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THE SUFFOLK ‘BUTTERFLIES IN CHURCHYARDS’ SURVEY 2001 RICHARD STEWART Background Churchyards were one of the habitats described in The Millennium Atlas of Suffolk Butterflies (Stewart, 2001) where reference was made to the pioneering work of Greenoak (1985) who produced the first comprehensive study of ‘God’s Acre’ as a wildlife habitat. Marya Parker’s work with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust was another landmark and this work has been continued by Dorothy Casey and others, with the S.W.T. including 40 churchyards among its County Wildlife Sites and about a hundred receiving advice on wildlife management. My personal decision to conduct this Survey was based on the very low percentage of butterfly recorders who visited local churchyards, despite a wide range of breeding species having been recorded across Suffolk. Just 17 out of 180 recorders visited churchyards in 1997, as part of the Millennium Butterfly Survey. Recording Sheet and Distribution The content and layout of the recording sheets was agreed after a series of meetings between myself as Suffolk Butterfly Recorder, Martin Sanford at the Biological Records Centre and Dorothy Casey of S.W.T. It was a Survey involving S.W.T., Butterfly Conservation, the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society and the Ipswich and District Natural History Society, with financial support also from the Ipswich and Region Environmental Network (IRENE). The sheets were distributed with the normal 2001 butterfly recording forms and also publicised in many local libraries, courtesy of S.W.T.’s inclusion in the Suffolk Info Link. The Survey was also widely publicised in local papers and natural history publications. Initially, the Survey was for one year and it was eventually decided not to extend it further, mainly because of problems in correlating and comparing data from different years. Few recorders noted any Foot and Mouth disease restrictions and just one recorder found the recording sheet difficult to use. Coverage 142 separate Recorders took part, Figure 1 shows coverage in 2 km recording squares. The number of tetrads does not equate with the 219 separate burial sites covered, since in some instances several close together were in one tetrad: for example four at Woodbridge. The map also highlights considerable gaps in coverage, which is inevitable in a one year Survey. The main gaps are in the north-west and north-east of the county, some of the gaps being in vicecounty Suffolk but not in the administrative county. The complete absence of forms from 10 km square TM 06, north of Stowmarket, is particularly disappointing. 545 parishes were listed on the S.W.T. sheets given to me but the Survey also covered other burial sites including cemeteries, the Quaker burial ground at Woodbridge and the Pets Cemetery on the edge of Ipswich. The 219 sites
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Figure 1. covered probably represents about 35% of Suffolk’s burial grounds. Not every one of the 219 was covered in detail and the Survey’s findings were seriously weakened by many single site visits, accompanied by limited information about nectar and larval food sources, and churchyard management. Only 58·5% of sites had four or more seasonal visits. Some other sites had large gaps between visits and these gaps had particular significance if they occurred in the summer months when most species were on the wing. To give specific examples, Blythburgh recorded twelve butterfly species in three visits but had a gap from 27 May to 29 July. Framlingham Cemetery had eleven species in three visits with a gap between 6 July and 27 August. The most obvious example of under-recording was at Hitcham, where a single visit on 30 July produced ten species. Despite the detailed sheet instructions, no nectar or larval food plants were listed from seven sites, there was no management comment from 18 sites and maps were provided for 53 sites. Many maps did indicate additional nectar or larval food plants and also indicated the presence of mature trees and the surrounding habitats. These two factors are covered in later sections. Species Recorded: Table 1 lists the total of 26 species recorded, with the number of recorded sites alongside. I would have expected only two additional species; the White-letter Hairstreak was only recorded at Henstead churchyard during the Millennium Butterfly Survey and this site was not covered in the Churchyard Survey. The
