Notes and Observations 26

Suffolk Natural History, Vol. 26

4

entered as 'Wiston Badgers - bribe to farmers'. T h e annual bribe was increased to £3 in 1934 but ceased in 1944 when the badgers are thought to have been killed. W h e n Mrs Rivis died in 1958 leaving Rosehill House and land to the Society it became very sound financially, the envy of many other societies struggling to survive, and able to publish books covering the natural history of the County.

T h e Suffolk Naturalists' Society may seem to have more than its fair share of eccentrics, but this may be no bad thing as it shows our dedication to natural history and certainly makes life more interesting generally. I have myself often been considered by the public as one such eccentric when seen poking into hedges and disappearing into woods. In the main I have enjoyed the Company of many such naturalists.

Reference Simpson, F. W. (1989). Claude Morley and the Suffolk Naturalists' Society.

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 2 5 , 1 .

Francis Simpson, 40 Ruskin R o a d , Ipswich, IP4 1PT

Hunting Hornets H o r n e t s (Vespa crabo) are the largest of the social wasps and, like their smaller cousins (Vespula spp.), are carnivorous at some stage in their life.

Whilst at Minsmere on 7th September 1989, two hornets were seen hunting butterflies which were feeding on the Buddlia plants between the toilets. A hörnet in o n e instance flew after, and caught a small tortoiseshell (Aglais urtica), removed its wings and flew off with the 'body'. In another instance, the butterfly was carried away with its wings intact. On the ground beneath the Buddlia bushes were the wings of small tortoiseshells, but n o wings of other butterflies. A hörnet appeared to have little trouble catching a small tortoiseshell, but its four attempts to catch a red admiral (Vanessa atalanta) were unsuccessful. Could it be that the small tortoiseshell was more sluggish than the faster-flying red admiral, or was some other factor responsible?

No other butterflies were attacked during our study of approximately 10 minutes, although a grayling (Hipparchia semele), comma (Polygonia c-album), peacock (Iniachis io) and small white (Pieris rapae) were feeding on the same Buddlia bushes.

Social wasps usually feed their larvae on insect food in the earlier part of the year. Catching and carrying away butterfly prey suggests that this colony had larvae in September: something rather unusual - but the year itself had been unusual. N o attempt was made to find the nest.

Alan B e a u m o n t

Trans. Suffolk

Nat. Soc. 26 (1990)

Plate 3: Hornets, Vespa crabro will remove the wings from their insect prey before carrying the remains to their nest (p. 4).

(Photo: Howard Mendel)

CHINESE WATER-DEER AT MINSMERE,

1989

R . N . MACKLIN

I saw an adult male C h i n e s e W a t e r - d e e r ( H y d r o p o t e s inermis Swinhoe) at t h e M i n s m e r e N a t u r e R e s e r v e on two occasions in M a y / J u n e 1989. M y first sighting was in Potbriggs W o o d on M a y 7th in t h e mid-morning. A s I e n t e r e d t h e w o o d f r o m t h e south-east c o r n e r I saw a small d e e r browsing along t h e w o o d l a n d ride. My i m m e d i a t e t h o u g h t was that it was a M u n t j a c (Muntiacus reevesi) as they are regularly seen across the reserve.

I cautiously m o v e d t o w a r d s t h e animal and a p p r o a c h e d to a p p r o x i m a t e l y 80 m e t r e s a n d , using 10 x 50 Zeiss binoculars, was intrigued by t h e u n i f o r m sandy c o l o u r of the coat. T h e d e e r t h e n t u r n e d sideways and gave g o o d views of its very long tusks and large r o u n d e d ears. If anything it was slightly larger than a M u n t j a c , though this was difficult to j u d g e accurately. I had seen Chinese W a t e r - d e e r in captivity and so was a w a r e of its identity, although I was surprised to h e a r later that it was a first sighting for Suffolk.

T h e s e c o n d sighting was on J u n e l l t h on t h e n o r t h side of t h e Scotts Hall Coverts. T h e animal was f e e d i n g in t h e long grass along o n e of the w o o d l a n d rides, a n d I was able to a p p r o a c h within a b o u t 20 m e t r e s . T h e animal saw m e as I raised my binoculars a n d we stared at each o t h e r for w h a t s e e m e d several minutes. I had a s u p e r b view of the large r o u n d e d ears, long u p p e r canines or 'tusks' and t h e absence of antlers; t h e coat was a u n i f o r m sandy colour. T h e deer then b o u n d e d off into t h e w o o d showing n o white r u m p p a t c h , which is the diagnostic f e a t u r e of t h e M u n t j a c .

