Suffolk Argus 3, Oct 1994 by Suffolk Naturalists' Society

THE

SUFFOLK BRANCH CONTACTS

SUFFOLK

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Anyone who wants to help with the growingwork of the Branch. If you feel you could coordinateour show programme,run a small sales operation, producethe newsletter,·keepthe books or just help out now and then, contact Andrew Phillips on 0206 322908

ARGUS

BRANCH ORGANISER • Jim Mann, 28 Lady Margaret Gardens, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 4EZ (0394 387658)

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Ron Bridle, Brook Hall Cottage, Grays Lane, Wissett, Halesworth, Suffolk IP 19 0IT (0986 781392) PRESS OFFICER (OPERATION BUTIERFL Y) Diane Finnin, 11 Rowan Close, Stanway, Colchester, Essex C03 5QJ (0206 331183) NEWSLETTER EDITOR Steve Goddal'd;A1 Colchester Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP4 3BT (0473 252598) CONSERVATION OFFICER & COUNTY RECORDER (BUTTERFLIES) Richard Stewart, 63-Belstead Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP2 88D (0473 688725) CONSERVATION OFFICER (MOTHS) Roger Kendrick, c/o BSc Conservation Mgt, Otley College, Otley, Suffolk (0473 785543) COUNTY RECORDER (MOTHS) Arthur Watchman, Onchan, Back Lane, Monks Eleigh, Suffolk IP7 7BA SECRETARY Janice Pritchard, 89 Leopold Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP4 4RN (0473 718137) TREASURER Gr~~!. Oakbank, Ardleigh Road, Dedham, Essex CO7 6EG (0206 323530) COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Adrian ~!irt, Wood Cottage, High Comer, Butley, Woodbridge; Suffolk IP4 5AQ (0394 450994) Alan Jo~son, 28 Medway Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 0QH (0473 715701) ~

Michael &,cJenny Kelsey, 25 Prospect Place, Ii,eiston,Suffolk.IPl6 4AL (0728 830975) CHAIRMAN Andrew Phillips, Swallow House, Long Road West, Dedham, Essex CO7 6ES (0206 322908) PRESID°ENT Howard Mendel, c/o Ipswich Museum, High St, Ipswich, Suffolk IPl 3QH (0473 213761) Published by th_eSuffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation (The Briti~h Butterfly Conservation Society Ltd.). Reg. No. 2206468. Registered address: Tudor House, Quorn, Loughborough, Leics LE12 SAO. Reg. Charity No. 254937. Head Office. PO Box 222, Dedham, Essex C07 6EY. Tel. (0206) 322342. Edited by Steve Goddard. Printed by Greg Herbert & Sons. Logo Silver-studded Blue by Doug Hammersley. Designed and produced by Andrew Phillips. © 1994 All rights reserved

ItJ1ieNewsfetter eftlie Sujfo[l <Brandi,ef<Butte,fEyConservation HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUFFOLK BRANCH !

Branch members. In particular we will have much work to do towards the Millenniwn project (see inside).

This, our third edition of the Suffolk Argus comes to you during the month of our first anniversary. It was October 30th, last year when the Branch was officially launched at the Suffolk Butterfly Conference in Ipswich. Just how well have we done?

Our winter plans are enclosed with this Newsletter and the summer programme will be sent to you with the next edition. To maintain and indeed improve on our successful start we need as much help from you as you can comfortably manage. Although we have a very active committee, there are still key positions to be filled. A fully functioning committee will do wonders in helping to achieve the Branch aims (see Vol 1, January 1994).

We feel that it has been a successful twelve months of steady development. Looking back it is remarkable to see what we have achieved and built up. • • • • • •

Production of three Newsletters Seven very successful Field Trips Scrub clearance at Purdis Heath The S~olk Garden Butterfly Survey Our first AGM & conference Representation at the Suffolk Show.and other Country Fairs • Participation in the National . Moth Project • Important media coverage • A solid committee nucleus During 1995, we wish to develop our activities still further with the help of our growing group of

We are doing well. Let's build on this sound foundation. Please thjnk about your commitment to the cause and how you can help conserve our precious County heritage.

Inside...

