Suffolk Argus 40 Spring 2007

Suffolk Branch Contacts President Howard Mendel, c/o The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD Chairman Mike Dean, Coach House, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP3 l 2HL (01359 230292) Membership Secretary Beryl Johnson, 28 Medway Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 0QH (01473 715701) Programme Secretary Alan Johnson, (address above) Publicity Officer Malcolm Farrow, 25 Cedar Road, Rendlesham, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 2UN (01394 460452) County Recorder (Butterflies) Rob Parker (address below) Conservation Officer (Butterflies) Rob Parker, 66 Cornfield Road, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 3BN (01284 705476)

1M

Butterfly Conservation Conservation Officer (Moths) Tony Prichard, ·3 Powling Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9JR (01473 270047) County Recorder (Moths) Tony Prichard (address above) Secretary Tony Prichard, (address above) Treasurer Jim Foster, Lugano, The Street, Stonham Aspal, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 6AH (01449 711484) Regional Officer Eastern Region Sharon Heade, c/o Busy Bee, 21 High St., Newmarket, Suffolk CBS 8LX (01638 731648) sharon@butterfly-conservation.org Newsletter Editor Pete Rowberry, 11 Waveney Close, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 lYB (01728 602814) Committee Members Stella Wolfe,

Volunteers Needed ~[Ilffiill If you feel you could help our now and then with the growingwork of the Branch, pleasecontact Beryl Johnson on 01473 715701.

~

SmallHeath - Orford by BerylJohnson

The Newsletter of the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation

Published by the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation www.suffolkbutterflies.org.uk Butterfly Conservation Limited by Guarantee RegisteredOffice:Manor Yard,East Lulwonh, Wareham,Dorset BH20 5QP Tel: (01929) 400209 © 2004 all rights reserved

Reg.No. 2206468 Reg. Charity No. 254937 Editor: Pete Rowbetry Logo:(Silver-studdedBlue)Doug HammersleyDesign: Stephen Ion Printer. 321 !'tinting, 25 BrookhouseBusinessPark, Hadlcigh Road, Ipswich,SuffolkIP2 0EF

Butterfly Conservation

Spring 2007 Volume40

The SuffolkArgus

Spring2007

Contents

Editorial

Editorial

3

A Golden Autumn

5

Copy Dates

Branch Accounts

6

SafetyCode

8

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

Wider Countryside Monitoring

9

Spring

Wot's yow seying oar kid?

9

Summer

April Fools Day

Field Meetings

11

Autumn.

August Bank Holiday

A Hairstreak Moment

21

Hot Spots.for Butterflies2

22

Footnote of the Grayling

22

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.

Newsletter Derails and General Information

23

To advertisein the SuffolkArgus

Back Cover

please contact Pete Rowberry on

Suffolk Branch Contacts

<lll~,j'./._,,;J/,··

· --~¥~p-~·'\,r:,._,

·"·,'--, ---. •_:-;: __ ...... '..'.:.·.:-;·-:.--

TAIIIIIM ~ --_1_:, ·-•.•,• ,, . , ', - .-·_:;:; __

2

Cast in aluminiumand enamelledin very realistic coloun at five times llfe-slze,they will last for manyyears.

Hl&hlyIndividual nameplates too, to your own design, with n~bligation colour preview. Suffolk Branch will receive one quarter of the purchase price.

Phone orfax Mervyn Crawford on

Mlldenludl(01638)712600for

01728 602814.

Colo•r broclu,re I Price list

SUFFOL MOTHGROU

For that difficultto flnd present,why not give a·---:-:-. decorativebutterftyor moth to mounton the front ', wall of someone's home ? Cast in aluminium and :, enamelledin very realistic colours at five times ..

Jife-size,tbeywill last for manyyean. Highly individualnameplatestoo, to your own design,with no-obligationcolour preview.SuffolkBranchwill receive one quarter of the purchaseprice.

Pltone or fax Menyn Crawford on MildenlwJI (01638) 712600for Colourbrochiirti/

Christmas Eve

Price list.

Come and see the wonders of the night. Regularfield meetings and newsletter.Online guide to the largermoths of Suffolk.

Website:www.suffolkmoths.org.uk Contad: Tony Prichardfor further details.

23

TheSuffolkArgus

Footnote on the Qrayling

by Richard Stewart Rob Parker's article in the summer 2006 edition highlighted the current concern for this species. Although the 1995-1999 Millennium Surveyproduced a 2 km. tettad increase of 62.4 % on the previous Suffolk survey numbers of tettads covered per year were down to 40 in 2000. We have lost it from our garden in Westerfield Road, Ipswich, since 2004. It always came to feed on buddleia. I have aJsonot recorded it from Rushmere Common in the last two years.

Rob also highlighted something about the Grayling that very few butterfly books include, that is its frequent landing on humans, more so than any other butterfly I have encountered.

Spring2007 I also noted this in Grayling species while on holiday in the Spanish Pyrenees. It will land repeatedly on everything from head to toe and on 27th. August 2006 while I was walking my transect between Tuddenham and Playford I paused to test this out. A few Grayling are usually present and I st<>Qd still when one settled on me, shaking my body slightly to put it off but still remaining in the same spot. Incredibly it landed on me twenty times in about two minutes, and would probably have continued to do so had I not moved on.

Grayling

by BerylJohnson

22

programme are enclosed in the form of the usual separate card which should be easy to carry around with you.

We welcome contributions to the magazine from all our branch members, and we are able to include one such article in this edition. Anyone else who has experiencesto share is most welcome to send their ideas to me and I will pass them on.

We are lucky to have the services of, now and in the past, some outstanding illustrators. Beryl Johnson is alwayswilling to lend a hand providing her highly skilled art work for the magazine and I thank her for her contribution. She sets a high standard to live up to, but perhaps there is someone our there who would like to try!

I hope that the magazine continues to prove useful to the branch's many members and remember, please let me have any comments or criticisms, which can only help the magazine improve in the future.

Editorial

by PeteRowberry I have survived the "trauma"of producing my first edition of Suffolk Argus and have come backfor more. I actually found the process very enjoyable and I hope that the edition lived up to expectations. It is with the greatest regret therefore, that I have to say that illness in my family and the need to return to gainful employment mean that I have to resign &om the position of editor. I thank the many contributon and hdpers and wish to personally thankMalcolm Farrow for stepping into the breach at short notice. It has been a pleasure dealing with those who send material for the magazine and the branch organisers, all of whom have been so tolerant and hdpful.

This edition of the magazine contains the last of the field trip reports from 2006, as well as contribution from the Chairman of the West Midlands branch, giving yours truly a serious ticking off for my disparaging remarks about Birmingham's wildlife in the last edition! Rob Parker reports on last year's remarkable autumn and for those of you who wish to check out the <·. .;, ·-·~ •.. . of ·--..

•,,,,...

••• ••-~•.. •.., braneh's finances, copies the accounts for the year to • 31 March 2006 are also included. There are also details of a pilot project to develop a method for monitoring butterflies in the general countryside away from nature reserves. Details of the branch's 2007

TwoBrimstones

by BerylJohnson 3

The SuffolkArgus

Spring2007 "and another Red Admiral this morning". At a shade temperature of only 8DegC, I found one sunning itself in Hawstead churchyard on 3rd December, and Peter Maddison had two in Waldringfield on 17th December. The sun required for basking to raise body temperature from ambient to ~ 1C was often available, and the predominantly black colouration of the Red Admiral soaks the heat up well. A frost on 19th was not enough to drive them into hibernation, and the 2002 record of Christmas Day was broken with Stella Wolfe's garden sighting on 30th, and finally on New Year's Eve when Nick Dickson saw one in Gislingham.

Nine species flew later than ever noted (in Suffolk) before. Steve Goddard logged a Grayling on 1st October, a Small Heath was still flying at Landguard on 13th October, and Will Brame had a remarkable day at Felixstowe'sPeewit Hill on 5th November, seeing not only Large and Greenveined Whites, but also a Holly Blue and a Speckled Wood. All 4 of these were later than previous records - by 4, 7, 4 and 2 days respectively.They are all multiple brooded species, apparently flying into the extended mild spell, but not squeezing in an extra brood. On 19th November, Stuart Gough's Small White was 3 weeks later than ever before. In Bury St Edmunds, Jo Woods was amazed to see a Brimstone flying in her garden on 27th November. The Brimstone normally tucks itself up for hibernation in September or October, but this one was obviously tempted out by the sun and the opportunity to take a last feed. Even later, was the New Year's Eve Red Admiral noted above.

All in all, 2006 broke more autumn records than we might have expected, yet this is probably just another manifestation of climate change. Next year's phenology may well surprise us anew. This seems an appropriate moment to re-publish the table of Suffolk's earliest and latest species sightings. Delete page 14 of your Summer 2006 Argus - that table contained one misprint and did not credit the pre-Millennium observers.The table opposite corrects things, and brings everything up to date for 2007, whatever that should bring.

A Golden Autu111n

by RobParker Measuredby average temperatures,2006 was the warmest year ever for Britain. One Small C.Opperflew early enough to create a spring first, but in terms of the butterfly season, the most noticeable thing was the extended summer,which triggered extra broods for some species and led to wbat might be called a golden autumn for others.

The White Admiral has produced partial second broods in East Anglia several times in recent years - 2003 (Essex), 2004 (Suffolk & Essex), 2005 (Norfolk), but this September was remarkable, with records from 5 separate sites in our recording area: Kenton Hills on 13/9 by Linda Wallis.

Mildenhall Woods onl6/9 by Mervyn Crawford.

Dunwich Forest on 19/9. Four, 2 worn, 2 fresh,

by John Davey (a visitor).

Minsmere on 21/9 by Robin Harvey.

Belton Common (TG4702 Norfolk VC25) on 24/9 by Colin Jacobs.

As the mild weather continued through October and November, everyone noticed that the Red Admiral was having an exceptional year, and seemed determined to fly whenever the sun shone.

A few Peacocks, Commas and Small Tortoiseshells also flew late, but not so consistently. None of these species are likely to log latest-ever records, since as hibernating species, they are always present throughout December, and when disturbed, are seen pretty well up to New Year's Eve. Nonetheless, it was interesting that as annual records came in towards the end of November, most of them had a handwritten addition saying:

Tortoiseshell, all three Whites, possibly at least one Holly Blue and newly emerged Small Copper, Small Heath, Common Blue, Brown Argus and the chance of a very freshLarge Skipper. By this time Red Admiral, Painted Lady and even Clouded Yellow may be present and a search through gorse should produce sightings of Green Hairscreak.

Probably the best chance of a high day total would be to start from the long ride across the Brandon road, right at the bottom towards John 0'Groats cottages, back right to the Brandon road, up to Chalk Lane and finally another right turn which will eventually lead back to where you started: sounds simple, but it would take most of the day. On June 3rd 2000, eighteen species were The area centred on TI, 8272 and 8372, at recorded in this area duting an admittedly long BC Wordwellon the very edge of King's Forest, has meeting, a high total for Suffolk at this time of for many years been visited to count the Dingy year. Then a later visit will add Essex and Small Skipper colony. As Rob Parker has already Skipper, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper and Ringlet, recorded in great detail, the numbers have Grayling slightly later and remember, John grown with colonisation of the archery area, Dolman saw a Camberwell Beauty along this end which is the farside of a block of woodland at of the Icknield Way in May 1996. The Wall, the end of the long-established breeding ride. normally a rarer species away from the coast, has As you turn off right from the Brandon road also been recorded at Wordwell, which gives a high into a small car park, the area nearby, on a sunny total of 28 species since 1995. I also note from day in late May or early June, has a meadow to the distribution maps during the Millennium Survey left, plentiful nectar sources nearby and flowering that Purple Hairstreak has been recorded not fur lilacs which also attract the butterflies. Often there away and the presence of honey,suckle could is an abundance of several speciesjust in this small result in a sighting of the White Admiral, which area, Brimstones, Orange Tips and Speckled Wood has spread very successfullyinto new areas duting the most prominent, plus Peacock, Comma, Small the last decade.