O v e r t h e winter of 1989/90 I saw two sandy-coloured M u n t j a c on t h e reserve which b o t h s h o w e d t h e white r u m p patch and undertail. It is as well to be wary of r e p o r t i n g this species as C h i n e s e W a t e r - d e e r .

R . N. M a c k l i n , Warden Minsmere Reserve, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 3 B Y

Another Fungus New to Suffolk O n a f u n g u s f o r a y of t h e Ipswich and District N a t u r a l History Society on the 8th O c t o b e r , 1989, a species was f o u n d which I was unable to identify. This was sent t o D r . M a r t i n Ellis, w h o n a m e d it as Cantharellus friesii Q u e l . , an u n c o m m o n species which h e had not f o u n d in Suffolk. It is not described in the m a j o r i t y of p o p u l ä r b o o k s . It is similar to, but smaller than C. cibarius F r . , the C h a n t a r e l l e , and has d e c u r r e n t , b r a n c h e d false gills.

Francis Simpson

Trans. Suffolk

Nat. Soc. 26 (1990)

A L B I N O COMMON FROG, RANA

TEMPORARIA

L. IN IPSWICH

7

Acknowledgements I thank John Buckley for pointing out references to other occurrences of albinism in frogs.

References Elkan, E. (1972). Letter. British Journal of Herpetology, 4, 271.

Ellis, E. A . (1984). Deathly pale. In the countryside. Eastern Daily Press, Ist August.

Ely, W. A . (1985). Letter. British HerpetologicalSociety Bulletin, 12, 46.

Knight, N. (1980). Albino male Rana temporaria with black nuptial pads.

British Journal of Herpetology, 6, 67.

Smith, M. (1973). The British amphibians and reptiles. Fifth edition.

London: Collins.

H . Mendel, The M u s e u m , High Street, Ipswich, IP1 3 Q H

Crayfish at West Stow I was pleased to learn from Richard D a r r a h , a ranger at West Stow Country Park, that a large crayfish (Astracus fluviatilis) had been seen in the River Lark there at the end of 1989. This lobster-like crustacean is the largest invertebräte occurring in British fresh water, with a body up to 10cm or more. It only occurs in well oxygenated water and the river has clearly recovered f r o m the accidental contamination by an overflow from the Beet Sugar Factory at Bury St. E d m u n d s which occurred three years ago.

Crayfish are brown (red only after cooking), with fused head and thorax and a b d o m e n ending in a tail fan. The front pair of Walking legs bear pincers.

Crayfish generally live in holes in the bank and feed mainly on animal material, insects, worms and the like. T h e only ones I have seen in Suffolk came f r o m the river at Cavendish. Can readers teil me where they occur now?

Geoff. Heathcote

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 26 (1990)

N O T E S A N D COMMENTS ON SOME SUFFOLK MOTHS IN 1 9 8 9

11

this report: Sheila Dolman (SD); Rafe Eley (RE); Rob Macklin (RM); Rob St. Leger (RSL); Peter Wanstall (PW); the other recorders whose Information has not been included and yet is equally valuable; and those members of the Suffolk Moth Group who have braved many 'cool' evenings in the Company of one or other of the authors.

References The moth nomenclature used in this article follows Bradley, J. D. and Fietcher, D . S. (1979). A Recorders Log Book of British Butlerflies and Moths. Curwen.

Bradley, J. D., Tremewan, W. G. & Smith, A. (1973). British Tortricoid Moths, Vol. 1, Cochylidae and Tortricidae: Tortricinae. London: The Ray Society.

Skinner, B. (1984). Colour Identification Guide to the Moths of the British Isles. Middlesex: Viking.

M. R . H a l l ( M H ) , Hopefield, Norwich Road, Scole, Diss, IP21 4DY.

A. Watchman (AW), Onchan, Back Lane, Monks Eleigh, Suffolk, IP7 7BA.

Pike A local naturalist told me that one day while he was watching swallows skimming over the River Brett at Hadleigh he suddenly saw a pike jump and catch a bird. I have often observed pike lurking near the surface of rivers, probably waiting for ducklings and other tasty water birds.

Until the general supply of a piped water system in recent years many cottagers without wells or pumps depended upon a garden pond for water. I have been told that often a pike would be kept in the pond which would keep the water cleaner and free from rats and various other harmful animals. It was considered a tragedy when the pike died and another fish had to be obtained.