Field Trips ButferflyNet Moth Introduction

Volume 3

pB p10

October 1994

NOTES FROM THE EDITOR May I begin by saying how pleased we are to have Anglia Cameras as our very first newsletter advertisers. I would like to personally endorse one of their products, the Bresser Monocular. Like me, you may already use binoculars for butterfly watching to ensure more than just a tantalising glimpse of Purple Hairstreaks high in the oaks as well as for good views of many species that are normally difficult to observe with the naked eye. But how many times have you been in the fortunate position of being able to get closer to a butterfly only to be frustrated because your binoculars will not focus close enough. A good example might be when watching butterflies on your own Buddleia. This is when a monocular comes into its own. It focuses down to an incredible 12" as well as magnifying 7 times using a simple draw-tube action, providsing superb detail, from the soft furry thorax of the Red Admiral to the proboscis extending inside a flowerhead. What is more, it is so small and light you can wear it with your binoculars and hardly notice. For just under £30 it is well worth checking out. I know some of you have already thought about it having had a look through mine! For those of you who are interested, our Chairman tells me there was an interesting note in the August 1994 Amateur Entomologists' Society Bulletin on night-sight monoculars for moths and other nocturnal wildlife (p192).

Lau ~

7X21ClOSE Focus dawn to30cm l12"J FOCUS Includes pouch case

MONOCULAR

5-vear guarantee

£29.95

Specialist suppliers of quality photographic equipment binoculars & telescopes

•

~~i~,&

15 & 15a St. Matthews

(N J. R. EMPSON)

No, I don't mean the last of the year, I mean the last of the day. The 5th of August was yet another warm evening but without sunshine. I had been watching a Peacock on my Buddleia from about 6pm when it began to act rather strangely. It commenced a pattern of flying in what appeared to be a circuit to the side of the house, up towards my neighbour's window, down to our garden furniture where it occasionally alighted on the white table. It either then returned to the Buddleia or disappeared from view for a while. This carried on until just before the 8 pm news when it finally did not return. Has anyone observed a later butterfly than that?

Steve Goddard

THE 5WFFO!X Al<CiUS Vo/ 3

Street - Ipswich - IP1 3EL

~":::

TELEPHONE: (0473) 258185

fllE~Jfi:CO~T~\CT IRl~ltl~[W fu1!lUrJ «020,J,"2:e9)(()11])) O!i ~TlE~lE qQ[D)!Dl~Wmi ~Mn 25153>~~

_______ ..

THE SUFFOLK ARGUS Vo/ 3

moth Ourapteryx sambucaria etc. - are regular visitors by night, in summer, to..flowers like honeysuckle and red valerian. In winter look out for the winter moth fluttering near a porch light. In direct contrast to the colourful moths of summer, this species reflects the lack of colour found in winter. It is often abw1dant between November and February.

BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION

P1e11denl

Most moths are disorientated by, hence attracted to light, especially ultraviolet light, which makes studying moths relatively simple. Equipped with a lamp on a tripod above a white groundsheet and a good reference book (and a few friends), over a period of a few hours from dusk one should see a good selection of species. The best tinle of year for variety of species is between June and August, with wann, still, humid nights providing ideal conditions for moths. Having said this, it is possible to see moths throughout the year and in most weather conditions! Further details on "mothing" can be found in most books on the subject, there are local experts who will often be willing to answer queries and Butterfly Conservation has a network of Moth Conservation Officers with this in mind.

CONTENTS Goidon

-- ----oeo1CATE0

8tningliel!f

ro---------·SAVING WILD surrERillis

Happy Birthday

A"1i10 THEIR

HABITATS

Front Cover

Editor's Notes

Late Butterflies

Contents

1994 Field Trips:

Puss Moth caterpillar spectacular denizen of Sa/ix (willow) & Populus (poplar)

• Little Baddow Heath • Catfield Fen • Lineage Wood

3 4 5

Suffolk Garden Butterfly Survey - 1994

A Silver-studded Mystery ?

ButterflyNet & Millennium Project

Further Reading

Brooks M., 1991,A Complete Guide to British Moths, Johnathon Cape ChineryM., 1986, The Insects of Britain & Western Europe, Collins Ford, E.B., 1955,Moths, Collins(New Naturalist) Heath J. & Emmet M. eds., 1979 onwards, The Moths & Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland, Harley Books, Colchester (in 11 volumes) Reichhoff-RiehmH., 1991,A Field Guide to the Butterflies & Moths of Britain & Europe, Crowood Press, Swindon SkinnerB., 1984,A Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles ("Macro/epidoptera "), Viking,London

An Introduction to Moths

This is a slightlyedited version of a wildlifefactsheet written by Roger Kendrick and produced by WarwickshireWildlifeTrust in 1991.

