White Admiral Newsletter 101
Winter 2018/19
Suffolk Naturalists’ Society
Contents Editorial
Ben Heather
What’s on?
1 2
Casual observations of butterfly habits during the 2018 drought
Trevor Goodfellow
3
Woodland Fungi
Colin Hawes
4
Barn Owl Success in Bentley 2018
Colin Hawes
5
Hare Deaths
Ben Heather
5
Martin Hancock
6
Trevor Goodfellow
9
Bob Markham
12
Hawk Honey
13
Richard Stewart
15
Rasik Bhadresa
16
Hawk Honey
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Beachwatch – Great British Beach Clean 2018
Stephanie Poole
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New Membership Arrangements
Edward Jackson
25
Howard Mottram
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Unintended Consequences Pond Life Megalodons at Bawdsey Autumn Ichneumons Book Review: The Lost Words
The Hazards of Crossing the Road A Winter Project
Some Comments On The Crags At Sizewell
ISSN 0959-8537 Published by the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society c/o Ipswich Museum, High Street, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 3QH Registered Charity No. 206084 © Suffolk Naturalists’ Society The opinions expressed in White Admiral are not necessarily those of the Editor or of the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society.
Suffolk The
Naturalists’ Society
Newsletter 101 - Winter 2018/19 Welcome to this Winter issue of the White Admiral Newsletter. Thank you to all those who contributed to the newsletter and thank you for your patience with the delays in getting the finished edition out to you. It has been a very busy time in the Heather household with the arrival of our first child, Jonathan, who was born when the newsletter was nearly but not quite completed. Time has been at a bit of a premium since. Please read the article on page 25 which requires your attention. A new system for administering memberships is being implemented and to make sure the process is as smooth and error free as possible please read and complete the membership form included inside this issue of White Admiral. There is a good mix of articles in this issue ranging from topical wildlife observations to two articles referencing the problem of roads and traffic to our wildlife. It is also great to hear about the success of initiatives such as the Beachwatch Great British Beach Clean. The growing environmental impact of rubbish, especially plastic, is finally growing in the wider public consciousness and the success of UK wide events such as this is a step in the right direction. Please remember to make a note of the dates for members’ evenings on page 2. We look forward to seeing many of you at these social and informative evenings. Editor:
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Ben Heather 28 Enville Way Highwoods, Colchester, CO4 9UF. whiteadmiralnewsletter@gmail.com 3
What’s on? SNS Members’ Evenings 2019
AGM & Spring Members’ Evening – Wed 10th April
Autumn Members’ Evening – Wed 20th November
Both of these evenings will be hosted at the Cedars Hotel, Stowmarket, IP14 2AJ. Meeting at 7pm for a 7:30pm start. A tea/coffee break is provided half way through the proceedings.
Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB Volunteer Conservation Work Parties The Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB require more participation in their Volunteer Programme and have a number of practical conservation work parties planned this winter including:
Tues 5th Feb - Improving a Geological Site - Crag Pit at Alderton
Tues 19th Feb - Scrub Clearance at Tunstall Common
For more information: www.suffolkcoastandheaths.org/volunteering/volunteering-learn-more/ work-parties/
SNS/SBIS Supported Courses at FSC Flatford Mill Take a look at www.sns.org.uk/pages/bursary-f.shtml for a list of the FSC courses that are being supported by the SNS/SBIS Recording Bursary in 2019. These book up quickly, so don’t delay!
Contributions to White Admiral Deadlines for copy are: 1st Feb (Spring issue), 1st June (Summer issue) and 1st Oct (Autumn issue) 4
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Casual observations of butterfly habits during the 2018 drought Purple and white-letter hairstreak were apparently feeding more often at or near ground level. I suspect their food supply of honeydew at their normal treetop haunt had dried up or the aphids that produce the honeydew may have vacated the treetops as the oaks and elms (respectively) reacted to the hot weather. The oaks will regenerate but it was noticeable that some elms were dying, possibly diseased trees, with a lack of water accelerated their demise. During the very hot weather I also noticed small heath and small copper, laying their eggs on dried and shrivelled leaves, and not always upon their first choice of foodplant. I am not sure whether these eggs will be successful but I hope the tiny hatching caterpillars manage to crawl to some food nearby if the chosen plant dies.
