below.

I don't know if I will ever identify every species for my books tell me that it is just possible in this area to see 23 different blues, 16 fritillaries, 15 skippers, 10 hairstreaks, 9 Graylings, 8 whites and 5 coppers just for a start.

Anne, my wife, and I often spend several hours here, she tells me to go off and look for butterflies while she enjoys the plants the birds and the quiet. With a picnic area, loos and a cafe in the village it is a wonderful place to spend a day.

Summer 2001

Le Tech butterfly list Large White, Small White, Bath White, Wood White, Orange Tip, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Wall, Southern Speckled Wood, Comma, Painted Lady, Red Adrniral, Peacock, Southern White Admiral, Clouded Yellow, Cleopatra, Swallowtail, Scarce Swallowtail, Cardinal, Silver-washed fritillary plus at least two others, Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Grayling, Great-banded Grayling, Green Hairstreak, Small Copper, Large Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Silver-spotted Skipper, Common Blue and Holly Blue plus 2 others.

THOMAS,}., and LEWINGTON, R., 1991. The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland. Dorling Kindersley.

Small Skipper: The photograph of a male on page 142 shows only the scent-line well.

The photograph of a female is inconclusive.

The photograph atop bracken on page 143 again is difficult but the under forewing is 'Essex-like' although the antennal tips do look more like Small Skipper! The adjacent egg-laying female is most interesting, seeming to show orange antenna! tips and a uniform orange under forewing!

Essex Skipper: The under forewing of the male upper-side photograph is not discernible but the scene-line is more like that of a male Small Skipper as is the underside of the left-hand antenna i.e.it is not black beneath! The adjacent underside photograph again seems to show Small Skipper with an olive-buff tip and a seemingly orange tip to the one visible antenna. There is no mention of the under forewing feature in the text. Maybe anyone with the larger format book could see these features more clearly.

The differences are illustrated well on pages 17 and 19 although again, there is no mention in the text.

THOMAS, J .,A., 1986. Butterflies of the British Isles. Country Life Books a Division of the Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited.

The under forewing feature is illustrated very well on page 27. The photograph of a Small Skipper on page 43 shows the underside antennal tips and scent-line well but the under forewing is hardly discernible.

There is no mention of this latter feature in the text. The Essex Skipper photograph on page 45 shows both the antenna! tips and under forewings well.

HIGGINS, LG., andRILEYN.D., 1976 Reprint. A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Europe.

Collins.

P.S. I have not started on the day flying moths yet. There are several different tigers.

Small Copper

by Douglas Hammersley

8

BROOKS, M., and KNIGHT, C., 1985. A Complete pocket guide to British butterflies.Jonathan Cape.

Plate 60 and text, page 335. Essex Skipper: Them.ale under forewing is described as "fulvous, apex usually yellow-grey..". The female is described as "similar". This is contrary to the main point of this article.

However, the guide is somewhat confusing in that the male illustration is as described but the female illustration shows a uniform orange under forewing! Small Skipper: The male under forewing is described as "fulvous, tip of forewingand most ofhindwinggreyish". The female is again described as "similar". The illustrations match the descriptions.

.............

Essex Skipper

\

by DouglasHammersley \

17

The Suffolk Argus

Glossary fulvous - brownish yellow; tawny. ochreous - yellow tinged with brown.

Acknowledgements Douglas Hammersley, 'sylvestris or lineola', The Suffolk Argus, Volume 16, February 1999 Bill Shreeves, Telling the Small Skipper from the Essex Skipper, Dorset Branch Newsletter, circa 1995 J. Nick Greatorex-Davies, the 1995 Burterfly Monitoring Scheme to Recorders in above-mentioned article by Bill Shreeves and, in electronic mail.

References MENDEL, H., and PIOTROWSKI, S.H., 1986. The Butterflies of Suffolk.

Suffolk Naturalists' Society.

Photographs of Small Skipper and Essex Skipper (page 31). Note that the lower male under forewing is not discernible bur the anrennal tips and scent-line are clear. In the Essex Skipper (upper female) the greyish under forewing tip, although not too clear, may be indicative of orange scale loss. Also note the confusing rufous tinge to the underside antennal rips. The Essex Skipper on page 33 shows classic antennal tips and although slightly out of focus, the under forewings do appear uniform i.e. not graduating to olive-buff. There is no mention of the under forewing feature in the text.

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Summer 2001

ASHER, J., 1994. The Butterflies of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Pisces.

The photograph of the Small Skipper on page 18 does nor show the under forewing but the male sc:ent-line and antennal tips show very well. There are two photographs of Essex Skipper on page 19. The small picture shows a uniform orange under forewing and classic antennal rips. The large picture of a male shows the small, parallel scent-line well along with black undersides to antenna! tips. The under forewing is nor visible. There is no mention of the under forewing feature in the text.

FULLER, M., 1995.

The Butterflies of Wiltshire. Pisces.

The photograph of a Small Skipper on page 22 shows only the brownish antenna! tips on this female. The male Essex Skipper on page 24 shows all rhe features well - black undersides to antennal tips, small scent-line and uniform orange under forewing. A slightly enlarged version of Jim Asher's photograph (mentioned above) shows the antennal tips and under forewing even berter. There is no mention of the under forewing feature in the text.

DUNBAR, D., Ed., 1993. Saving Butterflies. The British Butterfly Conservation Society Limited.

The Photograph on page 47 is noted as a Small Skipper bur the under forewing seems to indicate Essex Skipper. The antennal tips however, are indicative of Small Skipper or, could they be the rufous tinge of an Essex Skipper female? Who says it is easy! From my "new" experience, I would now go with the latter and suggest that this is a photograph of a female Essex Skipper and not a Small Skipper

A rarely seen event observat· s of the ~ White--lett==-=~~.~~ Hairstreak

--.

-

..........

White- Letter Hairs treak

by Douglas Hammersley

by Steve Goddard As canopy dwelling insects, it is not surprising tl1at the pairing of this butterfly is seldom seen. Therefore, I would like to share my experience of what proved to be a noteworthy event.

On July 12th, 1999 whilst carrying out a survey of this species at Bixley near Ipswicli, Suffolk, I now realise that I was most fortunate indeed to witness such an occurrence. It was a warm and sunny morning with little cloud but with a gentle north-east breeze which was making canopy observation generally rather difficult. For a brief period tol0.48 am however, I had been using my binoculars to observe two of rhese-hairsrreaks perched in a small elm of approximately fifteen feet in height which was isolated from the taller main hedgerow and less exposed to rhe wind. It faced sourheast and was in full sun.

Ar I 0.5 5am after a short walk close by, I returned in tl1e hope of having a further look at these charming insects to find char at a particular spot where previously there had been one butterfly, there was now a pair in cop. A third alighted close to as I was watching. There had not been any flight courrship during my initial sighting.

I watched the insects for a few more minutes before carrying on with my survey.

On my return to rhe tree at 11.40 am rhe pair were srill in cop and that is how I left rhem.

Whilst being entllfalled by this rare experience at the rime, I had not appreciated its significance until reading up on what I had seen on my return home. I was delighted to read tl1at Jeremy Thomas in The Butterflies of Britain & Ireland, Dorling Kindersley, 1991 stares rhar 'Pairing probably occurs on the canopy, although I know of no one who has seen this take place' and that Martyn Davies in The White-letter Hairstreak Butterfly, Butterfly Conservation, 1992 states that 'It is also thought chat courrship and macing must occur in the tree canopy as it has, as far as I know, only been observed once! The author was lucky enough to find and photograph a mating pair on a thistle head in 1984'.