THE SUFFOLK ARGUS Vo/ 3

Contacts

Back Cover 2

HEADOFFICE: P.O.BOX222,DEDHAM, COLCHESTER, ESSEX, C076EY. TELEPHONE 0206322342 THEBRITISH BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION SOCIETY LTD. REGISl(RCO OfflC~ TUOORHOUSf.OUORN.LEtCrSJERSH!RflE12 SAO REGISlER[O IN fNGL.ANONo l206468

REG!SHRfO CHARITYNo 2~4937

1994 Field Trips ...The story so far! I think I can safely say that all participants have spent some enjoyable hours watching butterflies and other wildlife in our first foll year of organised field tnps. Accounts of the first four trips follow; the others we will save for the next Argus to bring back the feel mg of summer on a cold January night' .

little Baddow Heath, Essex, Saturday May 14th. Fine weather prevailed as five of us set off for this Essex Wildlife Trust reserve to hopefully meet up with Pearl-bordered Fritillary and to remind ourselves of what a Grizzled Skipper looks like 1 (They just must be in Suffolk somewhere!). I say fine weather because I'm sure none of you needs reminding that this May was generally one of the coldest and wettest in years. The Grizzled Skipper did not disappoint us with 3 individuals displaying in their sheltered meadow, one of which obligingly posed for photographs. The Pearlbordered Fritillaries however did not come out for us. In fact having recently spoken to Mark Bu~ton of Essex Branch it seems that they did not show at all this year. Could they have disappeared so soon? Both are relatively recent re-introductions. The Fritillaries were re-introduced from a strong Sussex colony in 1990 whilst the Skippers were re-established only last year. It was a good job we had our moth man, Roger Kendrick, with us to increase our list ofl~pidoptera which was looking a bit sick on the butterfly count! Only one Large Wlute to record other than the 3 Skippers 1 Roger was nonetheless able to introduce us to day-flying Speckled Yellows (in double figures) which we met quite soon on entry to the reserve, flying in a sunny glade. After the Speckled Yellows and the butterflies we were shown a roosting White-pinion spotted, and two long-horns: Adela reaumu:~lla and Nematopogon swammerdamella (I hope I've deciphered Roger's handwntmg correctly-Ed). Not to forget the Cydia succedana on Gorse. This is the beauty of field trips: we enjoy a cross-section of knowledge between us which not only aids recording and develops our personal understanding but makes the outings a more rewardmg venture, as we shall see in foture reports. With this in mind I should also m~ntion the delightful wild Lily of the Valley, and the closely-watched Chiffchaff collecting nest mate1ial. L~st but not least'. I would like to say what a pleasure it was to meet Peter May and his wife frorri Cambndge and Essex Branch, who were able to give us the benefit of their local knowledge. Another aspect of these trips is of course the opportunity to meet new people who share an appreciation of the butterflies and other flora and fauna. Altogether, a promising first field trip of the year and first for the Branch - but where were our commoner butterflies? Stere Goddard 3

THE SUFFOLK ARGL'S Vol 3

Mimicry is often exhibited, most often by day-flying moths. The lunar hornet clearwing Sesia bembeciformis is easily mistaken for a hornet and the broad-bordered bee hawkmoth Hemarisfuciformis resembles a bwnble-bee, insects that are nonnally avoided by predators

Pest Species Considering there are so many moth species in Britain, it has taken only a few species to give moths in general a bad name. The worst culprits, familiar to us all are the caterpillars of the flour moth and the clothes moth (Family Tineidae), feeding throughout the year, indoors, on our clothes, carpets and stored food. Several species of the family Noctuidae have caterpillars (known as cutworms by agriculturalists) which feed on vegetable crops: the turnip moth, large yellow underwing Noctua pronuba and cabbage moth Mamestra brassicae are the most familiar. The caterpillar of the codling moth Cydia pomonel/a is well known for its appetite for apples. Less well known, but more destructive of orchard crops, are the caterpillars of the winter moth Operophtera bmmata and the lackey moth Malacosoma neustria. L1111ar hornet c/ea,wi11gmimicry of a hornet provides protection from predators