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Clouded Yellow had a record year in 2000, but a very poor one both in Suffolk and nationally in 2001 and was not recorded in any churchyard. The species at the top of the list are the expected ones - Holly Blue is closely associated with Ivy and Holly in churchyards and in this particular year it was abundant. The Survey also underlines the continued expansion of the Speckled Wood while low scores for Small Tortoiseshell, Small Copper, Common Blue, Essex, Small and Large Skipper echo the poor year these species had throughout Suffolk, possibly related to adverse weather affecting earlier stages in their life cycle. Table 1: Butterfly species recorded and number of sites Species Meadow Brown Small White Large White Gatekeeper Holly Blue Red Admiral Orange Tip Green-veined White Speckled Wood Small Tortoiseshell Peacock Ringlet Wall Common Blue Comma Small Skipper Small Copper Painted Lady Essex Skipper Brimstone Small Heath Large Skipper Brown Argus Purple Hairstreak Grayling Green Hairstreak
No. of Sites 171 167 150 121 116 91 81 68 60 52 50 49 45 41 36 30 21 14 13 13 12 12 5 3 3 1
It was obvious from many returned forms, and some recorder’s comments, that there was difficulty in distinguishing between the three Skippers, with many forms leaving all three blank. This obviously reduced their site records and this was probably a reason for the low Brown Argus total. All the five site records came from committee members of the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation. Another summer species, the Ringlet, probably had reduced
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coverage because it has a short flight period and would have been missed at sites where there were gaps in recording late June and the first half of July. The sites for the rarer species are listed below: Brown Argus (5): Cavendish Cemetery, TL803464; Hitcham, TL984512; Tuddenham St. Martin, TM192485; Ramsholt, TM307421; Tunstall, TM363553. Purple Hairstreak (3): Nacton, TM217397; Farnham, TM362599; Blaxhall, TM357569. Grayling (3): Acton, TL893493; Sutton, TM307461; Wantisden, TM363534. Green Hairstreak: (1) Levington, TM234391 – a mating pair. High counts included ten Holly Blues at Grundisburgh on 10 May, 15 Essex Skippers and at least 100 Meadow Browns at Nacton on 1 August, eight Small Coppers at Oulton St. Michael on 17 July and ten Small Skippers at Shottisham on 19 July. The Survey records added a further 214 new tetrad records to the Suffolk butterfly distribution maps, with the highest number being the 32 recorded for the Speckled Wood. The best recorded churchyards for butterfly species: It should be noted that several sites received visits from more than one recorder, and in a few cases from four recorders (did they ever meet?). These multiple visits obviously increased the chances of recording extra butterfly species and this factor is included in the details in Table 2. Some of these sites are included in greater detail within the churchyard management section but regrettably two sites, at Redgrave and Huntingfield, were excluded because of absence of information about churchyard management, which was not forthcoming despite a follow-up letter and S.A.E. Conversely, it should be pointed out that multiple visits cannot compensate for poor sites. Eight seasonal visits to a very poor town site produced just one Small White. Ironically the notice board had a poster featuring a butterfly. Table 2: The best churchyards for numbers of butterfly species Site
Species
Acton, TL893493 Hundon, TL739488 Kettleburgh, TM265606 Redgrave, TM058782 Wenhaston, TM425755 Aldham, TM041445 Walpole Old Chapel, TM374752 Westleton, TM430678 Shottisham, TM321447 Nacton, TM337743 Huntingfield, TM337743 Halesworth Cemetery, TM393776
17 17 15 15 15 15 14 14 14 14 14 14
Recorders 2 2 3 1 3 3 1 2 4 4 1 2
Visits 8 8 5 4 14 12 4 5 6 10 4 7
Note: husband and wife recording teams at Kettleburgh, Shottisham and Nacton were included as two recorders.