So, it seems char I had been lucky enough to witness a rarely seen event.

Despite many years of butterfly observation by many enthusiasts it just shows how much there is still to see and enjoy. Thank you Jeremy and Martyn for reminding me of this.

9

Summer 2001

The Suffolk Argus

Som.e Insect Associations

by Mervyn Crawford.

Observations of insect behaviour in recent years have revealed a number of instances both here in Suffolk and abroad, where some familiar butterflies and moths seem to have formed an 'association' with various food sources.

No doubt most enthusiasts are aware of such phenomena as the Purple Emperor's depraved liking for decaying carrion (and worse) or the Death's Head Hawk Moth's sometimes suicidal raids on beehives. Some, too, have probably witnessed Red Admirals and Speckled Woods jostling among tl1e ants to get at the fermenting sap oozing from oak trees tl1at have been bored by Goat Mom larvae, or Vipers Bugloss flowers literally weighted down witl1 scores of Small aJJd Essex Skippers.

I was quite unaware mac mere were a few Purple Hairstreaks in my garden until I tried me wonderfully messy practice of 'wine-roping' for morns. However, wasps are also very partial to these baits, but soon attack the butterflies when mey tire of the sweet course! So to preserve my Hairstreaks clie sticky lengths of old sash-cord can only be draped in the branches during darkness and tl1e butterflies must remain content with their more natural diet of honeydew.

Last years bi-annual 'pilgrimage' to Hockley woods to watch Heatl1 Fritillaries was marred by an untrutl1ful weather forecaster. As we ate our lunch listening to

10

tl1e steady drizzle on tl1e car roof an ancient Rover departed from aJ1 adjacent space leaving a large wet stain in its dry patch.

Almost at once the ominous, sickly sweet smell of antifreeze reached my nostrils, aJJd as the sun made a brief watery appearaJJce so too did a couple of Holly Blues to imbibe some of tl1e rusty coloured liquid.

Those with gardens designed to attract insects may have noticed that if me tender 'Lantana Camara' is grown in a very sheltered spot, then visiting Humming Bird Hawk morns will often disregard even Buddleia and Honeysuckle in favour of this shrub of tl1eVerbena family. Similarly large stands of tall Comfrey such as can be found along the banks of the River Lark at West Stowe country park will be visited by more Broad Bordered Bee Hawk moths than can usually be seen at Bugle or Rhododendron, but tl1ese insects seem to finish feeding by mid-day.

In the late eighties I planted Fennel at strategic points in our garden, having seen upwards of forty Small Coppers on just one clump in Majorca. I have never seen a single butterfly on my lovely aromatic plants, the only visiting UFOs being some sort of hover-fly. I have recently been made aware of the cause of my folly - apparently Mediterranean Lycaenids really go for clie sweet secretions of a local aphid mat just prefers to live on Fennel!

Our present home in Mildenhall has quite an expanse of shingle at botl1 front and rear which has provided even more of an attraction for one or two passing Gra.ylings cliaJJmy palest T-shircs aJJd faded jeans.

An abiding memory of mine dates back to early May, 1994 during a week's holiday at Annisaris on clie nortl1ern coast of Crete. Our hotel was surrounded by derelict ground upon which grew a profusion of blue Statice. Early on tl1e Sunday morning, well before breakfast, clie temperature was

some time before from an article by Bill Shreeves in a Dorset Branch Newsletter which referred to tl1e '1995 Butterfly Monitoring Scheme Report to Recorders'

by E. Pollard and J. Greatorex-Davies.

Here, the aurhors had introduced this identification feature as a transect aid which interestingly, appears to be near impossible to find in clie text of tl1e many field guides.

The teclrnique involves tl1e examination of clie extent of orange on the raised under forewing. In clie Small Skipper, tl1e orange grades to olive-buff across clie wing tip (apex) whereas in the Essex Skipper, the best specimens have the whole of clie underside a uniform orange (often grey streaked) to tl1e wing edge (termen) save for the grey terminal fringe. Any Essex Skipper that is not orange to the apex has a generally less distinct area of olive-buff.

In me field, I was delighted to find that with care, many could indeed be identified correctly wimout looking at clie antennae alcliough I have to say mat you caJJnot avoid clie urge to check tl1em! I also took twelve photographs wicli a total of 15 butterflies pictured to examine tl1ese wing features and in all but one instance, identification was confirmed by clie undersides of clie antennae matching clie undersides of me wing tips.

The study was successful enough for me to want to repeat it a.gain mis year and I certainly wish mat I had cliis knowledge during the Millennium Survey.

In recent correspondence on this subject wicli J. Nick Greatorex-Davies of clie Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Monks Wood, Cambs., the originator of clie report section on separating the species in this way, clie author states that he just happened to notice this difference one skipper full day in 1995 and rim the two species could be fairly consistently separated on this character often from a distaJJce of a metre or so. Furclier investigations were also

carried out to try out how effective me "new" metl1od was. Otl1er man me occasional Essex Skipper which did not have properly blackened underside tips to the antennae he found mat cliey were 'lineola' from clie other features. Nick does find however, that tl1e method seems to work less well once the skippers start to get raclier worn and tl1at extra ea.re has to be ta.ken.

Interestingly, and to prove that like so many good ideas this one is not entirely new, Bill Shreeves in his article notes that Charles A. Hall's "Pocket Book of British Butterflies" (1938, Black) makes clie point that 'tl1e Essex Skipper closely resembles the Small Skipper but ... it lacks ... the light tip benea.cli the forewing of that species'. Nick was surprised to hear of cliis longstanding little gem and is as surprised as I am to find mat clie distinction is not mentioned in tl1e popular identification guides. However, it can reassuringly, be found in tl1e monumental The Butterflies of Great Britain & Ireland, vol.7, pa.rt 1 Harley Books, which describes the Small Skipper underside as - "Forewing pale orangefulvous, grading to pale ochreous at apex."

I have since looked for this feature (togetl1er with the two oilier key characteristics) in pictures in my book collection wim some interesting results as you will see. It was intriguing to see tl1at some photographs may well be wrongly titled and that others do show mat clie 'under-forewing test' does have its problems which is why I am keen to look at more specimens tl1is summer. In guides using photographs, I have to say mat pictures of the upper sides of females generally prove to be oflimited value. Those of you who own any of these books or others, will hopefully want to look for yourselves. Moreover, I hope this article inspires you to try tl1is technique in tl1e field when mese fascinating insects are on tl1e wing again mis summer.

15

The Suffolk Argus

Summer 2001

Stnall Skipper or Essex Skipper?

by Steve Goddard

\

\

I

i. l'

ESSEX

SMALL

ESSEX

Identification of Essex/Small Skipper

by Douglas Hammersley

14

In his article of February 1999, Douglas Hammersley states chat "there are two species which defy rapid, positive identification: Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) and Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola)". How right he is and it is no wonder that the Essex Skipper was not separately described until as late as 1890 because of their similariry.

All of us, I am sure, have spent a lot of time struggling to examine the undersides of the antennae of these species and even then not always being convinced by what we see!

Hardly surprising when the undersides of the antenna! tips of Small Skipper range from light orange (the easy ones!) to brown and chat the female Essex Skipper can have a slight rufous ringe to irs black tips particularly in lace season. The photograph on page3 l ofThe Butterflies of Suffolk, Mendel & Piotrowski, 1986 shows this feature and iris mentioned in the text on page 32. Some Essex Skippers may also have a generally reduced amount of black on the tips.