Hot Spots for

Butterflies Nu111berTwo: Wardwell

by RichardStewart

Gatekeeper byDouglasHammersley

4

21

TheSuffolkArgus

Spring2007

A Hairstreak

Me:I can't help you there as I don't know where you live.

Moment

Meo:Are there books on butterflies?

Me:Yes,and throughout the country there are ButterflyConservationlocalgroups.There is probablyone quite near to whereyou live.Many peoplefind that watchingbirds and butterfliesgo welltogether,and we all have . .;:;~..,, to start somewhere.

by ZoeMcLaughlin

Walkingalong MinsmereI.-ls, I saw a White Letter Hairstreak,which is always a delight.

There were three men with binocularswere coming towardsme, and I wonderedif I dare havea wordwith them. ..,.•••••• ,. ___ ••• i Me:Excuseme, would you be interestedin this.)

'."

, -~

Meo:What on earth is it?

Me:A Butterfly. ,

Meo:A Butterfly?

~\, \ {~/

, t~\

Meo:The first thing for us to do is to go to the shop and get a book on butterflies! .::J ,.,.,.,,"""'-",., They thanked me' -..................said how interesting it had been for them, and I hope that somewhere in the country there are now three additionalmembersof ButterflyConservation.

Me:Yes.It's a White Letter Hairstreak.

Meo:One of those that B.yaround?

Me:Yes,and if you go to the shop • at Minsmereand pass the buddleia, you could see many more butterflies.Yousee,butterfliesare like birds.There are times when you seethem, usuallybetweenMarch and September,but unlike birds they usuallyhibernatein the winter.

Editor: Thanks Zoe, ~~""5,c-:and I think this is another fine example of how those interested in wildlife,and butterflies in particular,are willingto pass on their knowledgeand experienceto others. It is through this exchangeof knowledgeand ideasthat we all learn.

fj.

~ ~ ~ j

Meo:Would we see differentbutterflies in differentparts of the country whilst we are out bird watching?

Mc:Yes,if you keep your eyesopen, but they are a challengeas they can moveveryfast.

White Letter Hairstreak

Meo:What other butterflieswould we see at home, then?

Earliest & Latest Records Recorder R. H. Marchant Stuart Ling Peter Hambli~ W. E. Lemmon Me~Bell Colin Hawes H. Parcell Te!!! Hammond John Walshe EileenCoe Mike Crewe Rob Macklin Neil Sherman Mark Comish Colin Jacobs Rob Macklin MervynCrawford Pat Shon Iennifer Hadl~ RichardChameion Three jointly Anthony Cook A & E Beaumont SteveBabbs Two jointly Stan Dumican Rob Parker RichardChameion MikeTal'.!or 0. B. Parker Darren Underwood J. Gosling M. Burnside

Earliest to 2006 7 lun 95 29 May 83 31 May 97 25 Apr 90 28 May97 27 Apr 97 9 Jan 98 18 Mar 95 25 Feb 00 11 Mar00 23 Mar 90 12Apr 95 22Jun 99 20 Jun 03 27 Mar06 6Jun 03 28Apr 05 24Apr92 18 Mar 90 16 Jun 03 1 Jan 00 20 Feb 90 1 Jan 00 15 Mar 97 1 Jan 00 15 Ian 95 28 Mar 02 19 Apr 02 21 Iun 03 13 Jun 92 25 May04 8 Jun 04 5 May83

Latest to 2006 25 See 95 Small Skie~ 12 Sep 84 EssaSkie~ 18 See o4 1..arKe Skie~ 4lui 83 Dingy Skie~ Swallowtail 28 Aug 91 Oouded Yellow 21 Nov 32 Brimstone 27Nov06 5 Nov 06 l..arKe White SmallWhite 19 Nov06 Greco-veinedWhite 5 Nov 06 20 Jui 95 ol'llJIKCne GrecoHairstreak 20 Jui 96 PurpleHairstreak 8 See oo White-letterHairstreak 28Aug00 16 Nov84 SmallCoepcr Silver-studdedBlue 21 Aug 83 BrownArgus 23 Oct 99 CommonBlue 6 Nov 94 Holly Blue 5 Nov06 WhiteAdmiral 11 Oct 04 RedAdmiral 31-Dec-06 20Nov 95 Painted Ladr SmallTortoiseshell 28 Dec 97 14 Oct 96 CamberwcllBeau!!

Peacock 31 Dec 97 Comma 12 Dec0O SpeckledWood 5 Nov 06 Wall 30 Oct 95 Grayling 1 Oct 06 6 Oct05 Gatekee~ MeadowBrown 6 Oct 05 Ringlet 27 Aug84 SmallHeath 13 Oct 06 Species

by BerylJohnson 20

5

Recorder StellaWolfe .

Alan Hubbard Me~ Crawford D. Croxson Ian Potter Mr Richardson Jo Woods Will Brame Stuart Gough Will Brame Mrs Sindall RichardHavard Neil Sherman John Walshe RichardStewart C. R. Naunton Will Brame StevePiotrowski Will Brame NigelCumi~ Nick Dickson Colin Hawes Mrs Frost S &RBiddle Peter Hobbs Gawin & Travis Will Brame Betty Serjeant SteveGoddard LydiaCalvesbert LydiaCalvesbert LG Palmer Ni~l Odin

TheSuffolkArgus

Spring2007 remained out of sight and proceedings concluded with the day's species count at twenty seven and the total number of butterflies at least two orders of magnitude higher.

Branch Accounts byJim Foster,the Branch Treasurer F

The following are the accounts for your branch for the financial up to April 2006, which have been checked by our auditor, Graham Bull. Please &cl free to contact me if you wish to comment or seekfurther information. My details are on the hackpage.

BUTIERFLYCONSERVATION SUFFOLKBRANCH

Butterfly list: small skipper, essex skipper, large skipper, silver-spotted skipper, small white, large white, green-veined white, brimstone, purple hairstreak, common blue, brown argus, holly blue, chalkhill blue, small copper, purple emperor, comma, painted lady, peacock, red admiral, silverwashed fritillary, dark green fritillary, meadow brown, gatekeeper, speckled wood, marbled white, ringlet, small heath.

Income & Expenditure Account for 12 Months Ended 31st March 2006 INCOME MembershipSubscriptions Awardsfor All Bank Interest Donations:GeneralFundraising OutputVAT VATrefund Sale of Merchandise Cost of Sales Profiton Sales Total Income

2004/05

2IOOM)6

£1,149.00 £1,891.85 £12.12 £47.00 £0.00 £0.00 £105.18 £70.70

£1,149.00 £2,304.10 £42.98 £122.50 £6.26 £108.83 £151.38 £70.89

£34.48

£80.49

£3,134.45

£4,147.16

£300.00 £149.00 £603.n £20.00 £101.14 £80.00 £789.90

EssexSkipper byDouglasHammersl.ey I

Small White (Female) byDouglasHammersl.ey

EXPENDl1URE Donation SuffolkShow Newsletters/ Programme Meetings Office Expenses Spring ButterflySurvey Depreciation InputVAT

1btalExpemdltunt SURPLUSFORYEAR

£0.00

£100.00 £60.00 £782.34 £20.00 £64.05 £2,206.09 £805.03 £46.41

£2,043.81

£4,083.92

£1,0S0.64

£63.24

CommonBlue byDouglasHammersl.ey

6

19

The SuffolkArgus large butterfly powered through the site. Although views were brief, they were sufficient to identify a purple emperor on the basis of size, upperside markings and rapidity of flight; probably a female given the apparent lack of iridescence, the time of day and the presence of sallows in the immediate area.

Our departure from Brockham marked the transition from post-industrial landscape to more open downland. At the first escarpment, we encountered two holly blues which quickly became, without the slightest courtship ritual, a pair of butterflies tumbling in union through the foliage. Proceeding along the base of the slope, we noted a male brown argus at every two or three metre interval. With this pattern continuing for much of the remainder of the walk, we ultimately recorded remarkable numbers of a species which doesn't generally build large populations and appeared to be virtually absent from the downs during the spring.

There is only one real climb on the walk back to Dorking and the gradient here is such that I don't think any one of us took much interest in the many butterflies thronging beside the narrow path. Our reward, contrary to Richard Stewart's mischievous suggestion that we needed to go back having taken a wrong tum, was to step out to the

Spring2007 sight of hundreds of butterflies flying on the Dukes escarpment of Box Hill. Meadow browns and gatekeepers dominated, but common blues were also present in numbers bordering on the exceptional; having their day before the chalkhill blues (the pallid males of which we were now noting with reasonable regularity) peaked and the second brood adonis emerged. Further up the slope, we suspected that a dark green fritillary was active and it was well worth the scramble to locate a beautifully marked female.

Amongst myriad butterflies, we made our way along the Box Hill slopes before taking the opportunity to rejoin the Dorking footpath via a narrow opening in the scrub line. Just before the A24 and the return to urbanisation (I hesitate here to use the word civilisation), we congregated beneath a mature oak in a woodland clearing and adopted a familiar high-summer pose; heads tilted back, binoculars at the ready, eyes scanning the tree's boughs for any sign of movement. The wind had picked up markedly by now and the single sighting of a purple hairstreak, courtesy of Richard Stewart's persistence, was extremely bric£ The discovery of the heady combination of elms, thistles and brambles in a meadow by the River Mole raised hopes of adding another species.

However, any white-letter hairstreaks present

BUTTERFLYCONSERVATIONSUFFOLKBRANCH Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2006 2004I05

200l5f06

£

£

£

£

CONSOLIDATED FUND Note Balance 1.4.2005 Grant received Surpluson year (-spent)

General £2,905.62 £1,090.64 £3,996.26

Aeslrlcted

General

Aeslrlcted

£0.00 £4,337.00 (£1,891.85) £2,445.15

£3,996.26

£2,445.15

£63.24 £4,0IS9S>

(£2,304.10) £141.05

Transfer

£141.05

(£141.05)

tA,200.55 £8,441A1

£0.00 £4,200.55

£1,851.02 £303.00 £117.00

£1,144.00 £359.00 £113.00

ReviswedBalance

TotalFunds

Rep1998111:ed by:

ASSETS FixedAssets 1 Debtors Stock - Merchandise • Cash at Bank -Current £3,055.67 - Deposit . £1,288.27 Cash in Hand £2.35

TotalAssets

£41.04 £2,542.98 £0.53 £4,346.29 £6,617.31

£2,584.55 £4,200.55

£175.90

£0.00

LlabHities

SUFFOL MOTHGROU

Come and see the wonders of the night. Regularfield meetings and newsletter.Online guide to the largermoths of Suffolk.

Website:www.suffolkmoths.org.uk Contad: TonyPrichardfor further details.

18

Creditors

NETWORnl

Notes 1: FixedAssets ProjectorTable ExhibitionTent Display Stand Generator Dell Laptop Dell Projector Canon Printer

£8,441A1

Life (Yrs) 5 5 5 5 3 3 3

Cost £29.99 £100.00 £229.12 £630.00 £1,178.53 £633.32 £98.01 £2,898.97

7

tA,200.55

BookValue £0.00 £0.00 £72.00 £378.00 £393.00 £211.11 £90.00 £1,144.00

Spring2007

Tk~.SuffolkArgus

Safety Code As with any other activity, there are

hazards in the countryside and everyone takingpart in a Field Tripor Work Party has a responsibility (duty of care), for their own safety ~,and that of others. We try bardto ensure thatour Events present no greater hazardthan any other walkin the countryside, but please note and act on the following: ■

Wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

If there are unusual requirements, these are noted in the individual trip details. Stout shoes are a minimum requirement for any walk.