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Nectar sources and larval food plants Table 3 lists the ‘top twenty’ according to frequency of site recording. Of the ten plants listed on the recording sheet, only Sedum and Bird’s-foot Trefoil were not in the top ten. Other nectar sources noted in many churchyards were Bluebell, Yarrow, Scabious and Primrose. The lack of maps for many sites and no specific question about the habitats adjacent to the recorded sites probably reduced important peripheral nectar sources such as garden Buddleia. The importance of trees as sources of honeydew, sugar-rich fluids excreted by aphids which coat leaves of plants and trees, particularly Oak and Ash, was also not mentioned on the survey sheet. Corke (1997) identifies the following species, recorded in this survey, as feeding on honeydew: Purple Hairstreak, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Grayling, Gatekeeper, Ringlet and Comma. Nectar and larval food plants Species
No. of Sites
Nettles Ivy Bramble Dandelion Holly Knapweed Buddleia Hedge Garlic Thistles Ground Ivy Dead Nettle, Red and White Buttercup Daisy Bird’s-foot Trefoil Clover Plantain Cow Parsley Speedwell Ox-eye Daisy Cowslip
168 162 107 104 94 87 68 61 52 42 37 34 34 32 32 30 29 29 28 26
Main nectaring plants were Buddleia (20 sites), Bramble (20 sites) and Knapweed (20 sites), and egg-laying was observed on Holly (11 sites), Nettle (9) and Ivy (6). The proportions for Buddleia (20 nectaring records from 68 sites) and Knapweed (20 from 87) suggest that more churchyards would benefit in insect diversity from the introduction of’ these plants. For Sedum the nectaring site ratio was 3 from 19, for Scabious it was 8 from 23, and for
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Teasel 2 from 3. Again, these could enrich churchyard wildlife if they were more widely planted. Other good nectar sources were seldom present, including Lavender (4 sites), Hebe, Marjoram and Heather (2 each) and just single site records of Aubretia and Sage. The comment from Hitcham ‘the herbs grown at the church porch were a great attraction to butterflies’ suggests that similar strategic planting in other churchyards would benefit insect life. Another possibility is the introduction of Buckthorn, to attract the Brimstone. The current campaign (Dowding, 2000) is aimed mainly at East Suffolk, where recording of this butterfly has traditionally been lower than in West Suffolk, (Mendel & Piotrowski, 1986; Stewart, 2001) and during the Survey there were three additional tetrad records for this species in East Suffolk: Huntingfield, TM337743, Chediston, TM3577 and Ilketshall St. John, TM361876. Churchyard Management: This is the most important and difficult part of the Survey report. The difficulty is in balancing the increasing importance of churchyards as wildlife habitats, these often being ‘little islands of riches set in land so intensively used for agriculture, urban development or afforestation that its traditional fauna and flora have been driven out’ (Greenoak, 1985), with the fact that their main function is the burial and remembrance of the dead. If there is local agreement that this should be done in a churchyard kept neat and tidy throughout, with no areas devoted to conservation, then that decision has to be accepted and respected. The following adverse comments about churchyard management for butterflies are therefore deliberately lacking in site details: Regular short cutting of the whole churchyard, in some cases every few weeks from Spring to Autumn, often very short and using strimmers or insecticides/weedkillers to reach areas previously left untouched close to churchyard boundaries and around older graves. This prevents any flowers from becoming established or makes any surviving of such a stunted size as to be of little use to butterflies and other insects. Initial protection of churchyard plants such as Primroses, Cowslips, Orchids and Saxifrage allowed them to flower and seed, but this was quickly followed by a complete short cut of the whole graveyard, thus destroying many potential nectar sources and larval food plants: Knapweed and Nettles were noted as being particularly vulnerable. Creating such sterile monocultures that in a few recorded cases the butterflies noted were simply passing across the churchyard from a good adjacent habitat to another on the other side. Periodic grass cutting being done at a time inappropriate to the needs of many butterfly species, notably those dependent on a variety of grasses for egg-laying, especially species emerging from mid-June onwards, including Large, Small and Essex Skipper, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Ringlet. Cuts were often made in June or very early in July, whereas had they been left until late July it would have made little difference to the churchyard management but would have allowed these and other species to complete their life cycle. No consideration given to creating a variety of different habitats