If we are looking ar the upper wing surface of still males, the line of black scent scales should clinch an identification. That of the Essex Skipper being shorter and thinner than the Small Skipper as well as being parallel to the outer edge of the wing.

The Small Skipper has a longer line which rends to be bolder and is also slightly curved and just off parallel (see Douglas Hammersley's illustrations).

It is interesting to note that the scientific species name of Essex Skipper, 'lineola', literally means 'a shore line' which may be a useful memory aid. We should also remember chat females do not have such scent lines.

So, it was with these well-known difficulties in mind that lase summer, I decided to cry our a "new" method of which I had been aware for some time bur had not pursued. I had picked up rhe information

already 26°C. so I wandered out to look for We hastily parked the car with enough burrerflies. As I approached I initially room for a narrow bicycle to squeeze past thought char somebody had sprayed rhe and headed along a track through the sea of flowers wirh weed-killer as rhey had rurned bright yellow blooms. A fleecing distant brown overnight. However, the sombre glimpse of a Great Banded/Rock Grayling colorarion rurned our ro be a vast swarm of rype ofburrerfly confirmed rhar we had Painted Ladies, quire unperturbed at my chosen a good spot. presence. It reminded me of television After only a few yards we had seen, pictures of Monarchs at their hibernation photographed and videoed half a dozen sires. After I had watched entranced for five Queen of Spain Fririltaries. A bit further minutes, they took to the air 'en masse', along they were joined by the ubiquitous their combined wing-beats sounding like a Painted Ladies and Clouded Yellows. Both heavy downpour of rain and headed Dappled and Bach Whites ( I still can't northwards out co sea, a dark cloud in an readily tell rhe difference ) were also otherwise clear blue sky. Amazingly, I never plentiful with one or rwo Long-Tailed Blues saw another Painted Lady all the rest of the which actually look quire grey in flight. week and only a few back home in the hot Some beehives complete with their vicious, summer that followed. angry, little inhabitants persuaded us to beat During our holiday laseyear in southern a reluctant hasty retreat back co rhe safery Turkey, lace one evening a Death's Head of our hot car, but not before we had a good Hawk moth introduced itself co the terrified close view of a large, showy waxy-winged kitchen staff who promptly vacated tl1e Eastern Festoon burrerfly soon followed by premises. It flew around the room in a rather a very early pristine Black-Veined White, noisy, ponderous manner, ignoring bowls of both welt worth the risk of being stung. honey in favour of the sour yoghurt being Perhaps I shall try to get lost more often ! prepared for our buffer breakfast next morning.

My wife and I visited ._ the Cassandra peninsula in northern Greece for a r:Jbl-f-',j.~ w_eekin May this_year. We ·•--~hired a small car JUStfor one ,.,.,.!_• -,,:. day and set out to explore rhe area with the aid of one of chose useless lirrle giveaway tourist maps which portray every mountain dire crack as if it were the M25 !

Needless to say, we were soon quite lose bur then rightly guessed char we were descending steeply cowards the resort of Pefkohori. Suddenly, on rounding one of chose treacherous hairpins we were confronted by a large hollow full of Corn Marigold flowers or Crown Daisies as they are better known in Europe.

Queen of Spain Fricillary

~?"~

'#':,,

11

Summer 2001

The Suffolk Argus

Clouded Yellow2000

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5 ' 13

Summer 2001

The Suffolk Argus

Clouded Yellow2000

0

2

1

0

0 T(; 63 Tr62

161 Tetrads

9

E J p u z D 1 N T y C H M s X B G L R w A

5

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5 ' 13

The Suffolk Argus

Summer 2001

Stnall Skipper or Essex Skipper?

by Steve Goddard

\

\

I

i. l'

ESSEX

SMALL

ESSEX

Identification of Essex/Small Skipper

by Douglas Hammersley

14

In his article of February 1999, Douglas Hammersley states chat "there are two species which defy rapid, positive identification: Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) and Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola)". How right he is and it is no wonder that the Essex Skipper was not separately described until as late as 1890 because of their similariry.

All of us, I am sure, have spent a lot of time struggling to examine the undersides of the antennae of these species and even then not always being convinced by what we see!

Hardly surprising when the undersides of the antenna! tips of Small Skipper range from light orange (the easy ones!) to brown and chat the female Essex Skipper can have a slight rufous ringe to irs black tips particularly in lace season. The photograph on page3 l ofThe Butterflies of Suffolk, Mendel & Piotrowski, 1986 shows this feature and iris mentioned in the text on page 32. Some Essex Skippers may also have a generally reduced amount of black on the tips.

If we are looking ar the upper wing surface of still males, the line of black scent scales should clinch an identification. That of the Essex Skipper being shorter and thinner than the Small Skipper as well as being parallel to the outer edge of the wing.

The Small Skipper has a longer line which rends to be bolder and is also slightly curved and just off parallel (see Douglas Hammersley's illustrations).

It is interesting to note that the scientific species name of Essex Skipper, 'lineola', literally means 'a shore line' which may be a useful memory aid. We should also remember chat females do not have such scent lines.

So, it was with these well-known difficulties in mind that lase summer, I decided to cry our a "new" method of which I had been aware for some time bur had not pursued. I had picked up rhe information

already 26°C. so I wandered out to look for We hastily parked the car with enough burrerflies. As I approached I initially room for a narrow bicycle to squeeze past thought char somebody had sprayed rhe and headed along a track through the sea of flowers wirh weed-killer as rhey had rurned bright yellow blooms. A fleecing distant brown overnight. However, the sombre glimpse of a Great Banded/Rock Grayling colorarion rurned our ro be a vast swarm of rype ofburrerfly confirmed rhar we had Painted Ladies, quire unperturbed at my chosen a good spot. presence. It reminded me of television After only a few yards we had seen, pictures of Monarchs at their hibernation photographed and videoed half a dozen sires. After I had watched entranced for five Queen of Spain Fririltaries. A bit further minutes, they took to the air 'en masse', along they were joined by the ubiquitous their combined wing-beats sounding like a Painted Ladies and Clouded Yellows. Both heavy downpour of rain and headed Dappled and Bach Whites ( I still can't northwards out co sea, a dark cloud in an readily tell rhe difference ) were also otherwise clear blue sky. Amazingly, I never plentiful with one or rwo Long-Tailed Blues saw another Painted Lady all the rest of the which actually look quire grey in flight. week and only a few back home in the hot Some beehives complete with their vicious, summer that followed. angry, little inhabitants persuaded us to beat During our holiday laseyear in southern a reluctant hasty retreat back co rhe safery Turkey, lace one evening a Death's Head of our hot car, but not before we had a good Hawk moth introduced itself co the terrified close view of a large, showy waxy-winged kitchen staff who promptly vacated tl1e Eastern Festoon burrerfly soon followed by premises. It flew around the room in a rather a very early pristine Black-Veined White, noisy, ponderous manner, ignoring bowls of both welt worth the risk of being stung. honey in favour of the sour yoghurt being Perhaps I shall try to get lost more often ! prepared for our buffer breakfast next morning.

My wife and I visited ._ the Cassandra peninsula in northern Greece for a r:Jbl-f-',j.~ w_eekin May this_year. We ·•--~hired a small car JUStfor one ,.,.,.!_• -,,:. day and set out to explore rhe area with the aid of one of chose useless lirrle giveaway tourist maps which portray every mountain dire crack as if it were the M25 !