Bumished brass - a regular garden visitor in J1111e & July

Studying Moths In The Garden There are many species of moths which inhabit gardens, but few are very common. Some are pest species, but most feed on garden "weeds", acting as a natural control for many of the plants tidy gardeners don't want. Som 'lfthe more spectacular moths - lime hawkmoth Mimas tiliae, burnished brass Diachrysia chrysitis, swallowtailed

THE SUFFOLK ARGUS Val 3

by rodents and other small mammals, like shrews. Bats, birds and spiders are the chief predators of the adult moths. The egg, caterpillar and pupa are all parasitised by wasps and flies, a point not lost on agriculturalists, who use parasites as an effective form of control of pest moth species, such as the cut-worms (caterpillars of the moth family Noctuidae, such as the turnip moth Agrotis segetum). All stages of the life cycle are vulnerable to infection or attack by virus, bacteria or fungus, especially the caterpillar. Magpie moth - bold markings of black, white and yellow warn predators of a distasteful meal

Catjield Fe11,Norfolk Bra11c/1Open Day, Sunday 19th June. This was my first visit to Catfield and what particularly impressed me was the wilderness quality. For some years I have bemoaned the 'improvements' in that other 'wilderness' area at Wheatfen Broad, the home of the late Ted Ellis I feel very strongly that some reserves need only to have the few necessary paths around them and nothing else: no official car parks, hides, no boardwalks, no infonnation signs. Thankfully Catficld is still 'primitive' in this respect and long may it remain so. Incidentally, in the BC Swallowtail booklet by Ivan West of the Norfolk Bnmch the illustration by Douglas Hammersley on page 18 sums up, to me, the essence of ' reserves like Catfield Fen. (This illustration is reproduced below with kind permission of the artist and the author.)

.. ~

- ------

- ___ -::-_-_-::__-----::..-::.~-=-

lime hawkmoth - cryptic colouratio11 a11dresting position make it difficult to see this moth at rest during the day

Protective Devices To avoid attack by predators, moths have evolved many survival techniques. Concealment is a common method of avoiding being eaten; this is achieved by cryptic colouration, where the moth (adult, caterpillar or pupa) is coloured to match its surrounding environment. An extreme ofth.is is industrial melanism, whereby some moth species have evolved dark forms that are camouflaged on soot covered surfaces. Concealment can also be achieved by being a similar shape to the immediate environment - many caterpillars, when at rest, look just like a twig! Should these defences be breached, many moth species have a second survival method, often called "fright reaction" - where revealing brightly coloured markings, swaying or wing flapping can have the effect of making the moth appear bigger than it really is, frightening a predator away. Some species of moth are very brightly coloured. This is a clear warning to potential predators ofa distasteful meal. 11

THE SUFFOLK ARGUS Vo/ 3

7Hh' SUFFOLK ARGUS Vo/ 3

Visitors were divided into two separate parties and during the day whilst only one other butterfly species - a Large Skipper - besides the Swallowtail was seen (again, just where were they ?-Ed),this by no means spoiled the trip because of the other excellent wildlife sightings. Other insects included Emperor Moth caterpillars on alder buckthom and superbly-camouflaged Brimstone butterfly caterpillars, also on alder buckthom, which is more expected. Also the splendid and nationally-rare Norfolk Hawker dragonfly and several Hairy Dragonflies were seen, as well as several bird sightings (or hearings!) with the reeling call of the Grasshopper Warbler and a lovely view of a high-flying Kingfisher carrying a tasty morsel for its young. The only disappointment was that having provisionally booked twenty places, only six Suffolk Branch members attended. However there were people from many other parts of the country and everyone saw a Swallowtail at some point in the day, even though few were settling. Richard Stewart.

