Member's Evening Invitation Map

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St. Jobn's Sebo

Orange Tip (A. Cardamines), Greened-veined White (P. napi) & Brimstone (G. rhamni) (see }ialesworth Area Field Trip, page 10)

Notes from the Editor

Apology

The first thing I must say as editor is sorry. Sorry for the delay in sending this issue of Suffolk Argus. However, I hope it has been worth the wait. If not, you know where to contact me!

BranchAGM

Please note this will be held at The Butterfly Hotel, Bury St. Edmunds on Saturday evening, March 30th next year. Full details will appear in the next Newsletter.

Records Request

Can all recorders for the 'Milknnium Project' please note that Richard Stewart would be delighted if rec;ords were not saved for sending at the year end but sent in now artd certainly well before the end of November. Richard has asked me to a9C11owledge that in all previous communications on this subject he has said 'by the end of December' but action now will help him collate information for feedback at the earliest opportunity next year. To help further, please remember grid references to en~,ure that valuable records are not lost.

Understudy Required

The position of Branch Conservation Officer (Moths) will be vacated by Roger Kendrick next July when he expects to leave the area following his conservation studies at Otley College. If you have an interest in moths, feel that you could run a field meeting or two and generally act as a focus for the promotion and conservation of moths in Suffolk then this post is just what you have been looking for. The post does not entail species recording , which is co-ordinated by Arthur Watchman as County Recorder (Moths). For further details, please contact Roger at the address shown on the rear cover (preferably before the Branch AGM on 30th, March 1996). The position of Understudy can then be taken up until full cover will be needed when Roger leaves us.

Butterfly Action Weekend

First of all, I hope our distribution plans have worked and this issue has reached you before this event takes place! However, for 1995, Butterfly Conservation has designated the weekend of25/26 November as Butterfly Action Weekend to enable activities to span both days if required. For our part, we will be joining with our friends • from Martlesham Heath for scrub clearance in habitat occupied by the Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus). If you would like to help we propose to work from 1 0.00am until 2.00pm on Sunday 26th November (see enclosed letter from Phil Smith, Secretary, Martlesham Conservation Group, for full details). If we have not been able to inform you in time, please accept my apologies. However, if anyone would like to lead, join or has any ideas for future work parties pease get in touch and maybe we will not have to wait until next Butterfly Action Weekend to get our hands dirty again!

Scientific Names

This is the first time that Scientific names have been included throughout the Newsletter (the term scientific name is preferable here to Latin name as many names derive from languages other then Latin, for example Greek). However, do you want • ' issues. to see them included in all future Scientific names are universally understood (some moths of course only have a scientific name) whereas vernacular names of course can vary (e.g. Nymphalis antiopa to us is the Camberwell Beaury but to the Americans it is the Mourning Cloak). However, does this matter for our Counry Newsletter? Let me know what you think?

If we consider that name confusion is not a problem in Suffolk then what about the value of the scientific name in understanding a species still funher? For example, most of us will recognise Pieris brassicae (Large White) as a Cabbage White from the species name brassicae but how many of us are familiar with Quercusia quercus which once understood, tells us the food plant of the bearer of this name. Quercus being the Latin name for oak which is the foodplant of the Purple Hairstreak. Then what about Callophrys rubi (Green Hairsrreak). How many of us I wonder have observed what lies behind this scientific name? Callophrys is Greek for 'beautiful eyebrow'. Next time you get really close to a Green Hairstreak, have a good look at the shining bands of white and black over the black oval eye. Rubi is also relevant here, meaning 'of the bramble'. Bramble was the only foodplant known to early entomologists but as we now know, it is only a secondary foodplant with Gorse and Broom being the main foodplants in Suffolk. There are many other examples; Aglais unicae (Small Tonoiseshcll)-unicae being the latin name for nettle, the foodplant of this species. Indeed, a past name was the Nettle Tortoiseshell. Cynthia cardui (Painted Lady)-Cardus nutons is a known foodplant, the Musk Thistle. Strymonidia w-album (White letter-Hairsrreak)-album meaning white and the letter 'W being the tell-tale underside marking. This list is not exhaustive- let me know if you have funher examples of your own. But please, let me know what you think about the use of Scientific names.

Illustrations

Thank you to Roy Bedford of Yorkshire Branch for allowing us to use his splendid line drawing of a Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), see page 13. Thank you also to Beryl Johnson for her beautiful Grayling (Hipparchia semele), see page 2.

1996 Events List

If not enclosed with this newsletter, it will cettainly be with you in January, we hope this will whet your appetite for warm butterfly days ahead.

Stop Press - Rare Butterflies

Most of you will be aware of rare butterfly sightings this year. To date we can repott that up to 36 observations of Camberwell Beaury (Nymphalis antiopa) have been reponed, 28 confirmed and 8 outstanding. Futther, 5 sightings of Queen of Spain Fritillary (Argynnis lathonia) have been repotted and confirmed. These sightings represent the 2nd - 6th in Suffolk since 1900. More details in the next Suffolk Argus.

The Suffolk Show:

May 31st- lstJune 1995

by James Mann

This is now our second successive year of attendance at this premier show and once

again we were delighted to share the

Suffolk Naturalists' Society marquee.

It had been six months since we had first begun to plan this event, final careful arrangements having been made at a specific 'Show' committee meeting on 19th, May. Books, Posters and Plants had to be purchased and priced. Delivery, erection, dismantling and removal of display equipment had to be organised together with basic furnishings, carrier bags, identification badges, and not to forget the watering can! After a final meeting of some 2 1/2 hours duration we believed that we had it right. Come the morning of Wednesday, 31st May at the dreaded hour of?.30 am things did not go quite to plan. Andrew

Phillips had delivered the display equipment and plants during the previous evening. Roger Kendrick had turned up on the day with tables and chairs amongst other things only to find that he was on his • own in setting up, a situation which will not be allowed to happen in future.

Thankfully, Martin Sanford of SNS was briefly able to lend a hand before Richard

Stewart, Steve, Anne and Helen Goddard arrived for their morning Show visit (Richard and Steve having the afternoon slot with the irrepressible Roger). Between them they had the stand virtually ready before Alan Johnson and Steven Goss arrived to take up their morning positions and to add the finishing touches. James Mann opened the stand on

Thursday morning being joined by the hard working Alan Johnson and in the afternoon by Janice Pritchard and yet again

Roger Kendrick. Having overcome the inauspicious start we had all long been enjoying two marvellous days and were delighted to see the last few plants sold to

late-leaving visitors whose attention had been attracted by finding plants placed under their very noses as they streamed out. What a good idea it was to put them outside. By 6.30 pm we had packed away, James now finding himself custodian of the display material. During both days we had many visits from friends new and old and we rarely had a moment when we did not have someone at the stand. Our old friends came to chat and give us support. Our new friends, who we hope will become old friends, asked all sorts of questions and showed great interest in what we are trying to achieve. Special thanks must go to The Suffolk Naturalists' Sociery for allowing us to share their space and for bearing with us and lending a hand on that first morning. To Roger Kendrick for providing tables and chairs. To Paul Gilson for supplying many of the plants and to Paraphernalia of Westleton for providing the watering can and transport. Indeed thanks to all involved in what turned out to be a very successful show. Hopefully, in the years to come ., we will be able to welcome many more";' of you in helping us to promote our cause. It really is an enjoyable experience.

As well as providing an interesting view of this years' show, this report demonstrates the hard work and effort required to make such an event a success as well as the true value of'a dedicated group of enthusiasts. If you feel able to help in any way next year please contact any member of the committee. They will be delighted to hear from you - Ed.