Francis Simpson

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 26 (1990)

32

Suffolk Natural History, Vol. 26

Acknowledgements I thank Dr. K. N. A. Alexander and Mr. C. S. Barham for allowing me to include their records and Mr. A. H. Kirk-Spriggs for searching the Tomlin Collection at the National Museum of Wales for the Tuddenham 'E. lythropterus'. Mr. R. M. Wright of the Nature Conservancy Council kindly arranged permission for me to visit Cavenham Heath N. N. R. References Doughty, C. G. (1934). A new Suffolk Click-beetle. Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc., 2,288.

Fowler, W. W. & Donisthorpe, H. St. J. (1913). The Coleoptera of the British Islands, vol. 6 (supplement). 351pp. London.

Mendel, H. (1988). Provisional atlas of the click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) of the British Isles. 89pp. Grange-over-Sands.

Mendel, H. (1989). Saproxylic beetles (Coleoptera) of the Icklingham Plains, an area of Suffolk Breckland with a remarkable dead-wood fauna.

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc., 25, 23.

Mendel, H. (1990). The status of Ampeduspomonae (Stephens), A. praeustus (F.) and A. quercicola (du Buysson) (Coleoptera: Elateridae) in the British Isles. Entomologist's Gaz. 41: 23.

Morley, C. (1899). The Coleoptera of Suffolk. 113pp. Plymouth.

Morley, C. (1915). The Coleoptera of Suffolk. First Supplement. 12pp.

Plymouth.

Nash, D. R. (1989). Notes on the Suffolk list of Coleoptera: 5. Ischnodes sanguinicollis (Pz.) (Elateridae) in Suffolk. Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc., 25, 29.

Welch, R. C. & Harding, P. T. (1974). A preliminary list of the fauna of Staverton Park, Suffolk. Part 2. Insecta: Coleoptera. Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc., 16, 287.

H. Mendel, The Museum, High Street, Ipswich IP1 3QH.

More Fungi for the Suffolk List Writing from the British Museum on 28th Feb. 1990 for a copy of Martin and Pam Ellis' book 'Fungi and slime moulds in Suffolk' Dr. R. A. Fortey commented that he has a cottage at Southwold and is a regular fungus forayer. He can add Volvariella parvispora Reid from Reydon Wood (1987) and Leucoprinus georginae from Minsmere (1988) to the Suffolk list. Both identifications ratified by Reid at Kew. He also found the very rare Amanita gemmata (Fr.) Gill, at Reydon this year. This deadly poisonous fungus has a straw-yellow cap. (Editor)

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 26 (1990)

T H E INTERTIDAL INVERTEBRATE FAUNA OF T H E O R W E L L ESTUARY

45

Waldock, M. J., Thain, J. E. & Waite, M. E. (1987). T h e distribution and potential toxic effects of T B T in UK estuaries during 1986. Applied Organometallic Chemistry, 1, 287.

Dr. C. H . Beardall, S. M. Gooch & R. Pilcher, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Park Cottage, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 1DQ

Perching on Overhead Wires by Barn Owls Perching on overhead wires by Tawny Owls (Strix aluco) has been recorded (Martin, 1988) but it was considered unusual and did not appear to have been recorded outside Suffolk. Recently it has come to our notice that some Barn Owls ( T y t o alba) have been seen perching in the same manner. As this also appears to be unusual and not recorded outside Suffolk we list the recorded occurrences below: Date 4. 5.1983 13.11.1984 12.7.1987 2. 7.1989

Place Martlesham Hinderclay Rendham Mildenhall

Observer J. R. Martin S. Bishop A. Parker E. Seymour

We had particularly good views of a Barn Owl perching on an overhead power cable just Over the County boundary in Essex on the nights of 2 2 - 2 3 October, 1987, whilst driving along a lane at Great Horkesley.

On the first night we stopped the car and watched the owl by torchlight for several rriinutes. The next night it was perched at the same location and we stopped again. On this occasion it flew off and alighted quite easily on the wire some 50m away. We followed, and it again flew off and perched on a wire. This was repeated several times. There were other perching places available, such as trees and the tops of posts, but the owl made no attempt to use them.

Reference Martin, J. R. (1988). Unusual perching behaviour by Tawny Owls. Trans.

Suffolk Nat. Soc., 24, 5.

Jeff and Tina Martin

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 26 (1990)

PORCUPINE SOCIETY FIELD MEETING OCTOBER 1 9 8 8

51

Acknowledgements I am most greateful to the members of Porcupine who attended the two day field meeting and others for the identification of the more difficult species.