■

During the main summer season you may be exposed to strong sunshine for much or all of the walk. Take a har, use sun cream or protection for exposed skin. Make sure that you have adequate food and liquid to drink with you. Equally, sunshine can easily turn to cold and rain during the day. Be prepared.

■

The leader will provide a briefing on the trip before setting out, with details of any known particular hazards, and will also give advice on what to do in an emergency. Please listen carefully.

■

■

'-./y

LargeWhite byDouglasHammersley ■

Children are welcome on our walks, but if under 16 must be accompanied by at least one adult for two children. It is the responsibility of the accompanying adult(s) to ensure that the trip is within the children's ability.

■

Dogs are normally welcome on walks, but must be kept under control. Any exceptions are shown in the individual trip details.

■

If you are uncertain about any details of the trip, ring the leader/contact in advance. There is always a telephone number given with the trip details.

At the briefing, please let the leader know if you have a mobile telephone and are able to take it with you on the walk,or if you have First Aid qualifications.

■

If you decide to leave the event early, tell the leader.

■

Joining the walk is an indication of your interest in butterflies. By their nature butterflies do not remain conveniently by the main path and will offer many opportunities (temptations) for you to wander away.Take particular care to look out for hazards - rabbit holes, fallen or hanging branches, barbed wire, boggyareas etc. Beware of wet grass, particularly on sloping ground.

Take care at all times, but ENJOY YOURSELE

ourselves engrossed amongst the buddleias, apprehended a passing female and proceeded to marjorams and knapweeds thriving on a rough repeatedly swoop beneath her in characteristic bank by a redundant lime kiln chimney. The courtship flight. common Vanessids, with the exception of small We broke for lunch in Brockham lime pit. tortoishell which was to remain puzzlingly absent High· above us flew a pair of peregrine falcons and for the duration, were all quickly accounted for we strained, even with binoculars, to watch as they the highlight being a number of pristine peacocks. landed on a precipitous ledge at the top of a sheer A few minutes later and the neat profiles of brown cliff face. Around us common blues and brown argus had been discerned amongst the common argus nectared. Occasionally, a silver-spotted blues, small skippers differentiated from Essex. skipper would also pause on a flower, instantly The terrain around Betchworth has been dosing its seemingly spring-loaded wings to reveal shaped by recent human activity to a much greater two jagged arcs of crystalline markings set into the extent than that along the better known underside. Below our vantage point, marbled lepidopterists' trailbetween Gomshall and Dorking. whites and ringlets worked the regenerating Accordingly; we paused next in the lee of a long excavation channels. bank now recolonised after yearsof landfill. Here, We nosed around the various microdimates the lustrous wingsof freshly-emergedsmall coppers formed by these shallow workings for a while after were noted amongst the shorter grasses. A few lunch. Small heaths were detected amongst the metres away, two silver-washed fritillaries were skippers and then, to much greater excitement, a nectaring from the upper fronds of a buddleia.

Approaching Brockham, we diverted from the main path to check an old working comprising areas of extremely dose-cropped turf compartmentalised by scrub. Appropriately, the day's first silver-spotted skipper was recorded here - its frenetic flight and crash landings on to chalk scree so difficult to follow until it was temporarily sedated by buddleia nectar and could be observed more readily.

Such is the quality and diversity of the habitat around Dorking, in excess of twenty five species may be seen on a July walk and fully recording the common butterflies consequently assumes considerable importance. It was therefore something of a relief to uncover green-veined whites and a skulking large skipper amongst the long grassesbordering Brockham lime pit. For a few moments these two species took precedence over a number of silverwashed fritillaries which again had been ~~ attracted by buddleia. The balance was ,ol=<d, h=<, whro• m,i, &;tilluy (

SmallCopperEtSmallHeath

by BerylJohnson 8

17

TheSuffolkArgus followingthe climb from Downe Bank, we noticed a herd of eight fallowdeer no more than thiny metres away in a field. We observed them for some time, and so open was their position and so oblivious did they seem to our presence that it appeared at first that we were looking in upon a deer fum. However, closer scrutiny provided no evidence of stock-proofing and this was confirmed when the herd eventually took flight and cleared the field boundary with ease.

Butterfly list: large skipper, brimstone, orange tip, large white, common blue, small blue, painted lady, red admiral, comma, speckled wood, meadow brown, ringlet, marbled white.

Central London (SEl) butterfly list (19992006): small white, large white, brimstone, holly blue, comma, painted lady, red admiral, meadow brown, gatekeeper.

Spring2007 Acknowledgements:With thanks to Irene Palmer of Kent Wildlife Trust for allowing full access to Downe Bank.

Surrey Downs, Betchworth to Dorking, 23rd July 2006

by PaulJohnson Four days previously the UK Julytemperature record had been broken in Surreyand, as seven of us stood at Dorking Deepdene rail station awaiting the Bctchworth service, I wasn't sure whether to f-cclrelief or disappointment at the overcast skies above. The train journey to Bctchworth takes just four minutes and there was much speculation as to whether the mndnctor would trouble to charge us. Indccd, various strategics for deterring him were put forward, including each person paying by aedit cardor with a £20 note. In the event, the conductor sold us a group ticket which, to much amusement, turned out to be for three adults and four

children!

T h

e

Surrey downs have far too much butterfly interest to worry for long about the idiosyncrasies of rail fares however and, having soon left behind the last vestiges of human habitation, we found

Silver Spotted Skipper byDouglasHammersley 16

Wider Countryside Monitoring

Wot's yow

by ButterflyConservation

by Ri.chardSouthwell

'Butterflies for the New Millennium' team

Chairman West Midlands Branch

• seying oar kid?

As part of the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme One of the perksof beinga Branch Chairman is (www.ukbms.oig) Butterfty Consenation is I reaM all other branch newsletters.I wish your running a pilot project to develop a new new Editor all the best and do ena>unge you to method to monitor butterflies across the send articles cow:ringall activities ranging &om generalcountryside. The obj~ is a more local conservation initiatives through to efficient and accurate way of monitoring the recordingaperiences. The reason I am prompted abundance of widespread and common species to write is due to Petcr'sremarkabout the Black in the 'normal' landscape (i.e. away &om nature Country being DEAD. Being originally a reserves, where most transects are carried out).

Hampshire Hog I do accept the accmt leaftS a bit It is hoped that the method, once fully to be desiredwhilst the beercan be somewhat developed, may form the basis for a new insipid. Mind you your 1oa1 Ridley's smelt like a monitoring scheme to complement the BNM fresha,wpat if my memory sen-es me right! Now and transects. the commmt thatthe areais also dead for wildlife In 2006, field testing was carried out by Dr reallydocs need cballenging.

Katie Cruickshanks and a small number of volunteers, looking primarily at butterflies in lowland farmland habitats. Following extensive research and consultation, the field testing was based on transects within random 1km squares in a similar•wayto the British Trust for Ornithology's Breeding Birds ~ -• , . will ~ ..... ,.::s,:,.,, Surv~. Thi s ye~, field t~stmg :=-.,,,,r--~-~ _'"-1:,~-. continue, targenng specific areas.-.-~.- "-•·--• -.. of the UK, in particular upland :::: .."".,.""' ..;;,;:..,,. """~ -.,,,·• habitats. In the future, Butterfly Conservation hopes to expand volunteer participation in the pilot study and, subject to the considerable challenge of finding sustainable funding, roll out the new scheme nationally. byDouglasHammersley

Dingy Skipper

9

I

Spring2007

The SuffolkArgus The national brownfield initiative staned in the West Midlands after completion of the Millennium Atlas. Checking the distribution dots against Ordnance Survey maps quickly showed that the vast majority of our colonies of Dingy Skipper and Common Blue butterflies favour the urban jungle to the Elysium Fields of Worcester or Shropshire. This statement is also true as above average distributions of Green Hairstreak and Small Heath also exists in these settings. Moth recording has mushroomed since the Atlas, so I can also report that day flying moths such as Burnet Companion, Latticed Heath, Mother Shipton and the rarer Chimney Sweeper can also be found here in numbers that rural members find hard to believe. This year we undertook a moth trapping in a disused sand pit that local residents and branch members are helping to preserve.

Bird's Wing moth is trapped at nationally important sites such as the WyreForest in two's or threes, not here where ten were counted. In a wider context, water voles, skylarks, merlin and the infamous peregrine falcon colony that thinks Birmingham's telecom's tower is a cliff face, add to urban biodiversity.

The habitats might not be pretty to the aesthetic eye; they are often used and disused canals and railways, mining areas or cleared old factory sites. There might often be pollution in the ground but this has the advantage of keeping back rank grasswhilst there is absolutely no feniliser, which in my opinion, is the biggest killer of wildlife. The various sites are not always largebut they are invariably close to each other or connected by corridors. I am pleased to report most councils are also sympathetic to our aims and have policies to separate the various communities from becoming a total sprawl through the creation of linear open space. The wildlife benefits of such a policy are self-evident.If only farmers could do the same.

Indeed we have taken matters a stage funher.

We have found dealing with councils and council officialsa somewhat tedious and an ever changing experience; so have Lulwonh and our compatriots in Europe. We have just got agreement at Chairman level with St Modwen Propenies PLC,

the UK's biggest brownfield propeny developer,to alter their landscaping design and maintenance policies to make them conducive to butterflies and moths. They will even save money in the process.

Sustainable conservation at no cost to BC without suffering from the complexities of dealing with fund raising applications, politicians, committees and experts! Can't be bad and I suggest you make similar ovenures to society's 'real' decision makers down in Suffolk.

So what's happening in Suffolk?There must be a number of opportunities around your ports and I hope this anicle willencourage recording in those areas. If not, you are very welcome to sample Saddler and Holden local beers along with the floristic and lepidopteran delights of a flattened tile factory in Dudley. Alternatively do come to the Prees Heath official opening this year when you will see thousands of Silver-studded Blue flying on an old WW2 airfield. Is it remnant heath land or brownfield site? Does it matter?

Yownough whot I mane!

F.ditor:Thanks for this article Richard. Although I staned a serious diet just before Christmas, I am going to have to eat a huge ponion of humble pie on this one! My only defence is that I was only referring to Birmingham and I left Brurnmagem over 35 years ago. The passage of time will no doubt have clouded my memory. I wish my fellow West Mid.landers all the best with their efforts to preserve and extend the habitat for wildlife in the heart of our country. That'll teach me for falling into the trap of making ill - informed generalisations!

Hope weam still pals Richard? Yowm a guddun!

Tarrar for a bit. (For translation into Surrrfolk, please ring the editor)

10

Emerging on to the London Wildlife Trust reserve which flanksWest Kent Golf Course, we paused at a flush of rockrose and bird's foot trefoil; initially to allow a group of golfers to tee off. and then to check for butterflies. Considering the composition of the flora, it was somewhat surprising not to record brown argus but to discover instead a small blue - a diminutive silver shadow ghosting through the grass stems.

A funher eight small blues, some showing characteristic siz.cvariation, were recorded in the next section of the reserve. These included an ovipositing female carefully seekingout suitable inflorescences of kidney vetch, and males defending their territories from the vantages afforded by the apexesof curved grassstems: in the world of the sm;tll blue, everything is played out very much in miniature.

Other species noted here were large skipper, common blue, brimstone, meadow brown and ringlet. Given the flourishing bird's foot trefoil, common blue numbers seemed rather subdued whilst in the case of the ringlet it was simply a surprise to encounter their velveteen forms bobbing above the sward in mid-June following such a protracted end to ·me preceding winter.