Another consequence of the prolonged dry spell was that grass died off and then when the rains finally returned, weeds (wild flowers) recovered much faster than the grass - ok for meadows but not for many gardens. For example: In late August, I watched brown argus and common blue butterflies frantically laying their eggs on lush new growths of cranesbill, trefoils and vetches. However, this led me to wonder if many lawns would get the ‘weed and feed’ treatment as a result of the dry weather and as a result the flourish of second brood argus and blues would be thwarted. The impact of these natural adaptions will be revealed next year. Fingers crossed that it was favourable for our ever-declining butterflies. Trevor Goodfellow
(L) White-letter hairstreak, private land, Norton). (R) Purple hairstreak, Rougham estate. Butterfly survey for SWT
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Woodland Fungi Fungi have been abundant in Bentley woods this autumn, especially so in Holly Wood, Great Martins Wood and Old Hall Wood where many species were seen and photographed. One species that I don’t see very often is the cauliflower fungus ( Sparassis crispa) that was found and photographed in Old Hall Wood. Growing at the base of a conifer,
squat and shaped like a cauliflower head, it appeared slightly ochrecoloured, with flattened, curled, intricate branches that smelled pleasantly of anise (a small part of it was brought home where the smell increased and became very strong). Colin Hawes
Cauliflower fungus Colin Hawes
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Barn Owl Success in Bentley 2018 This year, barn owls have nested at five sites in Bentley and raised 10 young. Barn owl boxes have proved ideal nest sites in Bentley, as shown in the accompanying photograph (photo 1) taken in 2016 near Bentley Manor, where John Glazebrook is removing a nestling
in order to record its weight and take other measurements. John is helped at these recording events by Pauline Ewart, who records the data (photo.2), and Mike Ewart, who takes the photographs. Colin Hawes
(L) Photo 1: John Glazebrook removing Barn Owl chick from nest box. (R) Photo 2: Pauline Ewart recoding data. Photos by Mike Ewart.
Hare Deaths You have probably seen on the local news that there has been an influx of people reporting sick or dead hares in the region. East Anglia is one of the strongholds for the brown hare and these reports have made for some worrying reading. Dr Diana Bell at the University of East Anglia along with the Wildlife Trusts have put out an appeal for members of the public to record the location and photograph dead hares to try and understand these deaths. Please send records and images to d.bell@uea.ac.uk White Admiral 101
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Unintended Consequences
A recent study by Natural England an d Th e Mamm al So c ie ty concluded that almost one in five British mammal species face a high risk of extinction due to climate change, loss of habitat, use of pesticides and road deaths. The total length of roads in the UK is now approaching 250,000 miles and are host to some 37.5 million vehicles. Combine this with increased urbanisation and the resultant habitat fragmentation, and our wildlife encounters a dangerous journey as it goes about its daily lives. Unfortunately, many end up as Road Traffic Accidents (RTA’s). These are the unintended consequences of our insatiable appetite for increased road transport. 8
Much of our wildlife have large home ranges, some like the badger, have ancestral routes to their feeding grounds, which become intersected by the road network. Weather patterns, associated with climate change, may also mean that wildlife has to travel further to find suitable food. The building of bypasses around towns and villages also encroach upon wildlife habitats. All this increases the risk of becoming an RTA. Regional Wildlife Trusts monitor local planning applications and make suitable mitigation recommendations where appropriate. We do not know, however, how many RTA’s there are in the UK. Cardiff University is attempting to address this issue with ‘Project White Admiral 101
Splatter’ by using citizen science to monitor RTA’s (www.projectsplatter.co.uk). This is a unique project being the only organisation to focus solely on recording incidences of all wildlife road kill all year round and across the entire UK. Everyone can get involved. Even the fastest land mammal in the UK cannot avoid a collision (see above right) when taken by surprise or is mesmerised by car headlights.
where the RTA ‘hotspots’ are, and what seasonal variations might exist, will hopefully enable further mitigation measures to be put into place. These can include suitable fencing and underpasses. As you can see in the image below, local residents at Capel St Mary erected this sign near the A!2 to warn drivers of badgers in the area – a great initiative.
The results from Project Splatter will enable not only an assessment of the quantum of RTA’s, but also the effects on specific species, especially in relation to their behavioural ecology like breeding and dispersal cycles. Information on
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vehicles can happen, especially when swerving to avoid impact and colliding with larger mammals like deer. Reducing wildlife RTA’s can therefore have a positive effect elsewhere.
Species that are making a comeback like the Polecat are increasingly being found on Suffolk’s roads. SBIS is currently monitoring these RTA incidences along with other sightings. See www.suffolkbis.org.uk/ polecatsurvey for the latest update. It is undoubtedly distressing for anyone to hit a wild animal and accidents to people and damage to
Dead animals found on the roads are only one side of the story though. Many animals will retreat into the undergrowth and may have long lingering deaths. Some are lucky though and are rescued by the large number of wildlife hospitals around the country and rehabilitated back to health and released back into the wild and given another chance. Martin Hancock
All photographs taken on Suffolk’s roads by Martin Hancock. (www.hancockwildlifephotography.co.uk) 10
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Pond Life
Broad-bodied Chaser
Where I live, I am lucky to have a large pond which we refer to as ‘the lake’. Despite being home to carp, perch and tench, it supports a variety of other wildlife. I have seen creatures recently that I have never seen before and some that are regularly seen such as dragonflies and damselflies (odonata). It is fascinating to watch as each season passes, something new happens or shows up.
