Editorial

by Pete Rowberry

I have survived the "trauma" of producing my

first edition of Suffolk Argus and have come

back for 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 thank Malcolm 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 <·. .;, ·-·~ • .. b eh' fin . f ·--.. ,,,,... ran s ances, copies o • •• • -~. •• • .. • ., the accounts for the year to • 31 March 2006 are also included. There are also details of a 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 experiences to 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 always willing 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.

pilot project to develop a method for monitoring butterflies in the general countryside away from Two Brimstones nature reserves. Details of the branch's 2007 by Beryl Johnson

A Golden Autu111n

by Rob Parker

Measured by average temperatures, 2006 was the warmest year ever for Britain. One Small C.Opper flew 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: "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 1 C 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's Peewit 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.