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within the churchyard or using a mosaic form of grass cutting to allow both short and longer areas of grass to be present. This would allow the areas of newer graves, usually the most visited ones, to remain neat, tidy and accessible, and allow more remote, less visible and less visited areas to be set aside for wildlife, including butterflies. Growing pressure from some church communities to make sites neater and tidier, leading to gradual reduction in the size of any demarcated or designated conservation areas. One recorder noted the complete disappearance of the conservation area from the year 2002 onwards. A tendency for some conservation areas to be too small to be effective, with particular reference to the range of nectar and larval food plants available. There was also reference to several larger conservation areas needing positive management to address problems of increasing shading or domination by Nettles, Cow Parsley or rank grasses. In a few instances these dominant species had created a virtual monoculture within the conservation area, making it of limited value to butterflies. There was little evidence from the site records of any contact between the recorder and those managing the churchyard. It is therefore difficult to decide if the above criticisms relate to management plans deliberately opposed to the encouragement of butterflies or a more benign ignorance of their needs. If the latter does apply then it should be pointed out that the S.W.T. can still be contacted for specific advice in wildlife management for churchyards. Churchyards with good management Brief details now follow for churchyards where good management for butterflies was recorded. This is limited to sixteen sites but many others could have been included. Aldeburgh, TM465569. This is also a tourist site and most is short cut grass, with rabbits in abundance. The perimeter features mature hedges and some longer sections of grass. The conservation area in the south-east corner produced most butterfly sightings and most of the 22 recorded nectar and larval food plants. Benhall, TM372618. There is a conservation area, with S.W.T. management advice. The variety of mowing encourages an abundance of Cowslips with Knapweed and Thistles abundant later in the longer grass. Blaxhall, TM357569. The large churchyard permits closer mowing around the newer graves and a broad path to the car park at the far end. This side has mature hedges with abundant Bramble. The section containing the older graves is not cut until July and some is left uncut, with tall Thistles attracting many butterflies. Mature trees create many shaded areas but the Oaks contain a Purple Hairstreak colony. Eighteen nectar and larval food plants were recorded.
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Brundish, TM272695. A small part of the churchyard is mown but most is left wild. This caused problems with a recently planted Buddleia which was covered by Nettles. The site is rich in Nettles, Bramble and wild flowers that include Knapweed and Red Campion. The churchyard has shelter from mature trees on all sides. Burgate, TM082756. This relatively small site was described as an island in a sea of arable fields but did benefit from an adjacent field growing herbaceous perennials, including Phlox. There is a range of habitats resulting from grass cutting at different times and ancient hedges surround the site. Similar hedges with ditches and grass verges provide corridors for the movement of butterflies. Bury St. Edmunds Cemetery, TL845640. Grassland around the old graves is a designated wildlife sanctuary and is left unmown until late summer. All ten of the nectar and larval food plants on the recording sheet were present, including a strong colony of Bird’s-foot Trefoil. Culpho, TM211492. A small burial ground with Cowslips left untouched in May but closely mown elsewhere. Good butterfly habitats are provided by a shrub area at the back and longer grass areas close to the perimeter hedges. Here many nectar sources were recorded. Although this was a small churchyard, one recorder considered that more uncut areas could be left. Elmsett, TM059473. The previous regular cutting of the whole churchyard has now been replaced by a conservation project, with S.W.T. advice, started in 2000. Clear paths are still mown but one recorder saw every butterfly in the unmown sections. Eye Cemetery, TM139737. Some areas are closely mown but many others are left uncut until late July. More than ten times the number of butterflies was recorded in the rough grass, which is scythed once a year, compared to the regularly mown areas, with the highest density on Brambles in July. Hessett, TL937618. There is rough mowing around the graves and uncut islands of grass are left, encouraging a rich flora that includes Ox-eye Daisy, Bugle and Lady’s Smock, all of which are left to seed. Holton, TM402778. A conservation area is left to the south, mainly for Orpine but to encourage other wild plants. Nectaring and egg-laying was noted on nine different plants. Ipswich, Millennium Cemetery, TM179468. This is included as an example of a very large site with considerable potential for butterflies. It has only recently been opened and initially large areas have been left unmanaged, including an extensive Thistle bed. The site is also adjacent to the ‘green corridor’ provided for wildlife by the Ipswich to