With regards to odonata, the large red damsel shows first around April or May, followed by azures, blue-tailed and red-eyed damsels. By June, banded demoiselles hatch and the appearance of the fourspotted chasers normally herald the dragonfly hatch when emperor,
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broad-bodied chaser and blacktailed skimmers show. As the summer draws on, common blue damsels and the darters hatch: common and ruddy darters and also the brown hawkers, southern and migrant hawkers. Small redeyed damsels and emeralds show later and by autumn, a few common darters and willow emeralds are still flying. Sometimes I find the exuvia of recently emerged specimens which are spooky remains of the larval stage. Spring is also spectacular when the frogs and toads leave hibernation and migrate to the lake. This is fairly predictable although a cold or dry spring can stretch this event over several days, usually on a wet
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winter. Often a pair of swans will stay for the winter and tufted duck, Egyptian geese, heron, cormorant and shoveller are seen. Other birds such as reed bunting, sedge warbler and moorhen also seem to like it here. I also have a very small wildlife pond which is barely one metre across, but this too is full of life. Damsels and dragonflies are great to see and the toads like it in the summer. Many water invertebrates such as water fleas, boatman and beetles, and even newts, are regularly seen and I would advise anyone to have a pond whatever the size. In the winter the predators move
mild night, up to six hundred toads and about forty frogs all head for water to spawn and the frantic pairing up on the way is entertaining. When the tadpoles mature to froglets and toadlets in June, I must delay grass cutting as thousands gradually make their way into cover away from the water. Grass snakes are a recent resident and they too can be at risk at being mowed without proper care being taken. The lake does act as a magnet for water birds, particularly in the
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in and trail cameras have revealed otter, mink, stoat, weasel and rats. Woodcock, fox, rabbit and hare have been captured on trail camera too along with barn owls which like to perch in a lakeside tree. The pond is the centre of my attention for most of the year and I get great pleasure from both observing and recording the wildlife in and around it. Trevor Goodfellow
Photos clockwise from top left: Water Stick Insect; Four -spotted Chaser; Dragonfly Larva; Water Scorpion. All photographs in this article were taken by Trevor Goodfellow.
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Megalodons at Bawdsey Marine erosion of the Red Crag of Bawdsey has over the decades yielded many fine teeth of the extinct giant shark Carcharocles megalodon to beach walkers. I here mention two.
In 1956, upon returning to the quay after a visit to study the splendid sea-cliff geology at Bawdsey, I was called by an elderly gentleman sporting a distinctive metal hook in lieu of one hand. I soon learned that he 14
was Charlie Brinkley, retired Felixstowe Ferryman, who lived on the Bawdsey side of the ferry. Discovering my interest in fossils he gave me a ‘crag boxstone’ (of Miocene age) containing one of the giant megalodon teeth - part of the tooth not covered by the sandstone showed the edge of the crown to have its original serrations. I donated the specimen to Ipswich Museum. Most megalodon teeth from the Red Crag, i.e. those not in boxstones, have had their enamel (with the serrations) worn away. However, in recent years a fine tooth (illustrated - the pen is 16.6cm long) retaining much of its enamel and serrated edges has been found by Brenda Butterworth. It is a large tooth, asymmetrical with the mesial cutting edge nearly straight and the distal one concave, suggesting perhaps an upper lateral 1. It has a small amount of adhering material in one area, its origin not recognised on this initial inspection. I thank Brenda Butterworth for showing me the specimen. (Image by Caroline Markham) Bob Markham
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Autumn Ichneumons
Dolichomitus mesocentrus
The long, hot, insect filled days of summer are now nothing more than a memory, yet there is still one insect out there that continues to amaze people. Year after year, as soon as people lay their eyes on it, like me, they are fascinated. A wasp that measures no less than 7cm (yes 7cm) in length yet flies as daintily as a damselfly but with a much more sinister purpose in mind. They belong to the huge family of Ichneumonidae of which there are around 3,000 species present in the U.K. alone. These beautiful creatures pictured are Dolichomitus mesocentrus with black slender bodies and armed with a sheathed ovipositor as long as their body. They diligently patrol the weaved willow fence White Admiral 101
outside the SWT Lackford Lakes visitor centre where you can see them tapping the wood repeatedly with their fine antennae smelling for the faint trace of their prey that is buried deep within the wood, munching away, awaiting the arrival of next spring. This prey is a beetle larva of the Cerambycidae family also known as the longhorn beetles. Exactly what species of longhorn beetle they are preying on is not known for certain, yet. But there are a couple of likely candidates which are regularly seen on the reserve, these being Clytus arietis Wasp beetle, or Aromia moschata Musk beetle. I feel like the former is the most likely to be the victim as these are the most abundant species when 15
Photos clockwise from left: Sniffing out the prey; Preparing to insert the ovipositor; Drilling deep to lay the egg
they’re active and often seen in the same area as the Ichneumons. Once the wasp finds her intended victim, she raises her abdomen up into a vertical position above her head and directs the ovipositor, still sheathed, to a small entrance hole which she locates with the tip of the sheath. Once located, the ovipositor is removed from the sheath and the wasp begins to slide it into the wood, probing, moving it gently back and forth, feeling its way deeper into the wood until, after a good few minutes, the larva is found. Several eggs are deposited within
the victim and these will in turn devour the larva to emerge as a new wasp the following year. The biology of the ichneumons troubled Charles Darwin and made him question the existence of God writing in a letter to Asa Gray:
“…There seems to me too much misery in the world. I cannot persuade myself that a beneficent and omnipotent God would have designedly created the Ichneumonidae with the express intention of their feeding within the living bodies of Caterpillars,…”* Hawk Honey
Reference: * http://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/entry-2814 16