Needless to say, we were soon quite lose bur then rightly guessed char we were descending steeply cowards the resort of Pefkohori. Suddenly, on rounding one of chose treacherous hairpins we were confronted by a large hollow full of Corn Marigold flowers or Crown Daisies as they are better known in Europe.

Queen of Spain Fricillary

~?"~

'#':,,

11

Summer 2001

The Suffolk Argus

Som.e Insect Associations

by Mervyn Crawford.

Observations of insect behaviour in recent years have revealed a number of instances both here in Suffolk and abroad, where some familiar butterflies and moths seem to have formed an 'association' with various food sources.

No doubt most enthusiasts are aware of such phenomena as the Purple Emperor's depraved liking for decaying carrion (and worse) or the Death's Head Hawk Moth's sometimes suicidal raids on beehives. Some, too, have probably witnessed Red Admirals and Speckled Woods jostling among tl1e ants to get at the fermenting sap oozing from oak trees tl1at have been bored by Goat Mom larvae, or Vipers Bugloss flowers literally weighted down witl1 scores of Small aJJd Essex Skippers.

I was quite unaware mac mere were a few Purple Hairstreaks in my garden until I tried me wonderfully messy practice of 'wine-roping' for morns. However, wasps are also very partial to these baits, but soon attack the butterflies when mey tire of the sweet course! So to preserve my Hairstreaks clie sticky lengths of old sash-cord can only be draped in the branches during darkness and tl1e butterflies must remain content with their more natural diet of honeydew.

Last years bi-annual 'pilgrimage' to Hockley woods to watch Heatl1 Fritillaries was marred by an untrutl1ful weather forecaster. As we ate our lunch listening to

10

tl1e steady drizzle on tl1e car roof an ancient Rover departed from aJ1 adjacent space leaving a large wet stain in its dry patch.

Almost at once the ominous, sickly sweet smell of antifreeze reached my nostrils, aJJd as the sun made a brief watery appearaJJce so too did a couple of Holly Blues to imbibe some of tl1e rusty coloured liquid.

Those with gardens designed to attract insects may have noticed that if me tender 'Lantana Camara' is grown in a very sheltered spot, then visiting Humming Bird Hawk morns will often disregard even Buddleia and Honeysuckle in favour of this shrub of tl1eVerbena family. Similarly large stands of tall Comfrey such as can be found along the banks of the River Lark at West Stowe country park will be visited by more Broad Bordered Bee Hawk moths than can usually be seen at Bugle or Rhododendron, but tl1ese insects seem to finish feeding by mid-day.

In the late eighties I planted Fennel at strategic points in our garden, having seen upwards of forty Small Coppers on just one clump in Majorca. I have never seen a single butterfly on my lovely aromatic plants, the only visiting UFOs being some sort of hover-fly. I have recently been made aware of the cause of my folly - apparently Mediterranean Lycaenids really go for clie sweet secretions of a local aphid mat just prefers to live on Fennel!

Our present home in Mildenhall has quite an expanse of shingle at botl1 front and rear which has provided even more of an attraction for one or two passing Gra.ylings cliaJJmy palest T-shircs aJJd faded jeans.

An abiding memory of mine dates back to early May, 1994 during a week's holiday at Annisaris on clie nortl1ern coast of Crete. Our hotel was surrounded by derelict ground upon which grew a profusion of blue Statice. Early on tl1e Sunday morning, well before breakfast, clie temperature was

some time before from an article by Bill Shreeves in a Dorset Branch Newsletter which referred to tl1e '1995 Butterfly Monitoring Scheme Report to Recorders'

by E. Pollard and J. Greatorex-Davies.

Here, the aurhors had introduced this identification feature as a transect aid which interestingly, appears to be near impossible to find in clie text of tl1e many field guides.

The teclrnique involves tl1e examination of clie extent of orange on the raised under forewing. In clie Small Skipper, tl1e orange grades to olive-buff across clie wing tip (apex) whereas in the Essex Skipper, the best specimens have the whole of clie underside a uniform orange (often grey streaked) to tl1e wing edge (termen) save for the grey terminal fringe. Any Essex Skipper that is not orange to the apex has a generally less distinct area of olive-buff.

In me field, I was delighted to find that with care, many could indeed be identified correctly wimout looking at clie antennae alcliough I have to say mat you caJJnot avoid clie urge to check tl1em! I also took twelve photographs wicli a total of 15 butterflies pictured to examine tl1ese wing features and in all but one instance, identification was confirmed by clie undersides of clie antennae matching clie undersides of me wing tips.

The study was successful enough for me to want to repeat it a.gain mis year and I certainly wish mat I had cliis knowledge during the Millennium Survey.

In recent correspondence on this subject wicli J. Nick Greatorex-Davies of clie Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Monks Wood, Cambs., the originator of clie report section on separating the species in this way, clie author states that he just happened to notice this difference one skipper full day in 1995 and rim the two species could be fairly consistently separated on this character often from a distaJJce of a metre or so. Furclier investigations were also

carried out to try out how effective me "new" metl1od was. Otl1er man me occasional Essex Skipper which did not have properly blackened underside tips to the antennae he found mat cliey were 'lineola' from clie other features. Nick does find however, that tl1e method seems to work less well once the skippers start to get raclier worn and tl1at extra ea.re has to be ta.ken.

Interestingly, and to prove that like so many good ideas this one is not entirely new, Bill Shreeves in his article notes that Charles A. Hall's "Pocket Book of British Butterflies" (1938, Black) makes clie point that 'tl1e Essex Skipper closely resembles the Small Skipper but ... it lacks ... the light tip benea.cli the forewing of that species'. Nick was surprised to hear of cliis longstanding little gem and is as surprised as I am to find mat clie distinction is not mentioned in tl1e popular identification guides. However, it can reassuringly, be found in tl1e monumental The Butterflies of Great Britain & Ireland, vol.7, pa.rt 1 Harley Books, which describes the Small Skipper underside as - "Forewing pale orangefulvous, grading to pale ochreous at apex."

I have since looked for this feature (togetl1er with the two oilier key characteristics) in pictures in my book collection wim some interesting results as you will see. It was intriguing to see tl1at some photographs may well be wrongly titled and that others do show mat clie 'under-forewing test' does have its problems which is why I am keen to look at more specimens tl1is summer. In guides using photographs, I have to say mat pictures of the upper sides of females generally prove to be oflimited value. Those of you who own any of these books or others, will hopefully want to look for yourselves. Moreover, I hope this article inspires you to try tl1is technique in tl1e field when mese fascinating insects are on tl1e wing again mis summer.

15

The Suffolk Argus

Glossary fulvous - brownish yellow; tawny. ochreous - yellow tinged with brown.

Acknowledgements Douglas Hammersley, 'sylvestris or lineola', The Suffolk Argus, Volume 16, February 1999 Bill Shreeves, Telling the Small Skipper from the Essex Skipper, Dorset Branch Newsletter, circa 1995 J. Nick Greatorex-Davies, the 1995 Burterfly Monitoring Scheme to Recorders in above-mentioned article by Bill Shreeves and, in electronic mail.

References MENDEL, H., and PIOTROWSKI, S.H., 1986. The Butterflies of Suffolk.

Suffolk Naturalists' Society.

Photographs of Small Skipper and Essex Skipper (page 31). Note that the lower male under forewing is not discernible bur the anrennal tips and scent-line are clear. In the Essex Skipper (upper female) the greyish under forewing tip, although not too clear, may be indicative of orange scale loss. Also note the confusing rufous tinge to the underside antennal rips. The Essex Skipper on page 33 shows classic antennal tips and although slightly out of focus, the under forewings do appear uniform i.e. not graduating to olive-buff. There is no mention of the under forewing feature in the text.