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Felixstowe railway line. It is to be hoped that some areas will be left as conservation sanctuaries and here S.W.T. advice would be helpful. Lower Ufford, TM298522. This was noted as a ‘wild’ churchyard, with a wide variety of nectar and larval food plants, being cut only once or twice each year. Ramsholt, TM 307421. This was described as ‘a lovely oasis’ in an agricultural desert. It is an S.W.T. conservation area, with a variety of wild grasses and many different nectar and larval food plants. Wangford, TM465791. This is a large churchyard with several sunny and sheltered areas. Large parts were still uncut in late summer and egg-laying was noted on four different plants. Westerfield, TM175476. Clumps of longer grass left around graves encourage flowers and there is a large, south-facing and fenced off conservation area, next to a mature and sheltering hedge. Most butterflies were recorded inside the conservation area. Best Sites for Butterfly Species Comments obviously reflect current management, which could change, and this applies to the ten sites detailed below, which were those in the ‘top twelve’ for butterfly species which provided full information, especially about churchyard management. A list of species accompanies each site, but excludes these six, which were recorded at each one: Large White, Small White, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown. Acton, TL893493. Eight visits by two recorders, Jean Root and Mrs. J. S. Crabb. Species recorded: 6 plus Large Skipper, Green-veined White, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Wall, Grayling, Ringlet = 17. Nectar and larval food plants: 10 were recorded, with nectaring on Bramble. Management: This is sympathetic to wildlife and also for convenience, with areas being left uncut around inconvenient gravestones. Cutting was noted as being infrequent, and just once during four visits from May to August. The site has areas left wild, where butterfly-attracting plants like Nettles and Knapweed flourish, many mature trees, boundary brambles and Ivy and an adjoining cemetery. Aldham, TM041445. Twelve visits by three recorders, Margaret Brown, Jill Haylock and Jeffrey Rudman. Species recorded: 6 plus Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Brimstone, Greenveined White, Common Blue, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Wall, Small Heath = 15.
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Nectar and larval food plants: 10 recorded, with nectaring on Wild Thyme, Hedge Garlic and Knapweed; egg-laying was recorded on Cow Parsley and Nettles. Management: The areas mown most frequently were not cut too short with many others mown only occasionally. One such area, with Wild Thyme and Knapweed, attracted most of the recorded butterflies. Burnet Saxifrage and Lesser Calamint were abundant and two butterflies, the Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown, were present in good numbers. The presence of Limes and Oaks provides good sources of honeydew and the Hedge Garlic was part of a mature mixed species hedgerow. A large meadow was close to the churchyard. Halesworth Cemetery, TM393776. Seven visits by two recorders, Gill Perkins and Graham Peck. Species recorded: 6 plus Small Skipper, Green-veined White, Small Copper, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Wall = 14. Nectar and larval food plants: 9 recorded, with nectaring on Dandelion, and egg-laying on Holly, Ivy, Nettles and Hedge Garlic. Management: This County Wildlife Site has a much older, more wooded area with mature and extensive hedges (see Plate 6). The newer area has a large conservation section with a very rich flora. A recently established area with a tall hedge to the north gives sunshine and shelter. The conservation area is mown in late summer and there are boundary Oaks. Hundon, TL739488. Eight visits by two recorders, Michael Chinery and J. A. Rowlett. Species recorded: 6 plus Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Brimstone, Greenveined White, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood Ringlet = 17. Nectar and larval food plants: 5 recorded. Management: Given the limited range of nectar and larval food plants, the species total is impressive. Michael Chinery described mostly mown grass but breeding by Holly Blues in the churchyard, and probably by Speckled Woods and possibly other satyrids in the long grass left around the margins. Nettles were rarely allowed to reach the height suited to egg-laying and he suggested that most nectar came from flowers on graves in the newer and more open areas, with tree honeydew playing an important role. The surrounding farmland and garden habitats were also considered to be important. Kettleburgh, TM265606. Five visits by three recorders, Alan and Beryl Johnson and Mrs. P. Peck. Species recorded: 6 plus Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Green-veined White, Small Copper, Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Ringlet, Small Heath =15. Nectar and larval food plants: 11 recorded, with nectaring on Thistle, Scabious and Bramble. Management: About a quarter of the area, including around recent graves, was mown often but the rest infrequently, attracting most of the recorded species, though a grave Pansy was an unusual nectar source. The area left contained a