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Book Review: The Lost Words Text by Robert Macfarlane, illustrations by Jackie Morris, pub. Hamish Hamilton
‘Once upon a time words began to vanish from the language of children. They disappeared so quietly that at first no one noticedfading away like water on stone. The words were those that children used to name the natural world around them’. So begins the introduction to what is also described as ‘a spell book’ and to me this is one of the most important natural history books published in recent years. It is a response to the decision in 2015 to excise many words related to the natural world, replacing them with alternatives such as ‘chat-room’ and voicemail’. This was in the Oxford Junior Dictionary, aimed at seven to nine year olds. I suppose, being impartial, the alternatives nowadays have more resonance with that age group, compared to deletions such as bluebell, magpie, heather and weasel. Recent research amongst two hundred children between the ages of four and eight revealed, to quote just three of many examples, that 51% couldn’t identify a bumblebee, 59% had never climbed a tree and 77% didn’t recognise a sunflower. This large book attempts to correct White Admiral 101
the balance, with twenty different natural history species covering mammals, birds, flora and amphibians. Each has a large and generous six pages, the first two effectively an illustrated word puzzle, the next two with an acrostic poem and illustrations and the final double page showing the species in a landscape. The acrostic poetry has a wide range of styles, some capturing the ‘jizz’ of a species, others like the newt having a more humorous intent. My only criticism would be a flattening of the head in many of the illustrations, often of birds, which I must admit I couldn’t understand. To more widely circulate this book, the Suffolk Wildlife Trust has asked members to contribute ten pounds so a copy can be placed in every Suffolk primary school, together with individual bookmarks for each child and details of how our local wildlife and conservation groups are attempting to get children away from computers and iphones and into the countryside that they will have to protect in the future. Richard Stewart 17
The Hazards of Crossing the Road Those who know Flatford will know, that if you are visiting, you must park in the large National Trust car park past the turning for Flatford Mill Field Centre. However, this doesn’t always happen and frequently people drive down the sunken Flatford lane (meant for use only by staff and students at the mill), past Bridge Cottage and all the way to Willy Lott’s House only to turn around and come back to park in the main car park. So, if you are not large and crossing the lane, it can pose an extra hazard. On one of our late afternoon visits in late August, as we were descending the steps from the car park, we noticed a car going past us towards the mill. The driver and his companion (both smiling) had all the hallmarks of someone new who were hoping to bypass the system. They went down and as we had predicted were back up in three minutes. They slowed down and stopped with enquiring faces. ‘Yes, parking is at the top’, we said. And they drove off. However, the damage had already been done! If you are a young snake, crossing the road can be full of unknown hazards. Even if, as a conscientious being, you look to your left, then to your right and then left again before you start to cross, it might not be enough. Even if you 18
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continue to look to your left and to your right as you zigzag your way along, it may still be too slow. Within a few yards, we came across this unfortunate young (approximately 40cm long) snake. As with all natural encounters we got excited, remarking on the lovely body colours and patterns and the distinctive yellow collar (see photo 1). However, it wasn’t long before we realised its movements were a bit laboured, and subsequently, its progress a bit slow. It appeared to be moving the front part of the body, dragging the back along as it moved. And then we spotted the problem. Near the rear end of its body, a small part of the body wall was split open. On closer examination, we noticed that parts of the internal organs were projecting out of the 8-9 mm cut (see photo 2). We surmised that the protrusions so near the tail end of the body were possibly part of the kidney and the large intestine. However, they appeared to be intact. But was there anything we could do? What sort of first aid could we give? But we didn’t have anything (a plaster? TCP?) which could have come in handy. And we didn’t think it appropriate to take it away and treat it in some way at home before releasing it back. We just hoped the cut would heal by itself and new skin regenerate. With this in mind, I moved my hand towards the snake when it suddenly lifted the front of its body in defence. I wasn’t going to be deterred - ‘don’t worry, Nat,’ I said, and picked it up by the middle of its body, briefly detecting a garlicky smell. White Admiral 101
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Gently I let it go in the undergrowth on the left bank. Quickly, it slithered away. We just hoped it would survive the accidental damage by a passing wheel. So, if next summer you see a snake on the lane, near the scene of John Constable’s Boat Building, with a
slight bulge near the tail end, you will be forgiven for praising nature’s healing properties. And needless to say, take care when you are crossing the road! Rasik Bhadresa
A Winter Project The winter is a dull old time for Hymenopterists after the sorting of records and checking of specimens is done. You’ve read all your bee books and there’s not much else to do. So, I decided I wanted to have a closer look at the hidden lives of solitary bees whilst they are deep in their nests. There are several types of bee hotel on the market that have glass tubes on the back that allow you to view the inner goings on. However, these cost a pretty penny and I was sure I could create something a little better and also more natural for the bees. So, into the workshop I went and began creating. I decided an off-cut of pine from recent DIY activity would be the ideal medium for the job. It was a piece 30 x 42cm and 30mm thick. I didn’t want to just create straight tunnels like most bee hotels, I wanted something a little more like they
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would find in their natural habitat. Look under any piece of bark and you will find ornately chewed out beetle galleries and this is what I wanted to create on one side to see how or if they were used at all. In case the bees didn’t like the arty natural type of tunnel, I created
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the standard straight lines on the other side.