Looking back up the bank, the mosaic of grasses, orchids and countless oxeye daisies certainly made for a pleasing scene. However, beyond this aesthetic, there must be a danger that the coarser vegetation currently providing important shelter for the small blue will soon exert a stranglehold if left unchecked.

Our objective on the retUrn walk was to locate a marbled white and, to this end, we dispersed' across a long section of grassland. The reward for our endeavours was to add a red admiral to the day's list and to discover small blue ova in a rather open area where I hadn't previously noted this species. Back at the lane leading to Downe village and with thoughts of lunch assuming some urgency, it was agreed that a party • comprising myself and the Stewarts would conduct a brief (ten minutes maximum) search of the last section of the reserve. Some half an hour later, we emerged from the undergrowth to report a pristine marbled white offset against an oxeye

daisy to the now somewhat vexed countenances of the others.

With equilibrium restored by lunch, we made our way along a narrow path flanking a rough meadow (on previous field trips this has yielded a good number of butterflies, but was largely quiet today) before reaching the wooded entrance to Downe Bank.

As we descended a steep slope and broke the cover of the tree line to look out upon the sliver of chalk grassland below, I was taken again by the secluded, intimate feel of the place which is surely unrivalled locally. We moved slowly along the access path (the narrowness of which seems to accentuate the feelinghere that any human footfall should be no more than a tiptoe) with chalkflora springing fonh from every pore of the ground about us. Above the sward, large skippers whirred about to be joined by less frenetic meadow browns and, more languid still, a number of ringlets;out here too, despite Downe Bank being east-facing. A little later, a male orange tip conducted a patrolling flight through the reservewhilstat ground level an in cop pair of longhorn beetles made understandably laboured progress across the path.

We moved now into the nonhern section of the reserve,and along the lower path sight of a large orange butterfly flying quickly away from us aroused considerable interest. As we attempted to track it down, two brimstones - seemingly indefatigable almost a year after emergence - and a large white were recorded. Having followed the path as it looped back to the top of the bank, we noted the orange butterfly again some twenty metres or so below us; its regular,reproducible sotties punctuated by periods of settling, wings outstretched, on the extremity of a low branch.

Through binoculars, its identity was confirmed as a comma although the territorial nature of the flights had been sufficient to dispel any lingering hopes of an early dark green fritillary.

The remainder of the afternoon had a somewhat different flavour. In the first instance, we came acrossa group of four variously-si-zedslow worms; their solder-drop eyes and taut burnished bronze skins seeming to shimmer under the gazeof the mid-afternoon sun. Then, pausing for breath

15

TheSuffolkArgus able to record Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Common Blue, EssexSkipper and LargeSkipper, alsoSilver Y moth and Pyrausta Aurata moth. Our next stop, the Walled Garden, proved disappointing with only a Painted Lady and the three 'Whites', Large, Small and Green-veined being noted.

We eventually came to the 'Butterfly Ride', set within the Connaught Plantation, the path encircling areas of grasses and plants. Much searching produced only Peacock and Painted Lady, also several Mother of Pearl moths.

On our return journey a SpeckledWood and a Comma were seen. Another item of interest, although not uncommon, were the bright red "nail" galls on the upper surface of the leaves of a

Spring2007 Lime Tree. These galls resembling tiny red candles are caused by Gall Mites.

Our walk duly ended back at the Field Centre, it had been rather disappointing in respect of the numbers of butterflies seen, possibly getting a little late in the season? It has since been decided to bring forward the date for 2007, with the event scheduled for Sunday 22nd July, coinciding with the start of "Save our Butterflies Week".

The response and enthusiasm of the members of the public attending was encouraging, hopefully some may become members of Butterfly Conservation. Finally, many thanks to those members of the Suffolk Branch who came along to give their support, also to John Loombe and Thornham Walks.

Field Meetings

2006 Tunstall and Tangham, 5th July 2006

by RichardStewart

West Kent Golf Course and Downe Bank, 17th June 2006

by PaulJohnson

Ringlet

by BerylJohnson

Although the very centre of London offers only the most meagre butterfly fare - in seven years of working by Waterloo I've accumulated, almost by attrition, a species list of nine - the suburbs offer considerably more variety.Within a few miles of Waterloo, it's possible to encounter purple and white-letter bairstreaks and upon reachingthe outer edge of Bromley there are a number of sites where chalk downland specialists occur.

West Kent Golf Course and Downe Bank are two such sites - both ribbons of calcareousgrassland carefully hidden away from general view - and the consensus amongst our group of seven was to explore the former location before the heat became oppressiveon its exposed west-facingslopes. As this decision was reached, a painted lady flew past at considerablespeed. A further two specieswere then added as we walked to the site; freshexamples of speckled wood and large skipper about a tree-lined lane and scrubby field edge respectively.

14

CloudedYellow

by BerylJohnson

These two sites are only separated by a few miles and the main target species was the White Admiral.Tunstall bas traditionally beena good site and we badnot 'ft:lltured far down the main track befure the 6rst was seen, then a second, much to the delight of one visitor living well outside Suffolk.

We soon added Ringlet, Meadow Brown and Small Heath, all three Skippers, four Red Admirals, one on privet, Comma and Silver Y, then Green-veined White and Speckled Wood in the dappled shade. Small Copper increased the list but several minutes spent near the farmhouse failed to locate what could have been a Hairstreak.

We also added Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Yellowhammer, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap, Mistie Thrush and Jay to our sightings plus Yellow Shell moth, Cinnabar caterpillars and the wing of a Large Emerald moth.

We found two more White Admirals in a plantation off the main path but the area once the most likdy place to see them has never recovered from a large harvesting machine crossing it regularlyand we had to move further along then off right, to some sunlit glades with bramble, to find two more White Admirals. By this time we had added five more Red Admirals, a Hummingbird Hawk moth and a Hornet plus a calling Green Woodpecker and two separate sightings of Fallow Deer, one being a doe with a young fawn.

11

The SuffolkArgus Six of the nine who staned completed the long route on the Phoenix trail around Tangham, with a Muntjac seen as we arrived, birds including Green Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, Yellowhammer and two Woodlarks and an abundance of dragonflies, particularly on the main pond created from the River Tang.

Species noted included two male Broadbodied Chasers, Four Spot Chaser, Emperor, Common Blue, Azure and LargeRed Damselfly.

The sightings also included Six Spot Burnet and lovely drifrs of blossom from a Black Poplar.

Butterflies recorded were Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Ringlet, Comma and two Small Skippers.

I had selected this venue because I had seen the White Admiral at Tangham for the first time in the summer of 2005 but the total in the afrernoon was still a great surprise, particularly as some of the bramble wasn't in flower. We recorded thirteen in total, the last flying past as we left the car park.

That made a total of twelve species for the day, with nineteen White Admirals.

Small Blue byDouglasHammersley

Spring2007

Orford Area, 19th August 2006.

by Alan]ohmon A total of 14 of our members met in the car park adjacent to Orford Quay, for this, the last outdoor meeting of our 2006 Programme.The walkscheduled to take us into four recording Tetrads,the middle point of these being close to the village centre.

Red Admiral, Meadow Brown and a Brimstone moth were recorded in the car park at the stan of our walk, which then took us to the Quay with views up and down the River Ore, and across to Orfordness Island. The many sailing dinghies with their brightly coloured sails made a perfect picture in the bright sunshine, although a stiffbreeu appeared to be causing a few problems.

Our route then followed the river wall around Chantry Marshes, some members choosing to walk at a lower level along the more sheltered landward side of the wall. Here, there was rather long rank grass and very little in the way of nectar sources, although a solitary Small Heath, Greenveined White and a Painted Lady were seen, also severalSilver Y moths.

On reaching Chantry Point the river wall turned westwards, with a much wider grassystrip betweenthe wall and an adjacent dyke. The grass appeared to have been gearedby cattle earlier in the year and supported more nectar sources such as Thistle, Hawkweed, Bird's-foot Trefoil and Rest Harrow. Here Green-veinedWhite, Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshdl, Small Copper, Painted Lady and approx. 10 Small Heath butterflies were seen.

We now left the riverside, heading inland, with Chantry Marshes on the right and Gedgrave Marshes to our left. The track was bright with the white flowers of Scentless Mayweed and bounded on either side with reed filled dykes, attracting numerous dragonflies, both Hawker and Daner.

Rob pointed out a 'dwarf form' of the Small White -the condition probably caused by the lack of the food plant at the larval stage. At a bend in the track there was a more sheltered area with Bramble

12

hedges, Willow and Alder, here we saw Grayling, Speckled Wood and a Wall, the latter now quite a rarity. Also noted, and causing some excitement; was a Clouded Ydlow flying alongside a field margin hedge. This confirmed a sighting by Beryl and I made a few days earlier when reconnoitring the walk.

The last section of the track was bounded by tall hedgerows and more Speckled Woods were noted. After turning on to a metalled road, some of the group feeling 'peckish' joined the Red Admirals that were enjoying the fruits of a Plum tree. Further on, walking along the field side of a hedge some discovered several Common Blue and Small Copper butterflies, also a Brown Argus which was briefly 'potted' for identification purposes. Meanwhile, those of us who had kept to the road were. rewarded with another Wall, nectaring on the flowers of Bindweed.

On leaving the road, a sandy track took us up to the edge of Broom Covert, noting en route our first Gatekeeper, also passing by a field containing some goats and a miscellaneous collection of chickens, the latter being entertained by the music from a radio, no doubt an incentive to produce more eggs!A Greenshank was spotted in the vicinity, perhaps also attracted by Radio 2?

It was soon time for a picnic lunch once a shady spot was found at the woodland edge. Our group didn't seem inclined to linger, maybe because of stories related about 'ticks'! Continuing on, with the woodland eventually giving way to tall mixed hedgerows on either side of the track providing sightings of single Comma, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown and Holly Blue, several Small and Large Whites and many Red Admirals, also an abundance of both Southern and Migrant Hawker Dragonflies.

The final section of our route took us through the village to eventually rejoin the river wall, this time to the north of the Quay. A third sighting of a Wall, this one settled on short turf close to some Pheasant rearing pens, the birds sporting 'anti-pecking' devices! This spot also providing single Common Blue, Speckled Wood, Small and Large White.

Further on, when investigating a sheltered

corner of a field, Rob discovered our final Wall (the fourth) of the day, also 'putting up' several Common Blue and Small Heath, plus single Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper. Back at the car park, a Small Tortoiseshdl was the final butterfly of the day, bringing our total to 19 species.

As a sequel, Beryl, Paul and I repeated this walk on October 27th, recording a total of 55 Red Admiral, plus 8 Comma,4 Painted Lady, and an extremely late Small White.

Thomham Walks, 6th August 2006

by Alan]ohmon This annual event, now in its seventh year,is a joint meeting in conjunction with the programme organised by Thornham Walks.

This year a slight change of format bad been agreed, with the illustrated talk, "The Butterfli~ of Suffolk and how to identify them" , immediately preceding the "Butterfly Walk".The talk, held in one of the rooms of the Field Centre and lasting for an hour, was presented by Rob Parkerand Jim Foster. The excellent range of colour slides was well received by the audience of approximately twenty members of the public.

With the weather rather hot and humid and sunny spells replacing the earlier cloud the Butterfly Walk staned at 2.00pm with more people joining our group, which was then split into two parties, one led by Rob, the other by Jim. We were also joined by John Loombe, the Countryside Ranger for the Thornham Estate.

