The Suffolk Argus
Summer2006 numbers were not down by as much as casual observation led one to think. Overall then, 2005 has been notable only for a handful of unusual sightings; generally it has been a year of low butterfly numbers.
2005 Butterfly Report
Weather Average temperatures were again about a degree up on historic averages, but sunshine was only average. Rainfall was low initially, but it was wetter than average in the summer. The table below shows mean temperature, sunshine for and rainfall for East Anglia, all presented as anomalies compared to averages over the period 1961 to 1990. Spring warmth opened the season nicely, but some very wet days inhibited recording activity in summer. Autumn was warm and extremely sunny; sadly there were very few butterflies on the buddleia, but there were plenty of Red Admirals well into November.
by Rob Parker 2005 was the hottest year the Northern Hemisphere bas ever experienced, according to climatologists. However, the Suffolk weather was not hot compared to 2003, and was sufficiently erratic to spoil the butterfly season for some species, with heavy rain at unwanted moments. It was an ordinary year for our commonest residents, a depleted year for the Vanessids and an unusually poor year for migrants. The progressive decline of Grayling and Wall Brown continued, and most observers commented on a boring, poor, unexciting or disappointing season. Fortunes were mixed for our scarcer species, with encouraging records from fresh sites for White Admiral and White-letter Hairstreak, ups and downs for Dingy Skipper and a big down for the Silver-studded Blue at Purdis Heath. A couple of rare aberrations were found in the wild, and further excitement resulted from the discovery that Purple Emperor was flying in Suffolk (following releases made in earlier years). Meanwhile, counts from transects showed that
Monitoring the BAP Species This year's Dingy Skipper survey got off to an excellent start, with a record count at the Wordwell/King's Archery colony, but a worrying count of just one at RAF Barnham, where grazing by sheep has just been introduced. The Silver-studded Blue survey was blighted by a false start and heavy rain, resulting in incomplete counts at the Minsmere sites. Results elsewhere were mixed, with two newly colonised sites apparently in good health, but a very worrying deterioration at Purdis Heath, where no one saw more than 6. The White-letter Hairstreak was again rather well recorded in 2005, with 9 sightings from
Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Gatekeeper. I counted over a hundred Gatekeepers in 2004. The sunlit path attracts Wall, Painted Lady and Grayling, while Holly Blue is usually present higher up. Also in the trees, depending on the time of day, are Purple Hairstreaks. An unofficial path rakes you right to Thorpeness, with a comfortable seat recently placed to give extensive views across the North Warren reedbeds. A right turn at the cottages takes you past buddleias, the edge of the Meare, across the golf course, past the windmill and House in the Clouds then a final few hundred yards of good butterfly habitat on the left before you emerge in the middle of Thorpeness. Now you are not far from the area that attracted unprecedented numbers of Queen of Spain Fritillary in 1997 and being so dose to the sea there is always the chance of migrants - Swallowtail has also been recorded nearby. Returning to the original path along the railway line, the sheer number of butterflies that is so memorable on a hot, sunny summer's day. Hallway along a right turn continues the circular walk, mainly through conservation fields with Small Copper, Small Heath and Brown Argus likely species, plus Common Blue that can also be seen on the protected shingle beach facingyou as you emerge at Sluice Cottage. Also, returning to Aldeburgh, check closely on all the stands of flowering Valerian growing in the shingle beach. The plant is good for migrant butterflies and on August 31st 2004 my total count was 36 Small White, 24 Painted Lady, 3 Clouded Yellowand 96 Small Tonoiseshell.
Hot Spots for
Butterflies: Aldeburgh to Thorpeness by Richard Stewart. This can either be a circular walk or you can go right through to Thorpeness. It is best for butterflies when the bramble is flowering but if you go earlier you could add Orange Tip, Green Hairstreak and possibly Brimstone to the list. The two tetrads concerned are TM4657 and TM4658 and the walk starts, leaving Aldeburgh, a few hundred yards past the parish church, on the right. If you reach the Leiston road you have gone too fur. Initially it is shady with probably just Speckled Wood present but once you clear this short stretch you are on a permissive footpath following the path of the old railway line. The back of a caravan site is on your right and wider views across to RSPB North Warren on your left. The masses of bramble bushes attract most of the species, and these include three skippers and three whites, Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma, Small
Table 1. 2005 Weather for East Anglia Season Winter 04/05 Spring Summer Autumn
Mean Temp Deg C 5.6 9.4 16.5 12
Anomaly % up 1.2 1.2 0.9 1.5
Sunshine hrs 193.9 435.0 552.4 386.8
Source: www.meroffice.gov.uk/ climate/ uk Anomalies are measured against the 1961 to 1990 averages.
6
Anomaly % 115 98 97 121
Rainfall mm 98.9 109.4 152.4 170.9
Anomaly % 69 79 98 105
Holly Blue
Common Blue
by Mervyn Crawford
by DouglasHammersley 15