Pic 2. First three cells of O. bicornis . Note the mud partition beyond the bend
Pic 1. The natural side under construction
Aerial nesting solitary bees come in many different shapes and sizes, so I had to route out the channels to appeal to all types. The channels ranged from 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10mm in width and on the natural side I tried many different types of pattern to see if anything was preferred over another. I have also previously witnessed several individuals of Leaf-cutter bee Megachile centuncularis, using a communal entrance in a standing piece of wood. These bees are solitary nesters, so even though they used the same entrance they would each go to their own separate nest tunnel. With this in
Pic 3. The finished cells of O. bicornis
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mind, I deliberately branched a large tunnel to see if I could get the Leaf-cutters to do the same. I also did this with some of the smaller tunnels to see if any of the smaller species did the same. Once all the tunnels were cut, I covered them with a sheet of clear perspex and placed a door over this. I used a bit of scrap wood on the top and bottom and the attached to a trunk, in a sunny position with the entrance holes facing south and waited. I had to wait until May for the first resident to turn up, a Red Mason bee Osmia bicornis. She chose a long channel on the natural side, but instead of starting from where the tunnel ended, she created a block someway from the end and then created her cells on the straight part leading to the opening. I would imagine this was put in to
Pic 4. H. truncorum collecting resin from inside the tunnel
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deter any intrusion from behind the cells by beetle larvae. She went on to create nine cells before creating a long empty chamber between the last cell and the tunnel entrance, ideal protection against probing woodpeckers no doubt. The next visitor was a bit of a surprise as it was the Largeheaded resin bee Heriades truncorum. This bee is listed as Red Data Book 3 (at risk) by Shirt (1987) and I have found this at a few locations around Suffolk, but never near my home. She turned out to be a bit sporadic with her nesting activity, choosing a variety of tunnels on both sides of the hotel. One thing that was common with all of her nests regardless of tunnel depth, she always created cells nearer to the entrance instead of using the whole length. But she did show me a few things I never knew:
Pic 5. Sporadic nesting of H. truncorum never too far away from the entrance
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1. H truncorum is known for using pine resin for dividing and capping their cells and I witnessed her taking resin from the wood within the tunnel and then going to a cell to create a cell division using it instead of collecting the resin from an outside source and bringing it back. 2. She would only create a few cells close to the entrance instead of deep in the tunnel, and then she would start on another tunnel. 3. During construction of the hotel, I slipped with the router on the linear side and two tunnels merged into one towards the rear end. H. truncorum investigated this, made her cells (near the entrance again) and then blocked the entrances to the tunnels above and below the tunnel where she had laid her eggs even though she hadn’t used the other two tunnels and it was only the bottom tunnel that connected to the middle tunnel. 4. In long periods of bad weather lasting a few days, the bee would stay roosting in the hotel and after a while, would begin to consume some of the pollen loaf (a mixture of pollen and nectar provisioned for the young) herself, this way keeping herself fed. She would replace the provisions once the weather got better. The next tenant arrived and went whilst I was away on my SNS White Admiral 101
Pic 6. Seventeen fully formed grubs of possibly Hylaeus sp
bursary paid solitary wasp course in Pembrokeshire. I came home to find seventeen completed cells with fully developed grubs inside. Looking at the cells, I believe this to be the work of Hylaeus sp as I know that I do have H. communis visiting my garden each year. Looks like I’ll have to wait until next year to confirm this one. One visitor that I did expect and didn’t let me down was the Leafcutter bee Megachile sp. It first started with a male roosting in the hotel every night for a week or so before a female turned up and started cell building. She picked a linear tunnel and started right from the back of the tunnel creating perfect cells with perfectly cut leaves. Once the tunnel was full, she moved onto the next tunnel, but only created a few cells before activity ceased. Most probably ran out of eggs. There were other users of the hotel who would spend the night in there from time to time. 23
Pic 7. Megachile sp cells
Pic 8. Roosting Ectemnius sp
Pic 9. Finished hotel
Occasionally an earwig or two would stop by and the odd spider. One species which was a regular overnighter was three solitary wasps of Ectemnius sp. Although Ectemnius sp nest in old wood, these ones would only roost in the hotel, not nest. Were the holes too big for them? Or was the wood too new or of the wrong type? Something for further study there in itself. In fact, the whole experiment has whetted my appetite for more studies and I have other plans in the pipeline that will undoubtedly find me scurrying off to the workshop during the cold winter months. Watch this space! A Late Edit