As in previous years our route followed some of the estate's diverse habitats - our first stop by a pond, provided views of Brown Hawker and Southern Hawker Dragonflies also Small Red-eyed Damselfly.Next, we visited the area known as the "Pinetum", which unfortunately did not provide the hoped for sighting of a White-letter Hairstreak as in the previous two years. However, we were

13

The SuffolkArgus Six of the nine who staned completed the long route on the Phoenix trail around Tangham, with a Muntjac seen as we arrived, birds including Green Woodpecker, Chiffchaff, Yellowhammer and two Woodlarks and an abundance of dragonflies, particularly on the main pond created from the River Tang.

Species noted included two male Broadbodied Chasers, Four Spot Chaser, Emperor, Common Blue, Azure and LargeRed Damselfly.

The sightings also included Six Spot Burnet and lovely drifrs of blossom from a Black Poplar.

Butterflies recorded were Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Ringlet, Comma and two Small Skippers.

I had selected this venue because I had seen the White Admiral at Tangham for the first time in the summer of 2005 but the total in the afrernoon was still a great surprise, particularly as some of the bramble wasn't in flower. We recorded thirteen in total, the last flying past as we left the car park.

That made a total of twelve species for the day, with nineteen White Admirals.

Small Blue byDouglasHammersley

Spring2007

Orford Area, 19th August 2006.

by Alan]ohmon A total of 14 of our members met in the car park adjacent to Orford Quay, for this, the last outdoor meeting of our 2006 Programme.The walkscheduled to take us into four recording Tetrads,the middle point of these being close to the village centre.

Red Admiral, Meadow Brown and a Brimstone moth were recorded in the car park at the stan of our walk, which then took us to the Quay with views up and down the River Ore, and across to Orfordness Island. The many sailing dinghies with their brightly coloured sails made a perfect picture in the bright sunshine, although a stiffbreeu appeared to be causing a few problems.

Our route then followed the river wall around Chantry Marshes, some members choosing to walk at a lower level along the more sheltered landward side of the wall. Here, there was rather long rank grass and very little in the way of nectar sources, although a solitary Small Heath, Greenveined White and a Painted Lady were seen, also severalSilver Y moths.

On reaching Chantry Point the river wall turned westwards, with a much wider grassystrip betweenthe wall and an adjacent dyke. The grass appeared to have been gearedby cattle earlier in the year and supported more nectar sources such as Thistle, Hawkweed, Bird's-foot Trefoil and Rest Harrow. Here Green-veinedWhite, Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshdl, Small Copper, Painted Lady and approx. 10 Small Heath butterflies were seen.

We now left the riverside, heading inland, with Chantry Marshes on the right and Gedgrave Marshes to our left. The track was bright with the white flowers of Scentless Mayweed and bounded on either side with reed filled dykes, attracting numerous dragonflies, both Hawker and Daner.

Rob pointed out a 'dwarf form' of the Small White -the condition probably caused by the lack of the food plant at the larval stage. At a bend in the track there was a more sheltered area with Bramble

12

hedges, Willow and Alder, here we saw Grayling, Speckled Wood and a Wall, the latter now quite a rarity. Also noted, and causing some excitement; was a Clouded Ydlow flying alongside a field margin hedge. This confirmed a sighting by Beryl and I made a few days earlier when reconnoitring the walk.

The last section of the track was bounded by tall hedgerows and more Speckled Woods were noted. After turning on to a metalled road, some of the group feeling 'peckish' joined the Red Admirals that were enjoying the fruits of a Plum tree. Further on, walking along the field side of a hedge some discovered several Common Blue and Small Copper butterflies, also a Brown Argus which was briefly 'potted' for identification purposes. Meanwhile, those of us who had kept to the road were. rewarded with another Wall, nectaring on the flowers of Bindweed.

On leaving the road, a sandy track took us up to the edge of Broom Covert, noting en route our first Gatekeeper, also passing by a field containing some goats and a miscellaneous collection of chickens, the latter being entertained by the music from a radio, no doubt an incentive to produce more eggs!A Greenshank was spotted in the vicinity, perhaps also attracted by Radio 2?

It was soon time for a picnic lunch once a shady spot was found at the woodland edge. Our group didn't seem inclined to linger, maybe because of stories related about 'ticks'! Continuing on, with the woodland eventually giving way to tall mixed hedgerows on either side of the track providing sightings of single Comma, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown and Holly Blue, several Small and Large Whites and many Red Admirals, also an abundance of both Southern and Migrant Hawker Dragonflies.

The final section of our route took us through the village to eventually rejoin the river wall, this time to the north of the Quay. A third sighting of a Wall, this one settled on short turf close to some Pheasant rearing pens, the birds sporting 'anti-pecking' devices! This spot also providing single Common Blue, Speckled Wood, Small and Large White.

Further on, when investigating a sheltered

corner of a field, Rob discovered our final Wall (the fourth) of the day, also 'putting up' several Common Blue and Small Heath, plus single Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper. Back at the car park, a Small Tortoiseshdl was the final butterfly of the day, bringing our total to 19 species.

As a sequel, Beryl, Paul and I repeated this walk on October 27th, recording a total of 55 Red Admiral, plus 8 Comma,4 Painted Lady, and an extremely late Small White.

Thomham Walks, 6th August 2006

by Alan]ohmon This annual event, now in its seventh year,is a joint meeting in conjunction with the programme organised by Thornham Walks.

This year a slight change of format bad been agreed, with the illustrated talk, "The Butterfli~ of Suffolk and how to identify them" , immediately preceding the "Butterfly Walk".The talk, held in one of the rooms of the Field Centre and lasting for an hour, was presented by Rob Parkerand Jim Foster. The excellent range of colour slides was well received by the audience of approximately twenty members of the public.

With the weather rather hot and humid and sunny spells replacing the earlier cloud the Butterfly Walk staned at 2.00pm with more people joining our group, which was then split into two parties, one led by Rob, the other by Jim. We were also joined by John Loombe, the Countryside Ranger for the Thornham Estate.

As in previous years our route followed some of the estate's diverse habitats - our first stop by a pond, provided views of Brown Hawker and Southern Hawker Dragonflies also Small Red-eyed Damselfly.Next, we visited the area known as the "Pinetum", which unfortunately did not provide the hoped for sighting of a White-letter Hairstreak as in the previous two years. However, we were

13

TheSuffolkArgus able to record Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Common Blue, EssexSkipper and LargeSkipper, alsoSilver Y moth and Pyrausta Aurata moth. Our next stop, the Walled Garden, proved disappointing with only a Painted Lady and the three 'Whites', Large, Small and Green-veined being noted.

We eventually came to the 'Butterfly Ride', set within the Connaught Plantation, the path encircling areas of grasses and plants. Much searching produced only Peacock and Painted Lady, also several Mother of Pearl moths.

On our return journey a SpeckledWood and a Comma were seen. Another item of interest, although not uncommon, were the bright red "nail" galls on the upper surface of the leaves of a

Spring2007 Lime Tree. These galls resembling tiny red candles are caused by Gall Mites.

Our walk duly ended back at the Field Centre, it had been rather disappointing in respect of the numbers of butterflies seen, possibly getting a little late in the season? It has since been decided to bring forward the date for 2007, with the event scheduled for Sunday 22nd July, coinciding with the start of "Save our Butterflies Week".

The response and enthusiasm of the members of the public attending was encouraging, hopefully some may become members of Butterfly Conservation. Finally, many thanks to those members of the Suffolk Branch who came along to give their support, also to John Loombe and Thornham Walks.

Field Meetings

2006 Tunstall and Tangham, 5th July 2006

by RichardStewart

West Kent Golf Course and Downe Bank, 17th June 2006

by PaulJohnson

Ringlet

by BerylJohnson

Although the very centre of London offers only the most meagre butterfly fare - in seven years of working by Waterloo I've accumulated, almost by attrition, a species list of nine - the suburbs offer considerably more variety.Within a few miles of Waterloo, it's possible to encounter purple and white-letter bairstreaks and upon reachingthe outer edge of Bromley there are a number of sites where chalk downland specialists occur.

West Kent Golf Course and Downe Bank are two such sites - both ribbons of calcareousgrassland carefully hidden away from general view - and the consensus amongst our group of seven was to explore the former location before the heat became oppressiveon its exposed west-facingslopes. As this decision was reached, a painted lady flew past at considerablespeed. A further two specieswere then added as we walked to the site; freshexamples of speckled wood and large skipper about a tree-lined lane and scrubby field edge respectively.

14

CloudedYellow

by BerylJohnson

These two sites are only separated by a few miles and the main target species was the White Admiral.Tunstall bas traditionally beena good site and we badnot 'ft:lltured far down the main track befure the 6rst was seen, then a second, much to the delight of one visitor living well outside Suffolk.

We soon added Ringlet, Meadow Brown and Small Heath, all three Skippers, four Red Admirals, one on privet, Comma and Silver Y, then Green-veined White and Speckled Wood in the dappled shade. Small Copper increased the list but several minutes spent near the farmhouse failed to locate what could have been a Hairstreak.

We also added Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Yellowhammer, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackcap, Mistie Thrush and Jay to our sightings plus Yellow Shell moth, Cinnabar caterpillars and the wing of a Large Emerald moth.

We found two more White Admirals in a plantation off the main path but the area once the most likdy place to see them has never recovered from a large harvesting machine crossing it regularlyand we had to move further along then off right, to some sunlit glades with bramble, to find two more White Admirals. By this time we had added five more Red Admirals, a Hummingbird Hawk moth and a Hornet plus a calling Green Woodpecker and two separate sightings of Fallow Deer, one being a doe with a young fawn.

11

I

Spring2007

The SuffolkArgus The national brownfield initiative staned in the West Midlands after completion of the Millennium Atlas. Checking the distribution dots against Ordnance Survey maps quickly showed that the vast majority of our colonies of Dingy Skipper and Common Blue butterflies favour the urban jungle to the Elysium Fields of Worcester or Shropshire. This statement is also true as above average distributions of Green Hairstreak and Small Heath also exists in these settings. Moth recording has mushroomed since the Atlas, so I can also report that day flying moths such as Burnet Companion, Latticed Heath, Mother Shipton and the rarer Chimney Sweeper can also be found here in numbers that rural members find hard to believe. This year we undertook a moth trapping in a disused sand pit that local residents and branch members are helping to preserve.

Bird's Wing moth is trapped at nationally important sites such as the WyreForest in two's or threes, not here where ten were counted. In a wider context, water voles, skylarks, merlin and the infamous peregrine falcon colony that thinks Birmingham's telecom's tower is a cliff face, add to urban biodiversity.

The habitats might not be pretty to the aesthetic eye; they are often used and disused canals and railways, mining areas or cleared old factory sites. There might often be pollution in the ground but this has the advantage of keeping back rank grasswhilst there is absolutely no feniliser, which in my opinion, is the biggest killer of wildlife. The various sites are not always largebut they are invariably close to each other or connected by corridors. I am pleased to report most councils are also sympathetic to our aims and have policies to separate the various communities from becoming a total sprawl through the creation of linear open space. The wildlife benefits of such a policy are self-evident.If only farmers could do the same.

Indeed we have taken matters a stage funher.

We have found dealing with councils and council officialsa somewhat tedious and an ever changing experience; so have Lulwonh and our compatriots in Europe. We have just got agreement at Chairman level with St Modwen Propenies PLC,

the UK's biggest brownfield propeny developer,to alter their landscaping design and maintenance policies to make them conducive to butterflies and moths. They will even save money in the process.

Sustainable conservation at no cost to BC without suffering from the complexities of dealing with fund raising applications, politicians, committees and experts! Can't be bad and I suggest you make similar ovenures to society's 'real' decision makers down in Suffolk.

So what's happening in Suffolk?There must be a number of opportunities around your ports and I hope this anicle willencourage recording in those areas. If not, you are very welcome to sample Saddler and Holden local beers along with the floristic and lepidopteran delights of a flattened tile factory in Dudley. Alternatively do come to the Prees Heath official opening this year when you will see thousands of Silver-studded Blue flying on an old WW2 airfield. Is it remnant heath land or brownfield site? Does it matter?