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wide variety of plants, including Scabious, Knapweed, Thistles and Purple Vetch. Nacton, TM217397. Ten visits by four recorders, Iris Maeers, Mr. and Mrs. Bailey and Mick Wright. Species recorded: 6 plus Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Green-veined White, Purple Hairstreak, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma = 14. Nectar and larval food plants: 13 recorded, with nectaring on Marjoram, Teasel and Knapweed. Management: There is a designated conservation area with S.W.T. advice from many years ago, which one recorder suggested could be in need of updating. The long-established herb border near the porch has an important nectar role and the extensive beds or Nettles just outside the churchyard were also significant, together with mature boundary oaks, hosting the Purple Hairstreak colony. The only grass areas being cut in summer were around new graves but one recorder suggested there was some discussion about ‘tidying up’ in future. Shottisham, TM321447. Six visits by four recorders, Alan and Beryl Johnson, Steve Goddard and Bruce Harrington. Species recorded: 6 plus Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Large Skipper, Small Copper, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Comma, Ringlet = 14. Nectar and larval food plants: 8 recorded, with nectaring on Knapweed and egg-laying on an unidentified grass stem. Management: This is a S.W.T. conservation area with plenty of long grass areas but some lack of flowers noted by Steve Goddard, possibly because they have become too overgrown. Only a small square and narrow pathways had frequent mowing and boundaries of mature trees were a potential honeydew source. Walpole Old Chapel, TM374752. Four visits by one recorder, David Bellett. Species recorded: 6 plus Common Blue, Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Wall, Ringlet, Small Heath = 14. Nectar and larval food plants: 6 recorded, with nectaring on Dandelion, Bramble, Nettles and Sedum. Management: The twelve foot-square left uncut, which attracted most butterflies, was probably, according to David Bellett, the result of his informing the chapel committee that he was doing the survey. Paths are cut regularly and the rest was noted as between three and four feet high and uncut to mid-June with a later comprehensive cut in the late summer. It was described as ‘meadow like’ in spring and summer. An organically farmed field is across the road.
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Wenhaston and extension, TM425755. Fourteen visits by three recorders, Eileen Heaps, Richard Havard and Graham Peck. Species recorded: 6 plus Green-veined White, Small Copper, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Wall, Ringlet = 15. Nectar and larval food plants: 12 recorded, with nectaring on Buddleia and egg-laying on Holly. Management: This was the most documented churchyard, plus extension, with three separate maps. There is a designated conservation area on the left hand side of the entrance path and this large area is cut once in late autumn with the rest of the churchyard being cut periodically by Suffolk Coastal District Council. Ivy covers many of the memorials and there is a mix of coarser grasses and finer ones native to heathland. Surrounding deciduous trees are a potential source of honeydew and the conservation area is backed by shrubs and Buddleia, with the neighbouring old vicarage being a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees set in a large area of rough pasture. Cottages nearby have gardens beneficial for wildlife. The extension records were less productive, with just two butterfly species and three nectar sources. Westleton, TM430678. Five visits by two recorders, Gill Perkins and Eyke Shannon. Species recorded: 6 plus Small Skipper, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Comma, Speckled Wood, Wall, Ringlet, Small Heath = 14. Nectar and larval food plants: 13 recorded, plus Lime trees in fruit: Lime is usually a good source of honeydew. Management: This was noted as having a dedicated conservation area but a June visit revealed many flowers cut down after mowing. A sheltered corner with mature trees provided a good habitat as did a large, mature hedge with Bramble. Recommendations This final section summarises the main findings of the report in a series of recommendations, some of which could be immediately implemented and others with a longer term and financial element. The order of recommendations largely follows the arrangement of this report: 1. Any future Survey of a similar nature should specifically target areas that are traditionally under-recorded, by contacting church communities, parish councils and local WI groups. 2. The recording sheet should place more emphasis on the importance of four seasonal visits to a churchyard and stress the limited value of single visits. There should also be more emphasis on the importance of a full list of nectar and larval plants present, and detailed comments about management. 3. Future record sheets should ask for information about trees present, and the habitats immediately surrounding or close to the actual churchyard. 4. Consider the possibility of introducing proven nectar and larval food plants which the Survey revealed to be absent in many churchyards. These include herbs, especially Marjoram, Thyme and Sage, Lavender, Heather, Aubretia, Knapweed, Buddleia, Scabious, Teasel, and Buckthorn.