A random check found that there were three more visitors to the hotel, none of them bees. It had attracted around 5 flies of the cluster variety, something I’m not 24
going to even try to give a species name to as my Diptera ID skills are somewhat lacking. The other two had some interaction between themselves. The first was a spider
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Pic 10. Steatoda bipunctata and Tromatobia sp
(Steatoda bipunctata, thanks to Joe Myers for the ID), which had taken the vacant penthouse suite on the natural side, made an egg sac in the tunnel and spun a web outside to catch the odd fly or two to keep her going. The second (in late October) was a small Ichneumon wasp (Tromatobia sp) busily thrusting her ovipositor deep into the egg sac (depositing
eggs) behind the female spider who seemed oblivious to this parasitism of her eggs! The spider wasn’t paralysed as she backed up a bit when I passed my hand in front of the entrance hole but the wasp would have had to walk past the spider to get to the eggs. It is possible that she could have deceived the spider with a pheromone perhaps? Or maybe the spider did not perceive her as a threat, or even food? Big thank you to Ben Heather for allowing such a big piece and such a late edit. Hawk Honey
Beachwatch – Great British Beach Clean 2018 Over the weekend of the 14th – 17th September 2018, thousands of volunteers around the country took part in the 25th annual Marine Conservation Society Great British Beach Clean events, over 20 of which were in Suffolk! On Monday 17th September, Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB Volunteers and a few staff members, armed with litter pickers, binbags, clipboards and survey sheets travelled to the beautiful, and remote, RSPB Hollesley Marshes and Suffolk Wildlife Trust Simpsons Salting’s
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Reserves. If you fancy a visit to either Reserve please visit the RSPB and Suffolk Wildlife Trusts websites for more info. With perfect weather, and fantastic views, our 24 Volunteers set off within our 100m survey area and collected an astounding 405 items of rubbish! Ranging from an unfortunate common sight of bottle caps and small flakes of plastic to a large rusted metal lobster cage, tyres and paint pots. With 80% of our findings being Plastic or Polystyrene, our team of 24 were proud and fulfilled with 25
Some of the Beachwatch volunteer teams in Suffolk including participants from: Sutton Parish Council, the Rotary Club of Felixstowe, Hutchison Ports, Fred. Olsen & Transition Ipswich.
their mornings work in cleaning up a local beach. We had such an enthusiastic group that they also continued to collect rubbish both south and north of our 100m stretch in turn cleaning 1km of foreshore. The MCS UK Beachwatch team are currently compiling all the results from around the country however they have deemed this as 26
quite possibly the best turnout that MCS UK has seen in many years. A special mention must go to the other Beachwatch organisers in Suffolk and Lynn Allen at Suffolk Coasts and Heaths AONB who helped several groups gather enough gear to run their beach cleans. We had such an amazing list of events in Suffolk over the GBBC Weekend, I hope that we White Admiral 101
can carry on the trend and run more beach cleans over the next several years. If you weren’t able to make a beach clean this month but are interested in finding one near you in the very
near future, please visit the Marine Conservation Societies Beachwatch website (www.mcsuk.org/beachwatch/ events), register and volunteer. Stephanie Poole
New Membership Arrangements Those of you who are members of both Suffolk Naturalists’ Society and Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group will already be aware that we have recently set up a new system for administering memberships. For a long time our two organisations have had reciprocal arrangements for joining or renewing memberships. However, this dual approach involving several people has meant a significant amount of crossreferencing of membership and subscription information between SNS and SOG. Having consulted closely, both SNS and SOG Councils have recommended that for 2019 onwards the actual administration of membership matters for both organisations should be based in one place -at SNS, c/o Ipswich Museum and that the Membership and Gift Aid Declaration forms should be dual purpose to cover both SNS and SOG. We believe this move should effectively streamline the various proWhite Admiral 101
cesses involved, making financial transfers between SNS and SOG and our respective dealings with HMRC over Gift Aid much easier to handle. Please be assured that both SNS and SOG Councils will keep a watchful eye over the new arrangements, to ensure they are as efficient as possible and adhere to the expected standards of financial probity and data confidentiality. You will find the new joint Membership Form and Gift Aid Form enclosed with this White Admiral. Please read them through carefully and - if you have not already done so - please renew your membership(s) as soon as possible. Drawing on the previous systems used by both organisations you’ll see there are several ways in which you can pay your annual subscription(s). However, whichever way you decide to pay, please ensure that you still also send both paper forms by post to Ipswich Museum. This will enable us to 27