Yownough whot I mane!

F.ditor:Thanks for this article Richard. Although I staned a serious diet just before Christmas, I am going to have to eat a huge ponion of humble pie on this one! My only defence is that I was only referring to Birmingham and I left Brurnmagem over 35 years ago. The passage of time will no doubt have clouded my memory. I wish my fellow West Mid.landers all the best with their efforts to preserve and extend the habitat for wildlife in the heart of our country. That'll teach me for falling into the trap of making ill - informed generalisations!

Hope weam still pals Richard? Yowm a guddun!

Tarrar for a bit. (For translation into Surrrfolk, please ring the editor)

10

Emerging on to the London Wildlife Trust reserve which flanksWest Kent Golf Course, we paused at a flush of rockrose and bird's foot trefoil; initially to allow a group of golfers to tee off. and then to check for butterflies. Considering the composition of the flora, it was somewhat surprising not to record brown argus but to discover instead a small blue - a diminutive silver shadow ghosting through the grass stems.

A funher eight small blues, some showing characteristic siz.cvariation, were recorded in the next section of the reserve. These included an ovipositing female carefully seekingout suitable inflorescences of kidney vetch, and males defending their territories from the vantages afforded by the apexesof curved grassstems: in the world of the sm;tll blue, everything is played out very much in miniature.

Other species noted here were large skipper, common blue, brimstone, meadow brown and ringlet. Given the flourishing bird's foot trefoil, common blue numbers seemed rather subdued whilst in the case of the ringlet it was simply a surprise to encounter their velveteen forms bobbing above the sward in mid-June following such a protracted end to ·me preceding winter.

Looking back up the bank, the mosaic of grasses, orchids and countless oxeye daisies certainly made for a pleasing scene. However, beyond this aesthetic, there must be a danger that the coarser vegetation currently providing important shelter for the small blue will soon exert a stranglehold if left unchecked.

Our objective on the retUrn walk was to locate a marbled white and, to this end, we dispersed' across a long section of grassland. The reward for our endeavours was to add a red admiral to the day's list and to discover small blue ova in a rather open area where I hadn't previously noted this species. Back at the lane leading to Downe village and with thoughts of lunch assuming some urgency, it was agreed that a party • comprising myself and the Stewarts would conduct a brief (ten minutes maximum) search of the last section of the reserve. Some half an hour later, we emerged from the undergrowth to report a pristine marbled white offset against an oxeye

daisy to the now somewhat vexed countenances of the others.

With equilibrium restored by lunch, we made our way along a narrow path flanking a rough meadow (on previous field trips this has yielded a good number of butterflies, but was largely quiet today) before reaching the wooded entrance to Downe Bank.

As we descended a steep slope and broke the cover of the tree line to look out upon the sliver of chalk grassland below, I was taken again by the secluded, intimate feel of the place which is surely unrivalled locally. We moved slowly along the access path (the narrowness of which seems to accentuate the feelinghere that any human footfall should be no more than a tiptoe) with chalkflora springing fonh from every pore of the ground about us. Above the sward, large skippers whirred about to be joined by less frenetic meadow browns and, more languid still, a number of ringlets;out here too, despite Downe Bank being east-facing. A little later, a male orange tip conducted a patrolling flight through the reservewhilstat ground level an in cop pair of longhorn beetles made understandably laboured progress across the path.

We moved now into the nonhern section of the reserve,and along the lower path sight of a large orange butterfly flying quickly away from us aroused considerable interest. As we attempted to track it down, two brimstones - seemingly indefatigable almost a year after emergence - and a large white were recorded. Having followed the path as it looped back to the top of the bank, we noted the orange butterfly again some twenty metres or so below us; its regular,reproducible sotties punctuated by periods of settling, wings outstretched, on the extremity of a low branch.

Through binoculars, its identity was confirmed as a comma although the territorial nature of the flights had been sufficient to dispel any lingering hopes of an early dark green fritillary.

The remainder of the afternoon had a somewhat different flavour. In the first instance, we came acrossa group of four variously-si-zedslow worms; their solder-drop eyes and taut burnished bronze skins seeming to shimmer under the gazeof the mid-afternoon sun. Then, pausing for breath

15

TheSuffolkArgus followingthe climb from Downe Bank, we noticed a herd of eight fallowdeer no more than thiny metres away in a field. We observed them for some time, and so open was their position and so oblivious did they seem to our presence that it appeared at first that we were looking in upon a deer fum. However, closer scrutiny provided no evidence of stock-proofing and this was confirmed when the herd eventually took flight and cleared the field boundary with ease.

Butterfly list: large skipper, brimstone, orange tip, large white, common blue, small blue, painted lady, red admiral, comma, speckled wood, meadow brown, ringlet, marbled white.

Central London (SEl) butterfly list (19992006): small white, large white, brimstone, holly blue, comma, painted lady, red admiral, meadow brown, gatekeeper.

Spring2007 Acknowledgements:With thanks to Irene Palmer of Kent Wildlife Trust for allowing full access to Downe Bank.

Surrey Downs, Betchworth to Dorking, 23rd July 2006

by PaulJohnson Four days previously the UK Julytemperature record had been broken in Surreyand, as seven of us stood at Dorking Deepdene rail station awaiting the Bctchworth service, I wasn't sure whether to f-cclrelief or disappointment at the overcast skies above. The train journey to Bctchworth takes just four minutes and there was much speculation as to whether the mndnctor would trouble to charge us. Indccd, various strategics for deterring him were put forward, including each person paying by aedit cardor with a £20 note. In the event, the conductor sold us a group ticket which, to much amusement, turned out to be for three adults and four

children!

T h

e

Surrey downs have far too much butterfly interest to worry for long about the idiosyncrasies of rail fares however and, having soon left behind the last vestiges of human habitation, we found

Silver Spotted Skipper byDouglasHammersley 16

Wider Countryside Monitoring

Wot's yow

by ButterflyConservation

by Ri.chardSouthwell

'Butterflies for the New Millennium' team

Chairman West Midlands Branch

• seying oar kid?

As part of the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme One of the perksof beinga Branch Chairman is (www.ukbms.oig) Butterfty Consenation is I reaM all other branch newsletters.I wish your running a pilot project to develop a new new Editor all the best and do ena>unge you to method to monitor butterflies across the send articles cow:ringall activities ranging &om generalcountryside. The obj~ is a more local conservation initiatives through to efficient and accurate way of monitoring the recordingaperiences. The reason I am prompted abundance of widespread and common species to write is due to Petcr'sremarkabout the Black in the 'normal' landscape (i.e. away &om nature Country being DEAD. Being originally a reserves, where most transects are carried out).

Hampshire Hog I do accept the accmt leaftS a bit It is hoped that the method, once fully to be desiredwhilst the beercan be somewhat developed, may form the basis for a new insipid. Mind you your 1oa1 Ridley's smelt like a monitoring scheme to complement the BNM fresha,wpat if my memory sen-es me right! Now and transects. the commmt thatthe areais also dead for wildlife In 2006, field testing was carried out by Dr reallydocs need cballenging.

Katie Cruickshanks and a small number of volunteers, looking primarily at butterflies in lowland farmland habitats. Following extensive research and consultation, the field testing was based on transects within random 1km squares in a similar•wayto the British Trust for Ornithology's Breeding Birds ~ -• , . will ~ ..... ,.::s,:,.,, Surv~. Thi s ye~, field t~stmg :=-.,,,,r--~-~ _'"-1:,~-. continue, targenng specific areas.-.-~.- "-•·--• -.. of the UK, in particular upland :::: .."".,.""' ..;;,;:..,,. """~ -.,,,·• habitats. In the future, Butterfly Conservation hopes to expand volunteer participation in the pilot study and, subject to the considerable challenge of finding sustainable funding, roll out the new scheme nationally. byDouglasHammersley

Dingy Skipper

9

Spring2007

Tk~.SuffolkArgus

Safety Code As with any other activity, there are

hazards in the countryside and everyone takingpart in a Field Tripor Work Party has a responsibility (duty of care), for their own safety ~,and that of others. We try bardto ensure thatour Events present no greater hazardthan any other walkin the countryside, but please note and act on the following: ■

Wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

If there are unusual requirements, these are noted in the individual trip details. Stout shoes are a minimum requirement for any walk.

■

During the main summer season you may be exposed to strong sunshine for much or all of the walk. Take a har, use sun cream or protection for exposed skin. Make sure that you have adequate food and liquid to drink with you. Equally, sunshine can easily turn to cold and rain during the day. Be prepared.

■

The leader will provide a briefing on the trip before setting out, with details of any known particular hazards, and will also give advice on what to do in an emergency. Please listen carefully.

■

■

'-./y

LargeWhite byDouglasHammersley ■

Children are welcome on our walks, but if under 16 must be accompanied by at least one adult for two children. It is the responsibility of the accompanying adult(s) to ensure that the trip is within the children's ability.

■

Dogs are normally welcome on walks, but must be kept under control. Any exceptions are shown in the individual trip details.

■

If you are uncertain about any details of the trip, ring the leader/contact in advance. There is always a telephone number given with the trip details.

At the briefing, please let the leader know if you have a mobile telephone and are able to take it with you on the walk,or if you have First Aid qualifications.

■

If you decide to leave the event early, tell the leader.

■

Joining the walk is an indication of your interest in butterflies. By their nature butterflies do not remain conveniently by the main path and will offer many opportunities (temptations) for you to wander away.Take particular care to look out for hazards - rabbit holes, fallen or hanging branches, barbed wire, boggyareas etc. Beware of wet grass, particularly on sloping ground.

Take care at all times, but ENJOY YOURSELE

ourselves engrossed amongst the buddleias, apprehended a passing female and proceeded to marjorams and knapweeds thriving on a rough repeatedly swoop beneath her in characteristic bank by a redundant lime kiln chimney. The courtship flight. common Vanessids, with the exception of small We broke for lunch in Brockham lime pit. tortoishell which was to remain puzzlingly absent High· above us flew a pair of peregrine falcons and for the duration, were all quickly accounted for we strained, even with binoculars, to watch as they the highlight being a number of pristine peacocks. landed on a precipitous ledge at the top of a sheer A few minutes later and the neat profiles of brown cliff face. Around us common blues and brown argus had been discerned amongst the common argus nectared. Occasionally, a silver-spotted blues, small skippers differentiated from Essex. skipper would also pause on a flower, instantly The terrain around Betchworth has been dosing its seemingly spring-loaded wings to reveal shaped by recent human activity to a much greater two jagged arcs of crystalline markings set into the extent than that along the better known underside. Below our vantage point, marbled lepidopterists' trailbetween Gomshall and Dorking. whites and ringlets worked the regenerating Accordingly; we paused next in the lee of a long excavation channels. bank now recolonised after yearsof landfill. Here, We nosed around the various microdimates the lustrous wingsof freshly-emergedsmall coppers formed by these shallow workings for a while after were noted amongst the shorter grasses. A few lunch. Small heaths were detected amongst the metres away, two silver-washed fritillaries were skippers and then, to much greater excitement, a nectaring from the upper fronds of a buddleia.

Approaching Brockham, we diverted from the main path to check an old working comprising areas of extremely dose-cropped turf compartmentalised by scrub. Appropriately, the day's first silver-spotted skipper was recorded here - its frenetic flight and crash landings on to chalk scree so difficult to follow until it was temporarily sedated by buddleia nectar and could be observed more readily.