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5. Give the same degree of protection in churchyards to important nectar and larval food plants as is currently provided for early flowering Primrose and Cowslip, and other plants such as Saxifrage and orchids. 6. Encourage the churchyard management to differentiate between areas that have new graves and are much visited, and need a high degree of accessibility, and the parts less frequently visited, which probably have older memorials. These could be left as productive conservation areas, increasing biodiversity and butterfly species, and also reducing the amount of mowing that is needed. 7. Discourage the use of chemical controls that have a detrimental effect on many different forms of wildlife, especially insects, and discourage the over-zealous use of strimmers, encouraging the leaving of borders of longer grasses around larger graves and around the churchyard perimeter. 8. Encourage the creation of a variety of habitats and a mowing regime that produces a mosaic effect, leaving areas of longer grass alongside sections that are cut short, so that butterflies from spring to autumn have some part of the churchyard where they can successfully complete their life cycle. 9. Discourage excessive short cutting every few weeks, especially of the whole churchyard, and encourage later cutting in summer, rather than in June and the first half of July, when many butterflies emerge as adults. 10. Leave Ivy on older tombs and the walls of churches and other structures. Ivy is not a parasite and is one of the most important plants not just for butterflies but for a wide variety of wildlife, especially in late autumn and winter. 11. Consider planting borders of good nectar and larval food plants as listed in recommendation 4 and if new trees are to be planted, consider those usually richest in honeydew, such as Oak, Ash and Lime. 12. Recognise the importance of mature churchyard trees, areas of dappled shade, sheltered parts and the wildlife benefit of mature hedges, especially those with such good plants as Bramble, Holly and Ivy. 13. Where areas need to be regularly cut, consider making the cut less severe and short, to encourage low-growing but important nectar and larval food plants such as Clover and Bird’s-foot Trefoil. 14. Make churchyard conservation areas large enough to be effective and realise that these need management to avoid a monoculture effect from the dominance of one invasive plant. Consider also the advantages of dappled shade to species such as the Speckled Wood but also the detrimental effect of too much shade. If resources are lacking, consider the possibility of ‘churchyard wardens’ to monitor these conservation areas, liasing with the church authorities and replicating the valuable work carried out by local roadside nature reserve wardens. 15. Remind all parish churches in Suffolk that S.W.T. management advice is available, referring to the list of churchyards already receiving guidance in this respect. Pooling the resources of the conservation groups involved in this Survey could produce a helpful and informative leaflet about butterfly conservation in Suffolk churchyards, which could be sent free to every parish.