An Introduction to Moths Butterflies and moths form a vast order of insects called Lepidoptera. Th~re are an estimated 400,000 species worldwide, of which about 20,000 are butterflies. In Britain there are some 55 butterfly species and about 2400 species ~fmoth._ The butterflies, more popular owing to their bright colours and dayt~e habits, ~e usualluy regarded with affection, whilst the moths are less well received - pnnc1ply because of the widespread misconception that they are all dull, brown and chew holes in clothes and carpets. Only a few moths actually answer to this description. Moths are ofetn classified into two groups, based on anatomical differences:- "macromoths" and "micromoths" - literally "larger" and "smaller" moths, although if considered solely on size, this is a fairly meaningless division

Butterflies & Moths : The D!fferences

Lineage Wood, Sunday 26th June (with Suffolk Naturalists' Trust)

What a gathering of enthusiasts on this fine day. There must have been at least thirty of us who assembled for this joint walk led by Steve Piotrowski and Martin Sanford. The extra enjoyment of walks of this nature is that we is that we are often able to see habitat not nonnally accessible to the public, as well as mixing with interesting and knowledgeable people who can cover all facets of wildlife: birds, mammals, flowers, snails, trees, grasshoppers and insects, a world of wh.ich butterflies and moths are just a part. What a great sight was the giant ichneumon fly caught by the Watchmans - Rhyssa Persuasoria, a parasite of the large Wood Wasp (for those of you who own the Collins Pocket Guide to Insects by Michael Chinery have a look at page 230 and you'll see what I mean!). A splendid creature, every bit as beautiful as the fresh Ringlets, Meadow Browns and the Large Yellow Underwing moth. Large Skippers and Speckled Wood flew along the hedgerow, while smaller numbers of,Common Blue and a single Red Admiral were also seen. But, amazingly, there wete no observations of any of the Whites, or Small Copper, Wall or Small Heath. Also of interest were the huge Roman Snails and four species of orchid: Twayblade, Pyramidal, Common Spotted and the recently-finished Greater Butterfly - and all this in woodland people seldom see.

The life cycle of butterflies and moths are much the same, with egg, caterpill~, chrysalis and adult. They share the same basic anatomical structure. The ~am differences are _listedin the table below, although there are plenty of exceptions (only British species are listed)

jligltt time

ante1111ae

Butterflies

day

clubbed

no specific nilrht flyers night

none

exceptions Moths

exceptions

speckled yellow, cinnabar, silver Y & approx. 60 others

not clubbed, but tapering to a ooint bumet moths have club-like antennae

resting position

fore/hind wings

wings held upright over body skippers hold wings flat or angled wings held flat or roof-like over body

unconnected

"thorn" moths and some "carpet" moths (Family Geometridae)

some skippers connected by a hook & latch system some hawk.moths (Family Sphingidae) and a few "micromoths"

Enemies & Diseases A butterfly of the night, a Blood-vein, also cam our way. This was a first sighting for many of this attractive insect. There were also day-flying micro-moths of which I can only recall Agapeta hamana (can you wonder why?) but they were all ably shown to us by Arthur and Janet Watchman - most excellent company. These field trips just should not be missed. Thanks must go to Steve and Martin, Arthur, Janet, Jeff Martin and all those Suffolk Nats for a wonderful day out. Steve Goddard 5

THE SUFFOLK ARGUS Vo! 3

Moths form a vital link in the foodchain of many ecosystems. In a broad-leave~ woodland, for example, the caterpillar of the green oak tortrix Tortri~ viri~ana 1sthe staple diet of blue tit nestlings. Small birds will eat moth eggs, ~swill vanous bugs and lacewings. Moth caterpillars are eaten by many a. 11als - birds, _beetles, bugs, slugs, ants and wasps are justsome of their predators. A moth pupa 1s most often taken

THE SUFFOLK ARGUS Vo/ 3

ButterflyNet Key:

•

record

•

2-9

records

•

10 + records

Essex Skipper

SUFFOLK GARDEN BUTTERFLY SURVEY 1994

1 993

Thank you to all of you who are busy recording for this important county survey When you read this note, there should still be some recording to be done as the last butterflies of the year visit our gardens. Since there was a paucity of sightings until July it would help if you could indicate to what extent your records reflect this year of 'two halves' on a separate sheet (together with any further comments or observations). For example: Peacock

Earliest date 24th March Latest date 4th October Only three individual sightings until up to three per day were observed from July 17th until August 24th.