16

Summer 2001

ASHER, J., 1994. The Butterflies of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Pisces.

The photograph of the Small Skipper on page 18 does nor show the under forewing but the male sc:ent-line and antennal tips show very well. There are two photographs of Essex Skipper on page 19. The small picture shows a uniform orange under forewing and classic antennal rips. The large picture of a male shows the small, parallel scent-line well along with black undersides to antenna! tips. The under forewing is nor visible. There is no mention of the under forewing feature in the text.

FULLER, M., 1995.

The Butterflies of Wiltshire. Pisces.

The photograph of a Small Skipper on page 22 shows only the brownish antenna! tips on this female. The male Essex Skipper on page 24 shows all rhe features well - black undersides to antennal tips, small scent-line and uniform orange under forewing. A slightly enlarged version of Jim Asher's photograph (mentioned above) shows the antennal tips and under forewing even berter. There is no mention of the under forewing feature in the text.

DUNBAR, D., Ed., 1993. Saving Butterflies. The British Butterfly Conservation Society Limited.

The Photograph on page 47 is noted as a Small Skipper bur the under forewing seems to indicate Essex Skipper. The antennal tips however, are indicative of Small Skipper or, could they be the rufous tinge of an Essex Skipper female? Who says it is easy! From my "new" experience, I would now go with the latter and suggest that this is a photograph of a female Essex Skipper and not a Small Skipper

A rarely seen event observat· s of the ~ White--lett==-=~~.~~ Hairstreak

--.

-

..........

White- Letter Hairs treak

by Douglas Hammersley

by Steve Goddard As canopy dwelling insects, it is not surprising tl1at the pairing of this butterfly is seldom seen. Therefore, I would like to share my experience of what proved to be a noteworthy event.

On July 12th, 1999 whilst carrying out a survey of this species at Bixley near Ipswicli, Suffolk, I now realise that I was most fortunate indeed to witness such an occurrence. It was a warm and sunny morning with little cloud but with a gentle north-east breeze which was making canopy observation generally rather difficult. For a brief period tol0.48 am however, I had been using my binoculars to observe two of rhese-hairsrreaks perched in a small elm of approximately fifteen feet in height which was isolated from the taller main hedgerow and less exposed to rhe wind. It faced sourheast and was in full sun.

Ar I 0.5 5am after a short walk close by, I returned in tl1e hope of having a further look at these charming insects to find char at a particular spot where previously there had been one butterfly, there was now a pair in cop. A third alighted close to as I was watching. There had not been any flight courrship during my initial sighting.

I watched the insects for a few more minutes before carrying on with my survey.

On my return to rhe tree at 11.40 am rhe pair were srill in cop and that is how I left rhem.

Whilst being entllfalled by this rare experience at the rime, I had not appreciated its significance until reading up on what I had seen on my return home. I was delighted to read tl1at Jeremy Thomas in The Butterflies of Britain & Ireland, Dorling Kindersley, 1991 stares rhar 'Pairing probably occurs on the canopy, although I know of no one who has seen this take place' and that Martyn Davies in The White-letter Hairstreak Butterfly, Butterfly Conservation, 1992 states that 'It is also thought chat courrship and macing must occur in the tree canopy as it has, as far as I know, only been observed once! The author was lucky enough to find and photograph a mating pair on a thistle head in 1984'.

So, it seems char I had been lucky enough to witness a rarely seen event.

Despite many years of butterfly observation by many enthusiasts it just shows how much there is still to see and enjoy. Thank you Jeremy and Martyn for reminding me of this.

9

The Suffolk Argus

woodland becomes more sparse and open to the sun. To the right as the path nears the cliff the atmosphere becomes cool and moist. There was still dew on the leaves at I lam on a July morning with the temperature in the arid bit in the middle 80's F. The river in the summer is a tinkling mountain strean1, there are lots of wagtails and I am told kingfishers bur so far every time I have seen their flash of colour it has turned out to be a large dragonfly.

I have so far definitely identified 33 different species plus some blues and fritillaries to sore out, but at least I have discovered that my two different large Nymphalidae are ArgynniJ paphia, Silverwashed Fritillary and Argynnis Pandora, Cardinal for in this area the two species overlap. My list to date is below.

I don't know if I will ever identify every species for my books tell me that it is just possible in this area to see 23 different blues, 16 fritillaries, 15 skippers, 10 hairstreaks, 9 Graylings, 8 whites and 5 coppers just for a start.

Anne, my wife, and I often spend several hours here, she tells me to go off and look for butterflies while she enjoys the plants the birds and the quiet. With a picnic area, loos and a cafe in the village it is a wonderful place to spend a day.

Summer 2001

Le Tech butterfly list Large White, Small White, Bath White, Wood White, Orange Tip, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Wall, Southern Speckled Wood, Comma, Painted Lady, Red Adrniral, Peacock, Southern White Admiral, Clouded Yellow, Cleopatra, Swallowtail, Scarce Swallowtail, Cardinal, Silver-washed fritillary plus at least two others, Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Grayling, Great-banded Grayling, Green Hairstreak, Small Copper, Large Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Silver-spotted Skipper, Common Blue and Holly Blue plus 2 others.

THOMAS,}., and LEWINGTON, R., 1991. The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland. Dorling Kindersley.

Small Skipper: The photograph of a male on page 142 shows only the scent-line well.

The photograph of a female is inconclusive.

The photograph atop bracken on page 143 again is difficult but the under forewing is 'Essex-like' although the antennal tips do look more like Small Skipper! The adjacent egg-laying female is most interesting, seeming to show orange antenna! tips and a uniform orange under forewing!

Essex Skipper: The under forewing of the male upper-side photograph is not discernible but the scene-line is more like that of a male Small Skipper as is the underside of the left-hand antenna i.e.it is not black beneath! The adjacent underside photograph again seems to show Small Skipper with an olive-buff tip and a seemingly orange tip to the one visible antenna. There is no mention of the under forewing feature in the text. Maybe anyone with the larger format book could see these features more clearly.

The differences are illustrated well on pages 17 and 19 although again, there is no mention in the text.

THOMAS, J .,A., 1986. Butterflies of the British Isles. Country Life Books a Division of the Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited.

The under forewing feature is illustrated very well on page 27. The photograph of a Small Skipper on page 43 shows the underside antennal tips and scent-line well but the under forewing is hardly discernible.

There is no mention of this latter feature in the text. The Essex Skipper photograph on page 45 shows both the antenna! tips and under forewings well.

HIGGINS, LG., andRILEYN.D., 1976 Reprint. A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Europe.

Collins.

P.S. I have not started on the day flying moths yet. There are several different tigers.

Small Copper

by Douglas Hammersley

8

BROOKS, M., and KNIGHT, C., 1985. A Complete pocket guide to British butterflies.Jonathan Cape.

Plate 60 and text, page 335. Essex Skipper: Them.ale under forewing is described as "fulvous, apex usually yellow-grey..". The female is described as "similar". This is contrary to the main point of this article.

However, the guide is somewhat confusing in that the male illustration is as described but the female illustration shows a uniform orange under forewing! Small Skipper: The male under forewing is described as "fulvous, tip of forewingand most ofhindwinggreyish". The female is again described as "similar". The illustrations match the descriptions.

.............

Essex Skipper

\

by DouglasHammersley \

17

The Suffolk Argus

WHALLEY, P., 1981. TheMitchell Beazley pocket guide to Butterflies.