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References Corke, D. (1997). The butterflies of Essex. Lopinga Books, Wimbish, Essex. Dowding, J. (2000). Brimstones and buckthorn; 2000 update. Suffolk Argus 21: 4–5. Greenoak, F. (1985). God’s acre: the flowers and animals of the parish churchyard. Orbis and W.I. Books Ltd., London. Mendel, H. & Piotrowski, S. H. (1986). The butterflies of Suffolk. Suffolk Naturalists’ Society, Ipswich. Stewart, R. (2001). The Millennium atlas of Suffolk butterflies. Suffolk Naturalists’ Society, Ipswich. Richard G. Stewart Valezina 112 Westerfield Road Ipswich IP4 2XW
APPENDIX List of churchyards and other burial ground recorded during the Survey. The bracketed letter P after a churchyard indicates only partial details were received: Acton, Aldeburgh, Alderton (P), Aldham, Aldringham, Ampton (P), Ashbocking (P), Ashby (P), Assington, Badingham (P), Bardwell, Barham, Barking, Barnardiston, Barnby (P), Barsham, Barton Mills, Battisford, Bawdsey (P), Beccles Cemetery (P) Bedfield, Benhall, Bentley, Beyton, Blaxhall, Blyford (P), Blythburgh, Boulge, Boxted, Bramford, Bredfield, Brome and extension, Bromeswell, Bruisyard, Brundish, Bucklesham, Bungay Holy Trinity (P), Bungay St Mary (P), Bungay Old Cemetery, Burgate, Burgh, Bury St. Edmunds Cemetery, Butley, Cavendish Cemetery (P), Charsfield, Chediston (P), Clare (P), Claydon, Coddenham (P), Combs, Copdock, Cransford, Cratfield (P), Creeting (P), Cretingham, Crowfield, Culpho, Darsham (P), Denham (P), Dennington (P), Earl Soham, Earl Stonham, East Bergholt (P), East Bergholt Cemetery (P), Easton, Elmsett, Erwarton (P), Exning (P), Eye (P), Eye Cemetery, Farnham, Felixstowe St. Nicholas (P), Felixstowe St. Peter and St. Paul (P), Framlingham, Framlingham Cemetery, Framsden, Freckenham (P), Fressingfield, Freston, Friston (P), Gisleham (P), Glemsford, Great Barton, Great Bealings, Great Bradley (P), Great Livermere (P), Great Thurlow, Great Wenham, Great Wratting (P), Grundisburgh, Gunton, Halesworth (P), Halesworth Cemetery, Hasketon, Hemley, Henley, Herringswell (P), Hessett (P), Hitcham (P), Hollesley (P), Holton, Horringer, Hoxne (P), Hundon, Huntingfield (P), Ilketshall St. John (P), Ilketshall St. Margaret, Ingham (P), Ipswich Old Cemetery, Ipswich Millennium Cemetery, Ipswich Pets Cemetery, Ipswich St. Mary le Tower, Kedington, Kelsale cum Carlton (P), Kentford (P), Kersey, Kettleburgh, Kirkley (P), Knodishall (P), Lackford, Lavenham, Lawshall, Leiston (P), Leiston Cemetery (P), Levington, Little Bealings, Little Bradley (P), Little Finborough, Little Cornard, Little Thurlow (P), Little Wenham, Little Wratting (P), Long Melford, Lower Ufford, Marlesford (P), Market Weston, Martlesham, Mellis, Melton St. Andrew (P),
Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 38 (2002)
BUTTERFLIES IN CHURCHYARDS
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Melton Old Church, Metfield (P), Mickfield, Mutford, Nacton, Nowton, Oakley (P), Orford (P), Oulton St. Michael, Parham, Pettaugh, Pettistree, Playford, Ramsholt, Raydon (P), Redgrave, Rendham (P), Reydon, Ringshall (P), Rougham (P), Rushbrook (P), Rushmere, Saxmundham (P), Shotley, Shottisham, Sibton, Snape, Somersham (P), Sotherton (P), Southwold, Sproughton, Sternfield, Stoke by Clare (P), Stoke by Clare Cemetery (P), Stoke by Nayland (P), Stonham Aspal, Stonham Aspal Cemetery, Stonham Parva, Stoven (P), Stradishall, Stratford St. Andrew, Sudbourne (P), Sutton, Swefling, Swilland (P), Tattingstone, Theberton (P), Thorington (P), Thorndon (P), Trimley St. Mary and St. Martin (P), Troston, Tuddenham St. Martin, Tunstall, Uggeshall (P), Walberswick, Waldringfield, Walpole Old Chapel, Wangford, Wantisden, Washbrook, Wenhaston and extension, Westerfield, Westhall (P), Westleton, Whitton (Ipswich), Wickhambrook, Wickham Market (P), Wilby (P), Winston, Withersfield (P), Witnesham, Wixoe (P), Woodbridge St. John, Woodbridge St. Mary, Woodbridge Quaker Burial Ground, Woodbridge Quay Street, Worlington (P), Wortham, Wrentham.
Richard Stewart
R. G. Stewart Valezina 112 Westerfield Road Ipswich IP4 2XW
Plate 6: Halesworth Cemetery in Spring, one of the top twelve sites in the County for butterflies (p. 96).
Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 38 (2002)