No-one will have failed to notice what an excellent year it has been for the Silver Y moth. If you wish to add this species to the fonn, please do so. Numbers and dates should be most interesting. \

I shall look forward to receiving your survey fonns for Christmas 1 Figure caption:

Richard Stewart

The map shows ButterflyNet records for Essex skipper in 1993. This species, once confined to SE England, has been spreading further west and is now well into Warwickshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. How far will it get by 2000? The absence of dots in Suffoik is partly because Suffolk data has not yet reached ButterflyNet, and partly because recorders have been resting locally - Richard Stewart is now tackling both issues!

What can you do to help? You can contribute by getting involved in recording at a local level in Suffolk - contact Richard Stewart for more details and recording forms. Please note also your sightings of butterflies if you are elsewhere in the country, on holiday, for example. We will need all the data we can get and even a modest level of individual recording adds up to a large volume of data if many people are involved. .Jim Asher National Butterfly Recording Coordinator Bullerfly Conservation (See also article in BC News No 57 - Ed) 9

1'111:' SUFFOJ,K ARGUS Vo/ 3

7Hf SUFFOLK ARGUS Vo/ 3

4 mn:UTDDDBD iffli£4T?

Butterfly Net and the Millennium Project

1994 is the fourth year in which Jenny and I have conducted a.fairly relaxed survey of the butterfly activity on the National Trnst reserve at Dunwich Heath. During the season we try to visit about once a fo11night,weather conditions permitting. Although we record a rough estimate of numbers of butterflies within each species, our prima1y objective is to check on the variety of species which the Reserve is hosting. From 19 different species spotted in our first year, there was an increase to 21 the following year, and to 24 in 1993. But let's home in on the Silver-studded Blue. We saw four on our best viewing day in I 991, though beyond a deliberate gap in the northsouth boundary hedge with RSPB Minsmere we discovered several others, and hoped that there would be an invasion from there. Our. hopes were not fulfilled in 1992, a disappointing viewing year from the weather , ,_. point of view (linked with the times we..were available!). But in 1993 it became clear that colonies had been set up, and on our most profitable visit we saw 15, in what we assumed to be three colonies on the National Trust side of the boundary, at about 80-yard intervals. Another small colony seemed to be alongside a path heading east from the gap.

Many county councils are now preparing detailed lists of sites of wildlife importance so that planning decisions can be influenced at an early stage - it is usually too late to stop a major development after detailed plans have been drawn up. This process is only possible if up-to-date infonnation is available, and Butterfly Conservation has an impo'rtant contribution to make.

[\JI

'\,_

SILVER STUDDE: BJ.UE

On previous visits this year, 1994, we saw some 4 males on 23rd June;J7 males and one .· female on 3rd July; but on Wednesday the 20th ofJuly we counted 3-},(Umafes)A , females.) They seemed to be divided fairly clearly into colonies,.fow along the bo.undary, the pattern being about 30 yards of butterfly activity; and theri;about 60 yards without. there was also what seemed to be a small coloriy 50yards east-01the boundary, in a direction at right angles to the main line of the other colonies. Delighted, we metaphorically closed our Silver-studded book for the visit, and went in search of other species, some half-a-mile further east, on the cliff top. Not far from the cliff top we discovered a male Common Blue - our first of the year, there - and then we moved on another 100 yards or so to the cliff top itself. At a point where we had seen a Painted Lady in previous years, we _paused,and; on bell heat~er, saw other Jue. Obviously another Common Blue, a female this tiirte. But as I looked moreddsefy, anc!caught a glimpse of the underside: I exclaimed,'Silver-stud'! 'ImpossiQle\·said Jenny, quite properly. But a few moments latei"she also had a clear view of the underside; ·and against her better judgment, agreed with me1 Then we saw, clearly, a male. Several minutes of sightings of both confirmed this beyond any shadow of doubt. How did the pair get there? More than half-a-mile away, up rhe slope, against the strong prevailing wind.off the sea? Any ideas?