Such is the quality and diversity of the habitat around Dorking, in excess of twenty five species may be seen on a July walk and fully recording the common butterflies consequently assumes considerable importance. It was therefore something of a relief to uncover green-veined whites and a skulking large skipper amongst the long grassesbordering Brockham lime pit. For a few moments these two species took precedence over a number of silverwashed fritillaries which again had been ~~ attracted by buddleia. The balance was ,ol=<d, h=<, whro• m,i, &;tilluy (

SmallCopperEtSmallHeath

by BerylJohnson 8

17

The SuffolkArgus large butterfly powered through the site. Although views were brief, they were sufficient to identify a purple emperor on the basis of size, upperside markings and rapidity of flight; probably a female given the apparent lack of iridescence, the time of day and the presence of sallows in the immediate area.

Our departure from Brockham marked the transition from post-industrial landscape to more open downland. At the first escarpment, we encountered two holly blues which quickly became, without the slightest courtship ritual, a pair of butterflies tumbling in union through the foliage. Proceeding along the base of the slope, we noted a male brown argus at every two or three metre interval. With this pattern continuing for much of the remainder of the walk, we ultimately recorded remarkable numbers of a species which doesn't generally build large populations and appeared to be virtually absent from the downs during the spring.

There is only one real climb on the walk back to Dorking and the gradient here is such that I don't think any one of us took much interest in the many butterflies thronging beside the narrow path. Our reward, contrary to Richard Stewart's mischievous suggestion that we needed to go back having taken a wrong tum, was to step out to the

Spring2007 sight of hundreds of butterflies flying on the Dukes escarpment of Box Hill. Meadow browns and gatekeepers dominated, but common blues were also present in numbers bordering on the exceptional; having their day before the chalkhill blues (the pallid males of which we were now noting with reasonable regularity) peaked and the second brood adonis emerged. Further up the slope, we suspected that a dark green fritillary was active and it was well worth the scramble to locate a beautifully marked female.

Amongst myriad butterflies, we made our way along the Box Hill slopes before taking the opportunity to rejoin the Dorking footpath via a narrow opening in the scrub line. Just before the A24 and the return to urbanisation (I hesitate here to use the word civilisation), we congregated beneath a mature oak in a woodland clearing and adopted a familiar high-summer pose; heads tilted back, binoculars at the ready, eyes scanning the tree's boughs for any sign of movement. The wind had picked up markedly by now and the single sighting of a purple hairstreak, courtesy of Richard Stewart's persistence, was extremely bric£ The discovery of the heady combination of elms, thistles and brambles in a meadow by the River Mole raised hopes of adding another species.

However, any white-letter hairstreaks present

BUTTERFLYCONSERVATIONSUFFOLKBRANCH Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2006 2004I05

200l5f06

£

£

£

£

CONSOLIDATED FUND Note Balance 1.4.2005 Grant received Surpluson year (-spent)

General £2,905.62 £1,090.64 £3,996.26

Aeslrlcted

General

Aeslrlcted

£0.00 £4,337.00 (£1,891.85) £2,445.15

£3,996.26

£2,445.15

£63.24 £4,0IS9S>

(£2,304.10) £141.05

Transfer

£141.05

(£141.05)

tA,200.55 £8,441A1

£0.00 £4,200.55

£1,851.02 £303.00 £117.00

£1,144.00 £359.00 £113.00

ReviswedBalance

TotalFunds

Rep1998111:ed by:

ASSETS FixedAssets 1 Debtors Stock - Merchandise • Cash at Bank -Current £3,055.67 - Deposit . £1,288.27 Cash in Hand £2.35

TotalAssets

£41.04 £2,542.98 £0.53 £4,346.29 £6,617.31

£2,584.55 £4,200.55

£175.90

£0.00

LlabHities

SUFFOL MOTHGROU

Come and see the wonders of the night. Regularfield meetings and newsletter.Online guide to the largermoths of Suffolk.

Website:www.suffolkmoths.org.uk Contad: TonyPrichardfor further details.

18

Creditors

NETWORnl

Notes 1: FixedAssets ProjectorTable ExhibitionTent Display Stand Generator Dell Laptop Dell Projector Canon Printer

£8,441A1

Life (Yrs) 5 5 5 5 3 3 3

Cost £29.99 £100.00 £229.12 £630.00 £1,178.53 £633.32 £98.01 £2,898.97

7

tA,200.55

BookValue £0.00 £0.00 £72.00 £378.00 £393.00 £211.11 £90.00 £1,144.00

TheSuffolkArgus

Spring2007 remained out of sight and proceedings concluded with the day's species count at twenty seven and the total number of butterflies at least two orders of magnitude higher.

Branch Accounts byJim Foster,the Branch Treasurer F

The following are the accounts for your branch for the financial up to April 2006, which have been checked by our auditor, Graham Bull. Please &cl free to contact me if you wish to comment or seekfurther information. My details are on the hackpage.

BUTIERFLYCONSERVATION SUFFOLKBRANCH

Butterfly list: small skipper, essex skipper, large skipper, silver-spotted skipper, small white, large white, green-veined white, brimstone, purple hairstreak, common blue, brown argus, holly blue, chalkhill blue, small copper, purple emperor, comma, painted lady, peacock, red admiral, silverwashed fritillary, dark green fritillary, meadow brown, gatekeeper, speckled wood, marbled white, ringlet, small heath.

Income & Expenditure Account for 12 Months Ended 31st March 2006 INCOME MembershipSubscriptions Awardsfor All Bank Interest Donations:GeneralFundraising OutputVAT VATrefund Sale of Merchandise Cost of Sales Profiton Sales Total Income

2004/05

2IOOM)6

£1,149.00 £1,891.85 £12.12 £47.00 £0.00 £0.00 £105.18 £70.70

£1,149.00 £2,304.10 £42.98 £122.50 £6.26 £108.83 £151.38 £70.89

£34.48

£80.49

£3,134.45

£4,147.16

£300.00 £149.00 £603.n £20.00 £101.14 £80.00 £789.90

EssexSkipper byDouglasHammersl.ey I

Small White (Female) byDouglasHammersl.ey

EXPENDl1URE Donation SuffolkShow Newsletters/ Programme Meetings Office Expenses Spring ButterflySurvey Depreciation InputVAT

1btalExpemdltunt SURPLUSFORYEAR

£0.00

£100.00 £60.00 £782.34 £20.00 £64.05 £2,206.09 £805.03 £46.41

£2,043.81

£4,083.92

£1,0S0.64

£63.24

CommonBlue byDouglasHammersl.ey

6

19

TheSuffolkArgus

Spring2007

A Hairstreak

Me:I can't help you there as I don't know where you live.

Moment

Meo:Are there books on butterflies?

Me:Yes,and throughout the country there are ButterflyConservationlocalgroups.There is probablyone quite near to whereyou live.Many peoplefind that watchingbirds and butterfliesgo welltogether,and we all have . .;:;~..,, to start somewhere.

by ZoeMcLaughlin

Walkingalong MinsmereI.-ls, I saw a White Letter Hairstreak,which is always a delight.

There were three men with binocularswere coming towardsme, and I wonderedif I dare havea wordwith them. ..,.•••••• ,. ___ ••• i Me:Excuseme, would you be interestedin this.)

'."

, -~

Meo:What on earth is it?

Me:A Butterfly. ,

Meo:A Butterfly?

~\, \ {~/

, t~\

Meo:The first thing for us to do is to go to the shop and get a book on butterflies! .::J ,.,.,.,,"""'-",., They thanked me' -..................said how interesting it had been for them, and I hope that somewhere in the country there are now three additionalmembersof ButterflyConservation.

Me:Yes.It's a White Letter Hairstreak.

Meo:One of those that B.yaround?

Me:Yes,and if you go to the shop • at Minsmereand pass the buddleia, you could see many more butterflies.Yousee,butterfliesare like birds.There are times when you seethem, usuallybetweenMarch and September,but unlike birds they usuallyhibernatein the winter.

Editor: Thanks Zoe, ~~""5,c-:and I think this is another fine example of how those interested in wildlife,and butterflies in particular,are willingto pass on their knowledgeand experienceto others. It is through this exchangeof knowledgeand ideasthat we all learn.

fj.

~ ~ ~ j

Meo:Would we see differentbutterflies in differentparts of the country whilst we are out bird watching?

Mc:Yes,if you keep your eyesopen, but they are a challengeas they can moveveryfast.

White Letter Hairstreak

Meo:What other butterflieswould we see at home, then?

Earliest & Latest Records Recorder R. H. Marchant Stuart Ling Peter Hambli~ W. E. Lemmon Me~Bell Colin Hawes H. Parcell Te!!! Hammond John Walshe EileenCoe Mike Crewe Rob Macklin Neil Sherman Mark Comish Colin Jacobs Rob Macklin MervynCrawford Pat Shon Iennifer Hadl~ RichardChameion Three jointly Anthony Cook A & E Beaumont SteveBabbs Two jointly Stan Dumican Rob Parker RichardChameion MikeTal'.!or 0. B. Parker Darren Underwood J. Gosling M. Burnside

Earliest to 2006 7 lun 95 29 May 83 31 May 97 25 Apr 90 28 May97 27 Apr 97 9 Jan 98 18 Mar 95 25 Feb 00 11 Mar00 23 Mar 90 12Apr 95 22Jun 99 20 Jun 03 27 Mar06 6Jun 03 28Apr 05 24Apr92 18 Mar 90 16 Jun 03 1 Jan 00 20 Feb 90 1 Jan 00 15 Mar 97 1 Jan 00 15 Ian 95 28 Mar 02 19 Apr 02 21 Iun 03 13 Jun 92 25 May04 8 Jun 04 5 May83

Latest to 2006 25 See 95 Small Skie~ 12 Sep 84 EssaSkie~ 18 See o4 1..arKe Skie~ 4lui 83 Dingy Skie~ Swallowtail 28 Aug 91 Oouded Yellow 21 Nov 32 Brimstone 27Nov06 5 Nov 06 l..arKe White SmallWhite 19 Nov06 Greco-veinedWhite 5 Nov 06 20 Jui 95 ol'llJIKCne GrecoHairstreak 20 Jui 96 PurpleHairstreak 8 See oo White-letterHairstreak 28Aug00 16 Nov84 SmallCoepcr Silver-studdedBlue 21 Aug 83 BrownArgus 23 Oct 99 CommonBlue 6 Nov 94 Holly Blue 5 Nov06 WhiteAdmiral 11 Oct 04 RedAdmiral 31-Dec-06 20Nov 95 Painted Ladr SmallTortoiseshell 28 Dec 97 14 Oct 96 CamberwcllBeau!!

Peacock 31 Dec 97 Comma 12 Dec0O SpeckledWood 5 Nov 06 Wall 30 Oct 95 Grayling 1 Oct 06 6 Oct05 Gatekee~ MeadowBrown 6 Oct 05 Ringlet 27 Aug84 SmallHeath 13 Oct 06 Species

by BerylJohnson 20

5

Recorder StellaWolfe .

Alan Hubbard Me~ Crawford D. Croxson Ian Potter Mr Richardson Jo Woods Will Brame Stuart Gough Will Brame Mrs Sindall RichardHavard Neil Sherman John Walshe RichardStewart C. R. Naunton Will Brame StevePiotrowski Will Brame NigelCumi~ Nick Dickson Colin Hawes Mrs Frost S &RBiddle Peter Hobbs Gawin & Travis Will Brame Betty Serjeant SteveGoddard LydiaCalvesbert LydiaCalvesbert LG Palmer Ni~l Odin

The SuffolkArgus

Spring2007 "and another Red Admiral this morning". At a shade temperature of only 8DegC, I found one sunning itself in Hawstead churchyard on 3rd December, and Peter Maddison had two in Waldringfield on 17th December. The sun required for basking to raise body temperature from ambient to ~ 1C was often available, and the predominantly black colouration of the Red Admiral soaks the heat up well. A frost on 19th was not enough to drive them into hibernation, and the 2002 record of Christmas Day was broken with Stella Wolfe's garden sighting on 30th, and finally on New Year's Eve when Nick Dickson saw one in Gislingham.