cross-check that all the details we receive are correct. Thank you if you have already renewed your joint SNS membership with SOG – you could pass the forms on to potential new members. However, if not, please treat this as a gentle reminder! As part of the review we have expanded the option of ‘Family’ membership to include ‘Household’ membership as well. This allows one other named family member or partner, living at the same address, to be covered by this type of membership. To dovetail with the existing offer from SNS, SOG has created a new category of ‘Student’ membership. Joint Student memberships also benefit from a discount. A special note for those of you who have joined SNS since 1 October 2018: your membership already runs through to 31 December 2019. However, please will you still return both forms to the Museum with a note to say you joined in autumn 2018. If you have not done
so previously, please consider adding Gift Aid to your membership and becoming a member of SOG as well. In relation to the last point, you may be interested to know that at the SOG AGM on 28 February a Special Resolution will be debated to change the charity’s name from ‘Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group’ to ‘Suffolk Bird Group’. Although the aims and activities will remain much the same, SOG Council feels that this change will allow the Group to be much more relevant and attractive to anyone who enjoys birds and birding anywhere in our county. We hope the transfer to the new membership arrangements runs smoothly, but if you do experience any issues please contact Rosemary Milner at Ipswich Museum on 01473 433547. She normally works there on Tuesday mornings. You can also email her at enquiry@sns.org.uk Edward Jackson
Some Comments On The Crags At Sizewell Crag sands that are often shelly have been described from boreholes in the Sizewell area of eastern Suffolk. These sands were split by Mathers & Zalasiewicz, 1988 and Zalasiewicz et al, 1988 into two 28
units. The lower unit had several characteristics that showed it to be of Pre-Ludhamian age and it was assigned to the Red Crag as the newly named Sizewell Member. The upper unit yielded much less White Admiral 101
diagnostic information and was provisionally assigned to the Red Crag as the newly named Thorpeness Member. It is now 30 years on and the status of the Thorpeness Member has remained in abeyance. During the 1980s and progressing northwards from Essex, the BGS had successfully mapped the geology by using lithology as a very effective distinguishing criterion in the field. The main basis for including the Thorpeness Member in the Red Crag was that its warm colouration at higher levels in the boreholes and its shelly nature made it look more like Red Crag than the only arenaceous Norwich Crag that had been mapped at that time, the pale well sorted fine to medium grained Chillesford and, or, Creeting Sands. Without decrying the success of the BGS mapping, it was however later realised that the scope of this simple lithological technique could not be sustained when mapping north of Aldeburgh where the Crags had become masked by other strata (Hamblin & Rose 2012).
Whatever lithology was deposited depended upon the hydrodynamic conditions and the properties of the sediment particles that were supplied. Therefore, virtually identical sediments could have been deposited at different times if the sedimentological conditions were repeated
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during successive oscillations of transgression and regression, dominantly the 4x104y Milankovitch cycles. Well sorted fine to medium sands resembling the Chillesford and, or, Creeting Sands have been reported beneath typically shelly Red Crag at Foxhall (TM 236 439), Mottram, 1993. The well sorted sands at Foxhall were, presumably, a shallower water facies during the Red Crag transgression here. Bulcamp (TM 4420 7545) is well known for its warm coloured shelly sands, Cambridge, 1982; and Funnell, 1983. This mimicking of Red Crag lithology was also recorded at the Wangford pits (TM 4645 7774), Cambridge, 1971 and (TM 4696 7800), Mottram, 1988, yet at both of these sites the shelly sands are undoubtedly within the Norwich Crag. B y clo s e l y a s so c i a ti ng t he Thorpeness Member with the underlying Sizewell Member, it was thought that this conformed with Funnell’s 1987 proposal that the pre-Ludhamian to Thurnian strata were all from a single sedimentological high-stand. As we now know, this proposal conflicts with the concept of Milankovitch cycles and it is far more likely that the Sizewell and Thorpeness Members re p re se nt e ntire ly diffe re nt transgressive/regressive sequences, the Thorpeness Member perhaps representing two sequences. 29
Although the multi-disciplinary approach of Zalasiewicz et al, 1988, found that the Thorpeness Member was difficult to reconcile, some useful indicators were revealed;-. •
•
The limited magnetic data obtained from the Thorpeness Member was of reversed magnetism, something that more readily fits with the Norwich Crag of Lower Pleistocene age than with the higher Red Crag which is of late Pliocene age. The marine molluscs that were identified in the Thorpeness Member had an affinity with those recorded from Chillesford at the base of the Chillesford Sands which are part of the
Norwich Crag. •
Many foraminifera were reworked from earlier strata but those that were not reworked were considered to indicate a Norwich Crag, probably Ludhamian, age.
