The SuffolkArgus
Autumn2005
Oaken Wood & Denbies Hillside, Surrey - 28th May
The Butterflies and Moths of Martlesham, Heath
the assistance of a marker put down six days previously during a Surrey Branch meeting) on the leaves of a Bitter Vetch. Such markers are aiding research which has revealed that spring Wood Whites within Chiddingfold favour short vetches growing in exceptionally warm microclimates almost akin ro open downland conditions. Certainly the ova we observed now were laid on a plant whose growth had been cunailed to a few inches by the parched conditions of its ride side gully environment. By contrast, our 2000 expedition to Salcey Forest included numerous observations of Wood Whites ovipositing on luxuriant vetches growing at waist height, and it is this type of habitat most commonly cited in butterfly reference books. Before us now lay an acre or so of young conifer plantation providing the only suitable spring fritillary habitat in the whole of Surrey. We picked our way along the compartment's perimeter, conscious of the vulnerability of the Dog Violet flora to carelessfootfalls and the parties of Wood Ants foraging away from their seething nests. An orange butterfly glided low along a channel between the conifers, flashing a fritillary's chequerboard uppers as it passed by. A few moments later tl1e underside of another such butterfly was observed, the mosaic of warm oranges and soft contrast yellows confirming Pearlbordered Fritillary. Moving on, each of the six fritillaries subsequently encountered was checked as carefully as possible in case an early Small Pearlbordered was amongst them. This was accompanied by much discussion (interspersed by the welcome sightings of Dingy Skipper and Small Heath) as to differentiating the two spring fritillaries by their uppersides and the power of imagination required to read the numbers 7 - 3 0 along the top edge of a Small Pearl-bordered's forewing. We left the plantation buoyed by the good fritillary sightings, but perhaps mindful of just how precariously this species clings to its Surrey resident status in a habitat surely only suitable for another few years. The weak sunshine rousing the fririllaries had had a similar effect upon the Wood Whites, and our tally progressed steadily to a total
by PaulJohnson
EssexSkipper by DouglasHammersley
by Steve Goddard We have been living on Martlesham Heath for four years now and in that time, 28 species of butterfly and nearly 500 species of moth have been identified in our recording area (TM2344). This lies west of the village centre bordered by Dobbs Lane and forms a large part of what is known locally as the 'Western Corridor'. Most of the moths have come to light in the garden and of all the butterflies seen on the heath, only the Purple Hairstreak hasyet to visit us. The year beginshere much as anywhere with Small Tonoiseshell,Peacock,Comma and perhaps a Red Admiralin March. By the end of April we are seeing: Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange-tip, Holly Blue, Brimstone,Speckled Wood and Green Hairsueak along with the dayflying Common Heath and Pyraustadespicata,a small brown pyralid. Of these species, Orange-tip appears only in relatively low numbers with Brimstone sightings perhaps not surprisingly even less,although annual. The Green Hairstreakis always a delight to see especiallywhen your first one of the year is usually encountered by a chance distwbance or seen in spirallingflight with a rivalmale. May introduces the Small Copper whilst an inspection of the hedgerows will find the 'longhorn' moth Adela reamurel/aand in more open areas the strikingly marked Cinnabar can be found. In the garden, the pretty little pyralid,
Pyraustaaurata, shows itself for the first time. June heralds the star butterfly of the heath, the Silver-studded Blue. These days it can be seen by-the middle of the month and even after this relatively cool and dull spring it had emerged by the 11th. On June 27th, 67 were counted and the annual survey on July 10th produced a total of 377. This figure however, must be a real cause for concern since by coinciding closely with the peak emergence for this year it represents a significant drop from even just three years ago when the survey mark was 699 whilst the year before it was as high as 1470. The last sighting this year was of four worn females on August 10th The Common Blue appears in low numbers about a week before its more illustrious cousin to occur in greater numbers in August. Around midmonth the Large Skipper can be found daning from sunny hedges whilst at about the same time the last Green Hairstreak bows out. The Brown Silver-line, a bracken feeder also makes its appearance now and is regularly disturbed whilst out walking in the day and this year saw large numbers. The Small Heath is also on the wing but the first recording of this diminutive 'brown' does seem ro vary, usually mid-June, but this year as early as May 23rd. Towards the end of the month we see the first of our summer grassland species: Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Small Skipper with
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Our rendezvous on the edge of the Chiddingfold Forest Enterprise complex was under a sky grown sullen and irascible following the excess of the previous day, during which a record high May temperature had been recorded in south-east England. Now, as we set off along an access ride, movement within the woodland seemed largely confined to the swaying of tree boughs, sounds to the soft hissing of the wind-swept leaves. However, the Speckled Wood butterfly is not readily deterred and its jaunty flight soon brightened our path before we had progressed too far. The Wood White, although apparently much frailer, is an amenable species too; its flight pattern characteristic almost to the point of being diagnostic, its overt counship ritual fascinating to observe, and roost sires chosen with lirtle attempt at concealment. A number of the latter were soon discovered amongst the long grasses bordering Oaken Wood and opportunities arose to discern the oval profile of the wings and the delicate underside markings - these seemingly little more than a dusting of dark scales which might be best applied by a gentle sweep of an air brush if one was to illustrate this species. We passed Oaken Wood and headed towards its Tugley counterpart, walking along two shadier rides reminiscent of conifer plantations before the enlightenment of conservation. However, inspection of a modest Buckthorn bush did reveal the first two stages in the life-cycle of the Brimstone; four bottle-shaped ova on the underside of a leaf and six green larvae nearby amidst distinctive feeding damage. Later, once the sky had lightened its mood a little, three adults were also added to the day's list. Prolonging the early stages' theme, five slender Wood White ova were noted (albeit with
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