Nine species flew later than ever noted (in Suffolk) before. Steve Goddard logged a Grayling on 1st October, a Small Heath was still flying at Landguard on 13th October, and Will Brame had a remarkable day at Felixstowe'sPeewit Hill on 5th November, seeing not only Large and Greenveined Whites, but also a Holly Blue and a Speckled Wood. All 4 of these were later than previous records - by 4, 7, 4 and 2 days respectively.They are all multiple brooded species, apparently flying into the extended mild spell, but not squeezing in an extra brood. On 19th November, Stuart Gough's Small White was 3 weeks later than ever before. In Bury St Edmunds, Jo Woods was amazed to see a Brimstone flying in her garden on 27th November. The Brimstone normally tucks itself up for hibernation in September or October, but this one was obviously tempted out by the sun and the opportunity to take a last feed. Even later, was the New Year's Eve Red Admiral noted above.

All in all, 2006 broke more autumn records than we might have expected, yet this is probably just another manifestation of climate change. Next year's phenology may well surprise us anew. This seems an appropriate moment to re-publish the table of Suffolk's earliest and latest species sightings. Delete page 14 of your Summer 2006 Argus - that table contained one misprint and did not credit the pre-Millennium observers.The table opposite corrects things, and brings everything up to date for 2007, whatever that should bring.

A Golden Autu111n

by RobParker Measuredby average temperatures,2006 was the warmest year ever for Britain. One Small C.Opperflew early enough to create a spring first, but in terms of the butterfly season, the most noticeable thing was the extended summer,which triggered extra broods for some species and led to wbat might be called a golden autumn for others.

The White Admiral has produced partial second broods in East Anglia several times in recent years - 2003 (Essex), 2004 (Suffolk & Essex), 2005 (Norfolk), but this September was remarkable, with records from 5 separate sites in our recording area: Kenton Hills on 13/9 by Linda Wallis.

Mildenhall Woods onl6/9 by Mervyn Crawford.

Dunwich Forest on 19/9. Four, 2 worn, 2 fresh,

by John Davey (a visitor).

Minsmere on 21/9 by Robin Harvey.

Belton Common (TG4702 Norfolk VC25) on 24/9 by Colin Jacobs.

As the mild weather continued through October and November, everyone noticed that the Red Admiral was having an exceptional year, and seemed determined to fly whenever the sun shone.

A few Peacocks, Commas and Small Tortoiseshells also flew late, but not so consistently. None of these species are likely to log latest-ever records, since as hibernating species, they are always present throughout December, and when disturbed, are seen pretty well up to New Year's Eve. Nonetheless, it was interesting that as annual records came in towards the end of November, most of them had a handwritten addition saying:

Tortoiseshell, all three Whites, possibly at least one Holly Blue and newly emerged Small Copper, Small Heath, Common Blue, Brown Argus and the chance of a very freshLarge Skipper. By this time Red Admiral, Painted Lady and even Clouded Yellow may be present and a search through gorse should produce sightings of Green Hairscreak.

Probably the best chance of a high day total would be to start from the long ride across the Brandon road, right at the bottom towards John 0'Groats cottages, back right to the Brandon road, up to Chalk Lane and finally another right turn which will eventually lead back to where you started: sounds simple, but it would take most of the day. On June 3rd 2000, eighteen species were The area centred on TI, 8272 and 8372, at recorded in this area duting an admittedly long BC Wordwellon the very edge of King's Forest, has meeting, a high total for Suffolk at this time of for many years been visited to count the Dingy year. Then a later visit will add Essex and Small Skipper colony. As Rob Parker has already Skipper, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper and Ringlet, recorded in great detail, the numbers have Grayling slightly later and remember, John grown with colonisation of the archery area, Dolman saw a Camberwell Beauty along this end which is the farside of a block of woodland at of the Icknield Way in May 1996. The Wall, the end of the long-established breeding ride. normally a rarer species away from the coast, has As you turn off right from the Brandon road also been recorded at Wordwell, which gives a high into a small car park, the area nearby, on a sunny total of 28 species since 1995. I also note from day in late May or early June, has a meadow to the distribution maps during the Millennium Survey left, plentiful nectar sources nearby and flowering that Purple Hairstreak has been recorded not fur lilacs which also attract the butterflies. Often there away and the presence of honey,suckle could is an abundance of several speciesjust in this small result in a sighting of the White Admiral, which area, Brimstones, Orange Tips and Speckled Wood has spread very successfullyinto new areas duting the most prominent, plus Peacock, Comma, Small the last decade.

Hot Spots for

Butterflies Nu111berTwo: Wardwell

by RichardStewart

Gatekeeper byDouglasHammersley

4

21

TheSuffolkArgus

Footnote on the Qrayling

by Richard Stewart Rob Parker's article in the summer 2006 edition highlighted the current concern for this species. Although the 1995-1999 Millennium Surveyproduced a 2 km. tettad increase of 62.4 % on the previous Suffolk survey numbers of tettads covered per year were down to 40 in 2000. We have lost it from our garden in Westerfield Road, Ipswich, since 2004. It always came to feed on buddleia. I have aJsonot recorded it from Rushmere Common in the last two years.

Rob also highlighted something about the Grayling that very few butterfly books include, that is its frequent landing on humans, more so than any other butterfly I have encountered.

Spring2007 I also noted this in Grayling species while on holiday in the Spanish Pyrenees. It will land repeatedly on everything from head to toe and on 27th. August 2006 while I was walking my transect between Tuddenham and Playford I paused to test this out. A few Grayling are usually present and I st<>Qd still when one settled on me, shaking my body slightly to put it off but still remaining in the same spot. Incredibly it landed on me twenty times in about two minutes, and would probably have continued to do so had I not moved on.

Grayling

by BerylJohnson

22

programme are enclosed in the form of the usual separate card which should be easy to carry around with you.

We welcome contributions to the magazine from all our branch members, and we are able to include one such article in this edition. Anyone else who has experiencesto share is most welcome to send their ideas to me and I will pass them on.

We are lucky to have the services of, now and in the past, some outstanding illustrators. Beryl Johnson is alwayswilling to lend a hand providing her highly skilled art work for the magazine and I thank her for her contribution. She sets a high standard to live up to, but perhaps there is someone our there who would like to try!

I hope that the magazine continues to prove useful to the branch's many members and remember, please let me have any comments or criticisms, which can only help the magazine improve in the future.

Editorial

by PeteRowberry I have survived the "trauma"of producing my first edition of Suffolk Argus and have come backfor more. I actually found the process very enjoyable and I hope that the edition lived up to expectations. It is with the greatest regret therefore, that I have to say that illness in my family and the need to return to gainful employment mean that I have to resign &om the position of editor. I thank the many contributon and hdpers and wish to personally thankMalcolm Farrow for stepping into the breach at short notice. It has been a pleasure dealing with those who send material for the magazine and the branch organisers, all of whom have been so tolerant and hdpful.

This edition of the magazine contains the last of the field trip reports from 2006, as well as contribution from the Chairman of the West Midlands branch, giving yours truly a serious ticking off for my disparaging remarks about Birmingham's wildlife in the last edition! Rob Parker reports on last year's remarkable autumn and for those of you who wish to check out the <·. .;, ·-·~ •.. . of ·--..

•,,,,...

••• ••-~•.. •.., braneh's finances, copies the accounts for the year to • 31 March 2006 are also included. There are also details of a pilot project to develop a method for monitoring butterflies in the general countryside away from nature reserves. Details of the branch's 2007

TwoBrimstones

by BerylJohnson 3

The SuffolkArgus

Spring2007

Contents

Editorial

Editorial

3

A Golden Autumn

5

Copy Dates

Branch Accounts

6

SafetyCode

8

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

Wider Countryside Monitoring

9

Spring

Wot's yow seying oar kid?

9

Summer

April Fools Day

Field Meetings

11

Autumn.

August Bank Holiday

A Hairstreak Moment

21

Hot Spots.for Butterflies2

22

Footnote of the Grayling

22

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.

Newsletter Derails and General Information

23

To advertisein the SuffolkArgus

Back Cover

please contact Pete Rowberry on

Suffolk Branch Contacts

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TAIIIIIM ~ --_1_:, ·-•.•,• ,, . , ', - .-·_:;:; __

2

Cast in aluminiumand enamelledin very realistic coloun at five times llfe-slze,they will last for manyyears.

Hl&hlyIndividual nameplates too, to your own design, with n~bligation colour preview. Suffolk Branch will receive one quarter of the purchase price.

Phone orfax Mervyn Crawford on

Mlldenludl(01638)712600for

01728 602814.

Colo•r broclu,re I Price list

SUFFOL MOTHGROU

For that difficultto flnd present,why not give a·---:-:-. decorativebutterftyor moth to mounton the front ', wall of someone's home ? Cast in aluminium and :, enamelledin very realistic colours at five times ..

Jife-size,tbeywill last for manyyean. Highly individualnameplatestoo, to your own design,with no-obligationcolour preview.SuffolkBranchwill receive one quarter of the purchaseprice.

Pltone or fax Menyn Crawford on MildenlwJI (01638) 712600for Colourbrochiirti/

Christmas Eve

Price list.

Come and see the wonders of the night. Regularfield meetings and newsletter.Online guide to the largermoths of Suffolk.

Website:www.suffolkmoths.org.uk Contad: Tony Prichardfor further details.

23

Suffolk Branch Contacts President Howard Mendel, c/o The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD Chairman Mike Dean, Coach House, Ixworth, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP3 l 2HL (01359 230292) Membership Secretary Beryl Johnson, 28 Medway Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 0QH (01473 715701) Programme Secretary Alan Johnson, (address above) Publicity Officer Malcolm Farrow, 25 Cedar Road, Rendlesham, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 2UN (01394 460452) County Recorder (Butterflies) Rob Parker (address below) Conservation Officer (Butterflies) Rob Parker, 66 Cornfield Road, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 3BN (01284 705476)

1M

Butterfly Conservation Conservation Officer (Moths) Tony Prichard, ·3 Powling Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9JR (01473 270047) County Recorder (Moths) Tony Prichard (address above) Secretary Tony Prichard, (address above) Treasurer Jim Foster, Lugano, The Street, Stonham Aspal, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 6AH (01449 711484) Regional Officer Eastern Region Sharon Heade, c/o Busy Bee, 21 High St., Newmarket, Suffolk CBS 8LX (01638 731648) sharon@butterfly-conservation.org Newsletter Editor Pete Rowberry, 11 Waveney Close, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 lYB (01728 602814) Committee Members Stella Wolfe,

Volunteers Needed ~[Ilffiill If you feel you could help our now and then with the growingwork of the Branch, pleasecontact Beryl Johnson on 01473 715701.

~

SmallHeath - Orford by BerylJohnson

The Newsletter of the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation

Published by the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation www.suffolkbutterflies.org.uk Butterfly Conservation Limited by Guarantee RegisteredOffice:Manor Yard,East Lulwonh, Wareham,Dorset BH20 5QP Tel: (01929) 400209 © 2004 all rights reserved

Reg.No. 2206468 Reg. Charity No. 254937 Editor: Pete Rowbetry Logo:(Silver-studdedBlue)Doug HammersleyDesign: Stephen Ion Printer. 321 !'tinting, 25 BrookhouseBusinessPark, Hadlcigh Road, Ipswich,SuffolkIP2 0EF

Butterfly Conservation

Spring 2007 Volume40