The Suffolk Argus
Distractions Richard Stewart Butterflies are obviously the main focus on our programmed meetings and on the many trips elsewhere, but sometimes they can be upstaged by something special and unexpected. For example towards the end of our visit to Poker Wood at Framsden, on 6th July, we were all engrossed by discovering clusters of young shieldbugs on leaves of silver birch, these trees having been ‘rescued’ after scrub removal work at North Warren reserve. These small shieldbugs were packed together like a defensive shield ring, then we found another group, with a much larger parent close by. Thanks to the Fosters they were not just found but also Swallowtail by Beryl Johnson identified as the Parent Shieldbug Elasmucha grisea, which feeds on birch catkins. Several more groups of young were located on the same tree but perhaps the most memorable incident was watching the parent moving along a branch, with all the young following in line. My Oxford Book of Insects remarks that ‘this is one of the rare examples of an insect caring for its young’ and ‘while she stays with them, for how long is not known, she protects them, putting herself between them and any danger’. The second incident was on a morning in July when the weather was not conducive
for trying to find White-letter Hairstreaks at the recycling site between Bramford and Somersham. However the recent rain had brought out snails, fifty or more, so many you had to place your feet very carefully. These weren’t just the normal species of snail, but the large Roman variety. I had never before seen them so close to Ipswich and it was the first time I had seen them on the move. A few days later, when we returned in much better weather, hardly any were to be seen. Finally, on 22nd June, Marie and I had a very successful day of watching Swallowtails at Strumpshaw Fen, for once with many seen close up and nectaring. We don’t usually spend much time in the reception hide as it tends to be noisy but this time we did, and were very pleased to have made that decision. Many black-headed gulls were noisily nesting on small islands of reed in the middle of the large stretch of water in front of the hide. Suddenly I saw something moving in the water, towards the nesting birds, and we then had good, long views of an otter, obviously after eggs or young or both, with the nesting birds dive-bombing it on several occasions. One of the voluntary wardens subsequently told me that three breeding females were present in the series of reserves adjacent to the Yare. This was only the fifth otter I have seen in my lifetime and it was definitely the highlight of the day.
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