Michael R Kelsey

The fonnal recording of butterflies used to be regarded as a rather academic activity of interest only to specialists. In recent years, the alanning decline of so many butterfly (and other) species has sharpened the need to keep an up-to-date picture of our butterfly distributions and the key sites where they still occur and recording has become vital.

tHI:' Sl!l·FOLK ARGUS Vo/ 3

.,"\

ButterflyNei is a new national initiative to coordinate regional butterfly recording, but using computer-based data coliection and collation to make it fast and efficient to exchange and map data nationally. This has been initiated by Butterfly Conservation, working jointly with the NERC Biological Records Centre at Monk's Wood, which is a national repository for wildlife data. Butterfly Net is being piloted within BC, but will be expanded to include as many of the other regional centres, including those using RECORDER, as possible. A set of standards for butterfly recording was set by a joint BC-BRC working party which reported in early 1992 and recording forms 111 a st,andard fqrm;it are already in use in most BC branches. The Millennium Project is a national flagship for this coordinated recording. Over a recording period from 1995-1999, data will be gathered regionally through ButterflyNet as intensively as we can manage, over the whole country. There will be two main products: a Millennium Atlas of Butterflies of Britain, to be published in the year 2000 together with a detailed species recovery plan for endangered butterflies and moths, both supported by examples of successf11I conservation managernent initiatives anp also d,rawing on lessons from schen1es that have not worked. This project will be high~profile and will aim to attract major publicity, resources and sponsorship. It will raise the profile of butterflies and Butterfly Conservation and will deliver real benefits to our knowledge. There is a longer-tenn aim, too. The atlas will not mark the end-point of the recording effort, but the start of a campai!,'11of continuous recording, targeted by annual feedback to maintain upto-date infonnation both for planning and to establish management priorities. It is by making active use of data in this way that r :ording can make a real and lasting contribution to conservation.

THE SUFFO!X ARGUS

4 mn:UTDDDBD iffli£4T?

Butterfly Net and the Millennium Project

[\JI

'\,_

SILVER STUDDE: BJ.UE

Michael R Kelsey

tHI:' Sl!l·FOLK ARGUS Vo/ 3

.,"\

THE SUFFO!X ARGUS

ButterflyNet Key:

•

record

•

2-9

records

•

10 + records

Essex Skipper

SUFFOLK GARDEN BUTTERFLY SURVEY 1994

1 993

Earliest date 24th March Latest date 4th October Only three individual sightings until up to three per day were observed from July 17th until August 24th.

No-one will have failed to notice what an excellent year it has been for the Silver Y moth. If you wish to add this species to the fonn, please do so. Numbers and dates should be most interesting. \

I shall look forward to receiving your survey fonns for Christmas 1 Figure caption:

Richard Stewart

1'111:' SUFFOJ,K ARGUS Vo/ 3

7Hf SUFFOLK ARGUS Vo/ 3

Butterflies & Moths : The D!fferences

Lineage Wood, Sunday 26th June (with Suffolk Naturalists' Trust)

jligltt time

ante1111ae

Butterflies

day

clubbed

no specific nilrht flyers night

none

exceptions Moths

exceptions

speckled yellow, cinnabar, silver Y & approx. 60 others

not clubbed, but tapering to a ooint bumet moths have club-like antennae

resting position

fore/hind wings

wings held upright over body skippers hold wings flat or angled wings held flat or roof-like over body

unconnected

"thorn" moths and some "carpet" moths (Family Geometridae)

some skippers connected by a hook & latch system some hawk.moths (Family Sphingidae) and a few "micromoths"

THE SUFFOLK ARGUS Vo! 3

THE SUFFOLK ARGUS Vo/ 3

.. ~

- ------

- ___ -::-_-_-::__-----::..-::.~-=-

lime hawkmoth - cryptic colouratio11 a11dresting position make it difficult to see this moth at rest during the day

THE SUFFOLK ARGUS Vo/ 3

7Hh' SUFFOLK ARGUS Vo/ 3

THE SUFFOLK ARGL'S Vol 3

Bumished brass - a regular garden visitor in J1111e & July

THE SUFFOLK ARGUS Val 3

BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION

P1e11denl

CONTENTS Goidon

-- ----oeo1CATE0

8tningliel!f

ro---------·SAVING WILD surrERillis

Happy Birthday

A"1i10 THEIR

HABITATS

Front Cover

Editor's Notes

Late Butterflies

Contents

1994 Field Trips:

Puss Moth caterpillar spectacular denizen of Sa/ix (willow) & Populus (poplar)

• Little Baddow Heath • Catfield Fen • Lineage Wood

3 4 5

Suffolk Garden Butterfly Survey - 1994

A Silver-studded Mystery ?

ButterflyNet & Millennium Project