Mitchell Beazley.

Once more the under forewing is well illustrated by Richard Lewington on pages 18 and 19 but there is nothing in the text.

This book contains the only reference I have found which mentions chat the forewing underside of a male Small Skipper is 'orange-red'. This feature is emphasised by annotation to the male Small Skipper illustration seemingly in contrast to the Essex Skipper which is illustrated as less so.

Is this something else to look for?

READER'S DIGEST NATURE LOVER'S LIBRARY, 1984. Field Guide to the butterflies and other insects of Britain. The Reader's Digest Association Limited, London.

The photograph of a mating pair of rhe Small Skipper on page 30 seem to bear out the "new" idea - the upper insect more than the lower although the wing tip seems more grey than olive-buff. The female Essex Skipper on page 31 shows the uniform orange under forewing and the antennal tips seem to be black on the lower sides.

SOUTH, R., 1906. The Butterflies of the British Isles. Frederick Wame&Co. This gem from the Wayside and Woodland Series makes no mention of the under forewing in the text (pages 187 & 189). It simply focuses on the two most well-known characteristics. However, plate 125 just about shows the differences. Richard South incidentally, was the first to entitle 'lineola' as Essex Skipper in 1906. It is suggested chat he was ptobably following existing oral practice since the first specimens were collected from Sc. Osyrh in Essex.

18

Summer 2001

BU1TERFLY CONSERVATION/ CENTREFORECOLOGYAND HYDROLOGY, 2001. The Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland. Oxford University Press; The beautiful photograph on page 57 under the heading of Small Skipper is unfortunately wrongly placed as rhe two insects are quite clearly Large Skippers. The Essex Skipper on page 61 is an upper side view of a female, so perhaps we cannot be totally convinced of the identification but on balance ir does appear that the black colour is wrapping around the antennal tips.

There are no descriptions of butterfly topography in the text since this is not an identification guide.

Incidentally, what an excellent book this is - everything we hoped it would be and more. For more information see preview in the Winter 200 I issue of Butterfly Conservation News (No.76). Every member should own a copy.

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Small Skipper

by Douglas Hammersley

\

One of rr1y favourite places in France

by James Mann

Less than half a mile from our house the road crosses a bridge over a river called Le Tech. To the left the river crosses the plain and issues into the Mediterranean some ten miles away between the towns of Argeles and Sr. Cyprien. To the right it twists, turns and tumbles down from a height of around 1700 feet from a tiny village called Le Tech some twenry miles away. By all logic with the same name as the river we would expect this to be the source, but no, the source is another twenty miles up the valley on the Spanish border at a height of7800 feet.

My favourite place is in the village of Le Tech. A little track forks off the 'majn' road and crosses the river by means of ague. Ague is a low bridge that is without parapets and is submerged at times of flood. The track proceeds for only about a quarter of a mile on a narrowing piece of land between the river on the left and a cliff rising ro about 50 feet high on the right. The track used to go some 250 yards further but the floods of November 1999 swept this bit away.

It is only a small area but it has an amazing diversity of habitat. It starts off with an arid sandy patch, ideal to hide Graylings. As the river curves to the left away from the path it makes way for an area of woodland containing both sunny and shady areas, on the right is an open rough grassy area where I have already seen at least four different blues and three different Skippers. This patch is surrounded by various indigenous flowering shrubs and the usual escaped buddleia. As the river curves back towards the path the

7

The Suffolk Argus

Our lunch was eaten in a nearby picnic spot, before we set off northwards along the beach, facing into a fresh breeze but with more sunny periods developing. When adjacent to Sizewell 'B', we saw our first Clouded Yellow, also a Small Heath, then a female Common Blue resting on a dry seedhead.

A second Clouded Yellow was then seen at the top of the shingle ridge, well camouflaged when diving down to rest on sea pea. Also noted in this area were Grayling on sea holly.

We had now reached the point where we had to leave the beach and turn inland.

A very sheltered area rich in flora, including bird's-foot trefoil, wild carrot, hemp agrimony, knapweed, fleaba.ne and restharrow. Common Blue were in abundance and their white eggs, which are la.id singly, were searched for and found on the leaves of rest-harrow. Confirmation being made with the aid of a hand lens. Small Copper, Large White, Speckled Wood, Small Heath and a very late and faded Meadow Brown were also noted in this area.

The final stage of our walk was along woodland rides, following the southern edge of Goose Hill, then Kenton Hills. These

Summer 2001

Why the

in Buddleja?

by Steve Goddard Much has been written a.bout the wonderful 'Butterfly Bush' perhaps more commonly with the spelling of'Buddleia.' but also with the spelling of'Buddleja ', So, which is correct? Well, strictly it is the latter and the reason goes something like this: When Carl Linnaeus assigned the name of the Reverend Adam Buddle (16601715) to the genus, he mis-spelt the word with a 'j' instead of an 'i'. However, by the rules of international nomenclature, the original spelling- even though in error - must take precedence. '·· \~~'.

Hence 'Buddleja' is to be ~r...~:;. .. preferred over ,,.,..

'Buddleia'.

The Clouded Yellowin Suffolk:2000

by Richard Stewart (Suffolk County Butterfly Recorder) For Clouded Yellow 2000 Tetra.d Map

see Pages 12-13.

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woodlands were planted ~~-'\ by the Forestry ~'Commission in 1958, again : . ) .. forming part of Nuclear Electric's land '....,l~·•" holding.

Good clear views were had of a Wall Brown on sow thistle and many Speckled Wood were in evidence along the rides. The weather by now had improved dramatically with almost unbroken sunshine and our walk ended with sightings of Red Admiral, Comma, Small White, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown, Common Blue making a total of 14 species. All very rewarding after a most un-promising start.

by Douglas Hammersley

6

'J'

Clouded Yellow

by Beryl Johnson

It is difficuJt to refer to a record year for a species of butterfly witl1 complete certainty, since modern detailed recording is a relatively new mechanism. However, the previous years when detailed recording was used for the Clouded Yellow produced coverage of 113 2 km. tetra.ds in 1996 and 119 in 1983. The year 2000 easily exceeded these, with 161 tetra.ds being covered.

There is a noticeable coastal concentration of records from Southwold down to La.ndguard though the coastal gaps elsewhere are surprising. As expected there is a concentration in and a.round Ipswich, Clouded Yellows probably following the Orwell in from the coast and here there is the greatest concentration of recorders. The concentration of West Suffolk records in cl1eextensive King' Forest again probably reflects the number of recorders but for the whole of the TL tetrads the total was just 46, i.e. 28.6% of cl1ecounty total. This is probably consequent on reduced recording here, as already indicated in the 2000 Butterfly Report.

The Clouded Yellow was recorded on all but one of the current transects and ~ total of 112 recorders were involved out of 179 submitting records. These include late ones received after recent publicity, and this represents 62.5% of all Suffolk butterfly recorders seeing the Clouded Yellow in 2000.

The total number for 2000 was 1048 and a monthly analysis follows.

Weather comments come from the monthly summary by Ken Blowers in the EADT:

19

The Suffolk Argus

June: The first records were from Landguard (staff) and Bradfield Woods NNR (Stephen Hunt) on the I 0'h. The species was recorded on ten more days in June, with a maximum of three recorders, each with one specimen, on l 9'h and 20'h. Most records were in che second half of the month, which witnessed warm and humid southerly winds, with air chat had originated over Spain and North Africa bringing very high mid-June temperatures. Month total: 20.