In conclusion, the Thorpeness Member may not have yielded definitive evidence that easily allows it to be accurately slotted into the stratigraphic column but there is more weight of evidence that argues for it being part of the Norwich Crag rather than the Red Crag Howard Mottram
References : Cambridge, P. G., 1971. Report on field meetings to Wangford and east Suffolk. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Norfolk 20, 34-36. Cambridge, P. G., 1982. Report on a field meeting to Bulcamp, near Blythburgh, Suffolk, July 21st 1979. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Norfolk 32, 71-72. Funnell, B. M., 1983. The Crag of Bulcamp, Suffolk. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Norfolk 33, 35-44. Funnell, B. M., 1987. Late Pliocene and early Pleistocene stages of East Anglia and the adjacent North Sea. Quaternary newsletter 52, 1-11. Hamblin, R. J. O. & Rose, J. The Red, Norwich and Wroxham Crags of Northern Suffolk. P178197. In: Dixon, R. (Ed.), A celebration of Suffolk geology. GeoSuffolk, pp. 251–258. Mathers, S. J. & Zalasiewicz, J. A. 1988. The Red and Norwich Crag formations of southeastern East Anglia. Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association 99, 261-278. Mottram, H.B., 1988. Norwich Crag at Hill Farm Pits, Wangford. Transactions of the Suffolk Naturalists Society 24, 88–94. https://issuu.com/ suffolknaturalistssociety/docs/tsns24s. Mottram, H.B., 1993. Geological details of two pits near Kesgrave. Transactions of the Suffolk Naturalists Society 29, 62-69. https://issuu.com/suffolknaturalistssociety/docs/tsns29t/3 Zalasiewicz J A, Mathers S J, Hughes M J, Gibbard P L, Peglar S M, Harland R, Nicholson R A, Boulton G S, Cambridge P & Wealthall G P, (1988). Stratigraphy and palaeoenvironments of the Red Crag and Norwich Crag formations between Aldeburgh and Sizewell, Suffolk, England. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London. B. 322, 221- 272. 30
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Suffolk Naturalists’ Society Bursaries The Suffolk Naturalists’ Society offers six bursaries, of up to £500 each, annually. Larger projects may be eligible for grants of over £500 – please contact SNS for further information. Activities eligible for funding include: travel and subsistence for field work, visits to scientific institutions, scientific equipment, identification guide books or other items relevant to the study. Morley Bursary - Studies involving insects (or other invertebrates) other than butterflies and moths. Chipperfield Bursary - Studies involving butterflies or moths. Cranbrook Bursary - Studies involving mammals or birds. Rivis Bursary - Studies of the county's flora. Simpson Bursary - In memory of Francis Simpson. The bursary will be awarded for a botanical study where possible. Nash Bursary - Studies involving beetles. Applications should be set in the context of a research question i.e. a clear statement of what the problem is and how the applicant plans to tackle it. Criteria:
1. Projects should include a large element of original work and further knowledge of Suffolk’s flora, fauna or geology.
2. A written account of the project is required within 12 months of receipt of a bursary. This should be in a form suitable for publication in one of the Society's journals: Suffolk Natural History, Suffolk Birds or White Admiral.
3. Suffolk Naturalists' Society should be acknowledged in all publicity associated with the project and in any publications emanating from the project. Applications may be made at any time. Please apply to SNS for an application form or visit our website for more details www.sns.org.uk/ pages/bursary.shtml. Cover Photo: Eristalis tenax taken in September by Ben Heather
The Suffolk Naturalists’ Society, founded in 1929 by Claude Morley (1874 -1951), pioneered the study and recording of the County’s flora, fauna and geology. It is the seed bed from which have grown other important wildlife organisations in Suffolk, such as Suffolk Wildlife Trust (SWT) and Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group (SOG). Recording the natural history of Suffolk is still the Society’s primary objective. Members’ observations go to specialist recorders and then on to the Suffolk Biological Records Centre at Ipswich Museum to provide a basis for detailed distribution maps and subsequent analysis with benefits to environmental protection.
Funds held by the Society allow it to offer substantial grants for wildlife studies. Annually, SNS publishes its transactions Suffolk Natural History, containing studies on the County’s wildlife, plus the County bird report, Suffolk Birds (compiled by SOG). The newsletter White Admiral, with comment and observations, appears three times a year. SNS organises two members’ evenings a year and a conference every two years. Subscriptions to SNS: Individual membership £15; Family/Household membership £17; Student membership £10; Corporate membership £17. Members receive the three publications above. Joint subscriptions to SNS and SOG: Individual membership £30; Family/Household membership £35; Student membership £18. Joint members receive, in addition to the above, the SOG newsletter The Harrier. As defined by the Constitution of this Society its objectives shall be: 2.1 To study and record the fauna, flora and geology of the County 2.2 To publish a Transactions and Proceedings and a Bird Report. These shall be free to members except those whose annual subscriptions are in arrears. 2.3 To liaise with other natural history societies and conservation bodies in the County 2.4 To promote interest in natural history and the activities of the Society. For more details about the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society contact: Hon. Secretary, Suffolk Naturalists’ Society, c/o Ipswich Museum, High Street, Ipswich, IP1 3QH. Telephone 01473 400251 enquiry@sns.org.uk