References Barnes, R. S. K. (1985). The coastal lagoons of East Anglia, U.K. A report submitted to the Nature Conservancy Council, 33pp.

Barnes, R. S. K. (1987). The coastal lagoons of East Anglia, U . K . , J. Coastal Res. 3, 417.

Barnes, R. S. K. & Heath, S. E. (1980). The shingle-foreshore/lagoon system of Shingle Street, Suffolk: a preliminary survey. Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 18. 168.

Cobb, R. T. (1958). Shingle Street, Suffolk, a brief geographical introduction. Rep. Fld. Stud. Court. 3, 31.

Sheader, M. & Bamber, R. (1989). The fauna of land-locked lagoons and saltmarshes - Aldeburgh to Shingle Street. Porcupine Newsletter 4, 79.

Doughty, C. G. (1929). Molluscan 'witches' at Slaughden. Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 1,102.

Doughty, C. G. (1932). Local distribution of 'witches'. Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 2, 188.

Randall, R. E. (1988). The Vegetation of Shingle Street, Suffolk in relation to it's e n v i r o n m e n t . Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 24,41.

David J. Lampard, c/o The Museum, High Street, Ipswich, IP1 3 Q H

A Sparrowhawk at Elmswell (The numbers of Sparrowhawks in the county appear to be increasing (Suffolk Birds 1989, p. 62) and it is nice to be able to publish a story about one which has a happy e n d i n g - if not for the Sparrows. Editor) One morning in May, 1989,1 found a hen Sparrowhawk in my greenhouse, which is reached through a very large shed, the door of which is always open.

I was worried that the bird would panic and injure itself, but it hardly fluttered and allowed me to pick it up. I took it back into the house to show my wife and then let it go. When I first opened my hands it gripped my finger with lts talons, but not so that I was scratched. It then flew away. It was indeed a delightful experience for me.

P. W. Glassborow

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 26 (1990)

NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS

Cock's-Eggs - a Correction The first Suffolk record for Salpichroa origanifolia (Lam.) Baillon, 'Cock'sEggs', is recorded in Simpson's Flora as being made by Mrs. C. H. Jones in 1970. She has recently written (from Tasmania!) to correct this information.

The plant was actually found by Harold Jenner who was then working at the MAFF Fisheries Laboratory at Lowestoft. Mrs. Jones took a specimen to Ted Ellis at Surlingham and graphically describes in her letter how'his eyes lit up, his face gleamed and he preened himself like a heron when he saw it! He had photographed it in Guernsey for the first time only theyear before . . . [it can still be found in a few sites in Guernsey, see Bichard & McClintock, 1975] . . . He identified it at once, delighted to find it growing in East Anglia. He attributed its presence to the possibility ofit being carried by seed on the sole of an unsuspecting tourist.' The two sites mentioned in the Flora are in fact one and the same and, as far as I know, it can still be found there.

The species is a fast-growing perennial climber belonging to the potato family (Solanaceae) native to the Argentine. The specific name is quite accurate as it has small, somewhat rhomboid, leaves like a Marjoram (Origanum sp.), they produce an unpleasant acrid scent when crushed. The flowers are small and white, bell-shaped (urceolate) and are followed by whitish ovoid fruits not unlike the unripe berries of its relative Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara L.), the name 'Cock's-Eggs' refers to these, reputedly edible, fruits. The flower shape has provided the more complimentary name - 'Lily of the Valley Plant' which has perhaps attracted gardeners to cultivate it. At the site in Ipswich where I discovered it in 1987 (Hyde & Simpson, 1988) it grows very well and appears unaffected by frosts.

References Bichard, J. D. & McClintock, D., (1975). Wild Flowers of The Channel Islands. London: Chatto & Windus.

Hyde, E. M. & Simpson, F. W., (1988). Some recent Suffolk plant records.

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 24, 59-71.

Martin Sanford

Fasciation It takes a plant pathologist to love sick plants, but readers might like to see an illustration of this extreme example of fasciation shown by an ornamental Prunus in a garden in Bury St. Edmunds. The disorder can be caused by a virus, bacterium, fungusorother parasite, but is more often a genetical fault.

It is, for example, widespread in a monogerm variety of sugar beet. Typically, the main stem becomes broad, flattened and strap-like, with multiple

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 26 (1990)

N O T E S A N D OBSERVATIONS

87

stems fused together. The condition is fully described in Arnold Darlington's 'Pocket Encyclopaedia of Plant Galls' (1968).

Geoff H e a t h c o t e

Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 26 (1990)

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