July: Dull, cold and dismal weather, with many days of cool, northerly-westerly winds, led co just ten days of records and a total of 17 seen. John Walshe, an assiduous recorder, noted a female at Great Livermere Lake oviposicing on white clover, che stunted prostrate planes on a stony track and a few leafier plants on damp semiimproved pasmre. These were laid singly on the upperside of the leaf, about twenty-five being laid from midday to 12.20. It was also observed nectaring on creeping thistle.

August: A warm month with daytime temperatures above the average of 70F (21 C) on 26 days produced Clouded Yellow records on 29 days, with records each day from 7'h. August to 6'h. September. Best returns were on the 16'h (2 recorders, 59 rotal), 21" (7 recorders, 45 rotal), 29thth (6 recorders, 69 total) and 30'h (13 recorders, 43 total). Mick Wright recorded a maximum of 62 on one day from 9'h. August ro 6'h. September at Trimley Reserve and John Walshe, this time on a set-aside field with white clover near Levingron Marina, recorded 22 inflight and nectaring on bugloss and weasel's snout. Month total: 470.

Summer2001

September: This was a warm month with a marked absence of northerly winds, and a flow of soucheascerly winds from a warm continent. Records covered 27 out of 30 days with an exceptional 329 out of a month total of 522 being on I 0'h. These involved l 4 recorders buc two feamred exceptional numbers for Suffolk. Colin Jacobs reported at least 100 on a Lowescofc Field Club trip co Shingle Street, commencing 'everywhere you walked these butterflies were dismrbed' and close by, but recording separately, Steve Babbs recorded approximately 200 on a clover-like crop at Oxley Marshes. The weather conditions and close coastal proximity could indicate migrants but the relatively shore life cycle of this species could suggest a homebred emergence of the next generation after che earlier migrants. The problem is compounded by no reports of Clouded Yellows observed flying in from the sea on this day, or indeed at any other time in 2000.

2000 Field Trips

October: A final flurry produced 19 records on 7 days, mainly single sightings, with the lase at Landguard on che 19'h.

There were no reports of Pale Clouded Yellow but at least 8 of var. helice.

Grayling

by BerylJohnson

20

Kenton Hills and Sizewell Sunday J<dSeptember, 2000

by Alan Johnson The last event on last year's programme saw nine of our members meet in the car park at Kenton Hills. Ttwas a rather cloudy and overcast morning, not helped by incermircent outbreaks oflight drizzle and a fresh N.W. wind. Hardly the ideal conditions for seeing butterflies. However, just to prove the pessimists wrong, two Red Admirals were found on bramble, before we left the car park.

The initial part of our walk cook us along waymarked permissive paths around Sizewell Belts, an area rich in wildlife, comprising grazing marshes, intersected by drainage dykes and tree belts, which has been designated an SSST. It forms part of Nuclear Electric's land holding adjacent co che Power Stations and is managed in conjunction with Suffolk Wildlife Trust.

No further butterflies were noted until we crossed rhe meadow south of Rackham Pits Wood, when a combination of the shelcer of a broad thick hedge and a brief interlude of warm sunshine produced Speckled Wood, Grayling and Small Copper, the bright colours of che latter being one of the few noted this year.

We now joined the public footpath which crosses Broom Covert and then on co the Leiscon - Sizewell road, rhe weacl1er still coo cool for butterflies, not even any 'whites'! However, by the time we reached Sizewell beach, a few outbreaks of sunshine had begun co appear and we were heartened co see Speckled, Painted Lady, Small Copper and Common Blue.

5

The Suffolk Argus

ranging ~ut from the house and its more formal garden. Other properties nearby had similar habitats rich in wildlife, with RSPB North Warren close by. The proposal for a. caravan p_a.rkon adjacent land met with strong disapproval in the local newspaper and BC's written objection no doubt helped in the eventual rejection of the scheme. As the wise Confucius remarked, 'Better co light one small candle than to complain about the dark'

Summer 2001

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.

Early and Late dates:

by Richard Stewart In addition to those changed by records in 200, the following are now different, as a. consequence of detailed records from the previous County Survey only recently being ma.de available to me:

Essex Skipper (early): Stuart Ling - Belstea.dWoods TM 134412 - 29.5.1983.

Essex Skipper (late): Alan Hubbard - Bromswell TM 2950- 12.9.1984.

Large Skipper (late): Alan Hubbard - Bromswell TM 2950- 31.8.1984.

Din~ Skipper (late): D. Croxson - La.ckford TL 804739, TL 806744 - 4.7.1983.

Silver-studded Blue (late): C.R. Naunton - Dunwich Forest TM 4571 - 21.8.1983.

Small Heath (early): M. Burnside-Aldringha.m TM 4560 and 4660- 5.5.1983.

Ringlet (late): S. Green at West Stow TL 8272 and LG.Palmer at Mayday Farm TL 805838 - both 27.8.1984.

4

Finally, a comment, by comparison, on the national situation. Nick Bowles in 'British Wildlife' and Mark Tun more in 'Atropos' commented on early records in County Wexford (22 nd. April) and Cheyne (Dorset) the next day. June migration was accompanied by influxes of Silver Y, Painted Lady and Red Admiral, mainly in the southeast bur moving quickly through the Midlands and into northern England. Nick Bowles specifically refers to substantial Clouded Yellow influx on 9'h. June and I decided to contact other Branches of Butterfly Conservation to see how closely their records for the species echoed the Suffolk scenario:

Also, after the 2000 report was completed, I received the following: 9'h. December - Peacock a.t Creeting St. • Mary, TM 093557 - Nigel Smarr. l 2'h. December - Comma. a.tAldringham, TM 462616- David Gawin and Simon Travis.

This beats the previous la.test by over a. month. l ". J a.nuary 2000 - Small Tortoiseshell a.t Walberswick, TM 500743 -Alan and Edwina. Beaumont (earliest ever) and Peacock at Ness Point, Lowestoft, TM 556937 - same two recorders plus P. Hansford - equal earliest ever.

This brings the l". January total to 7 a.t 6 different sites: 4 Red Admiral, 2 Pea.cock and 1 Small Tortoiseshell.

Note: 2000 Report, Argus 22, p.21 - the record of the Painted Lady at Spa Gardens Felixstowe on 5'h. November should have been two, not one, recorded by Jean and Ken Garrod.·

Lancashire: A record year, with sightings from 29'h. June to 13'h. October.

Hampshire and IOW Oohn Taverner) precise data not available as the yearly report was at the press but a modern record, well above the previous 'invasion', the Isle of Wight particularly conspicuous in numbers that probably exceeded, by a factor of five, the total for the whole of the nineties.

Kent Oohn Maddocks) - 1994-1999:

recorded 1n 186 2 km tetrads; 2000: recorded in 324: 'early arrivals in June were clearly successful in breeding over here as the butterfly was found in high concentrations later in August'. Var. helice records were accompanied by a probable Pale Clouded Yellow at RSPB Dungeness but the most unusual was '50 found in August pa.trolling an elongated mound of clover just south of the Millennium Dome.

Who said it didn't have any visitors'.

Norfolk (Brian Mcllwrath): A majority of inland sightings, with records from 31 2 km. tetrads compared to 1998 (14) and 1999 (2).

Essex/Cambs (Val Perrin): Records from 64 2 km. tetrads though 1996 had 82. Val noted an interesting sequence from 1991 to 2000, of very poor years being alternated with better ones, the respective figures being: 4,24,0,24,1,82,4,27,9 and 64.

It would be interesting to know if records from other Branches are similar.

Sussex Ooyce Gay) - thousands recorded, many var. helice, probably about 6 Pale Clouded Yellows. 284 recorded at Eastbourne, David Burrows in East Sussex had a season total of 505 and Suffolk's Richard Champion, on holiday, recorded a. pale yellow specimen near Eastbourne on 20'h. August. Detailed garden records from August suggested these maximum numbers were home bred.

21

The Suffolk Argus

Summer2001

Butterflies in Churchyards

Suffolk was at one time noted for its abundant and varied butterflies. Sadly as a result of changes in the countryside many butterfly habitats have been lost.

Many of Suffolk's churchyards have retained fragments of flower-rich grassland, chat have gone from surrounding areas.

Those, which are managed sympathetically, still retain a wealth of wild flowers, which in rum attract good numbers of butterflies.

This survey aims co encourage people co look for and record butterflies in their local churchyard or cemetery. The information collected will build up our knowledge of how important these areas are for this attractive and popular group of insects. A churchyard which is a haven for butterflies will also provide a valuable refuge for other wildlife. Results will be published at the end of the survey and used to produce a report giving details of good conservation management.

22

You don't need to be an expert to carry out this simple survey. Don't be put off, even if you have never identified butterflies before it's really quite easy. All you need is a straightforward field guide and a bit of patience!

If you would like co find out more about butterflies in Suffolk or how co encourage wildlife in your churchyard, please send a sae co SWf, Brooke House, The Green, Ashbocking, Ipswich, Suffolk IP6 9JY.

Editorial

by Richard Stewart Although foot and mouth restrictions have severely limited our Branch activities, we have been active in other ways.

On Saturday 31 ". March rwenty members of BC and the Ipswich Organic Gardeners' Group planted buddleias, other nectar sources and native planes in two long strips behind the water cower at Bixley, courresy of Anglia Water who own the site.

This will hopefully balance the destruction of nearby nectar sources in the old 'secret garden' which has now been cleared for building development. The hedge supporting the White-letter Hairstreak colony is nearby. This was a joint venture with James Baker and che Greenways project and a sign acknowledging che venture between che three organisations and Suffolk Coastal DC will hopefully be erected soon. The sum of £50 came from BC to assist the first batch of planting, which we hope you will agree is good use of our money.

We have also been active in writing to oppose potentially damaging developments in Suffolk. The alignment of the next batch of homes which will meet the White-letter Hairscreak hedges at Bixley has been challenged by me on behalf of the Branch, with a request for a greater depth of protection to the hedges and to allow necessary maintenance. Others in the Branch wrote individual letters and thanks to prompt action the builder's decision to proceed without the matter having been resolved was challenged by BC and work haired, pending a site meeting.

Steve Goddard has written in response co proposed development of che Suffolk Water Park, which will have limited access in future. You may recollect ir has previously been the venue for BC field meetings.

Steve's seven page submission included lists of butterflies (one practical use of the Millennium Survey), moths, dragonflies and birds, with the comment chat 'The lake and its margins are a wonderful haven for birds and the banks of bramble swarm with burcerflies, dragonflies, bees, hoverflies and myriads of other insects'. He has particularly requested access, hopefully via a yearly permit, co accredited recorders. Rob Parker and Stella Wolfe also sent letters.

The proposed scheme in the Piper's Vale area has already attracted much adverse publicity, particularly from the SWf. Our Branch has already sent in an official objection, referring to the damage it will cause to existing designated Local Nature Reserves and che ensuing fragmentation of remaining habitats. The plan, if approved, would mean declassification of designated LNR's and undermine che Council's future credibility in rhe eyes of conservationists.

Our Chairman Rob Parker has submitted a very detailed objection to rhe possible route of che Thetford Southern Link road, which would have a devastating impact on rare moth and butterfly colonies.

Again derailed lists were produced for butterflies and moths. The rime involved is perhaps best calculated by Rob's pencilled comment on my copy: This kept me busy for two days'. It is always difficult to muster our limited resources and make a convincing, well-presented case against the arsenals of those with vested interests that give little regard to the environment, bur we do have our successes. Wilfrid George and I visited a site on the edge of Aldeburgh, which had an extensive series of habitats

3

The Suffolk Argus

Summer 2001

Contents 3-4

Editorial ...........................................................................

Early & Late Dates ...............................................................

Field Trips 2000 ..............................................................

Why the

T

Newsletter Details

4

5-6

in Buddleja .......................................................

6

To Advertise in

One of my favourite places in France .............................. 7-8 A rarely seen event - observations of the White-Letter Hai rstreak .................................................

Some insect associations ...............................................

Clouded Yellow 2000 T etrad Map ............................. 12-13 Small Skipper or Essex Skipper .................................... 14-18 22

X

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

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

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B"utterfl~Hotel, Al 4 Bury East Exie. Moreton Hall, Bury Sc. Edmunds

01284 760884

Paul Gilson (01473 253276)

Autumn

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.

Butterfly

ButterflyLine 09068 884505

,~ Regular Updates & Latest News All profits are used for the conservation of butterflies and their habitats.

Calls charged at 60p per minute at all times

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April Fools Day

HOTELS

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Christmas Eve

Spring Summer

Please contact:

The Clouded Yellow in Suff~lk: 2000 ......................... 19-21

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

ThSuffolk Argus

9

10-11

Butterflies in Churchyards .................................................

Copy Dates

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

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Butterfly Hotel, Al 4 Bury East Exit.

Moreton Hall, Bury Sc. Edmunds

01284 760884 23

Suffolk Branch Contacts

Chairman Rob Parker, 66 Cornfield Road, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 3BN (01284 705476) Membership Secretary Paul Gilson, 18 Cheltenham Avenue, Ipswich, Suffolk IP I 4LN (0 1473 253276) Newsletter Editors (temporary) Paul Gilson (address as above)

Richard Stewart, 'Valezina', 112 Westerfield Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP4 2XW (01473 216518) Publicity Officer (Vacant)

Volunteers Needed If you feel you could help out now and •• then with the growing work . of the Branch, please ' contact Paul Gilson on

• , 01473253276,

I

II

Programme Secretary Alan Johnson, 28 Medway Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 0QH (01473 715701)

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11

County Recorder (Butterflies) Richard Stewart, (address as above) Conservation Officers (Butterflies) Richard Stewart, Ease Suffolk (address as above) Rob Parker, Central/West Suffolk (address as above) Conservation Officer (Moths) Tony Prichard, 3 Powling Road, Ipswich,

I

Suffolk, IP3 9JR (01473 270047) County Recorders (Moths) Jon Nicholls, 18 Berners Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk IP11 7LF (01394 271500) Tony Prichard (address as above)

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Secretary Tony Prichard, (address as above) Treasurer Graham Bull, Willow Cotrage, 1 The Street,

Raydon, Suffolk IP7 5LP (01473 310371) Committee Members Beryl Johnson, 28 Medway Road,

Published by the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation (The British Butterfly Conservation Society Ltd.)

X X

Reg. No. 2206468 Reg. Clwicy No. 254937 Head Office: P.O. Box 222. Dedham, EssexC07 6EY. Tel. (0 1206) 322342

Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 0QH (01473 715701) Stella Wolfe

I

Summer2001 , , , , , , , , , , , ,

President Howard Mendel, clo The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BO (0171 938 8782)

Ed iced by Paul Gilson& Richt1rdS1twart

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BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION

Gatekeeper & Ringlet by Be1ylJohnson

The Newsletter of the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation Volume 23

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