The Suffolk Argus
2001 Field Meetings Pleasenote that thefallowing werecancelled: Suffolk Show and Alton Water. The accountof the Silver-studdedBlue meetingat Martlesham will be included in afature reporton the Silver-studdedBlue countsacrossSuffolk.
Launch of the Churchyard Survey at Stradbroke Cemetery Saturday 21st April
by Richard Stewart This was well attended, with representatives from Butterfly Conservation, the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Suffolk Naturalists' Society, the Ipswich and District Natural History Society and the younger generation represented by the local Redgrave and Lopham Fen Watch Club. Talks and interviews were given by myself, Dorothy Casey of the SWT, our Chairman Rob Parker and the Rev. David Streeter, whose Parish includes the Cemetery. Those present were able to tour the site, which is good for butterflies and particularly rich in flora. Despite the weather one Peacock was eventually located. There were two separate features about the survey in the EADT and interviews recorded on the day by Clare Phillips were broadcast on two consecutive Sundays on the Radio Suffolk Countryside programme.
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Autumn
Moth Night at Wolves Wood Saturday 5th May
by Tony Prichard Weather conditions were far from ideal at this moth night organised jointly with the RSPB at their Wolves Wood reserve, where we were joined by Ian Rose and Peter Smith from the Essex Moth Group. A cold wet day meant that temperatures were low to start with and conditions worsened when another belt of rain arrived shortly after we had started recording. Species recorded included; Eriocrania subpurpurella, Brindled Pug and Coxcomb Prominent. T any Prichard
Visit to Stoke by Clare, for early butterflies
Rhodes and its Butterflies On the wing in May 2001
2001
were still present in good numbers on 14 Maynectaring and chasing, but not migrating. Almost as abundant, was another migrant species - the Large White (Pieris brassicae). In contrast, these were all in very fresh condition, and full of joie de vivre. Flurries of 6 or 7 were chasing one another, in aerobatic manoeuvres along the cliffs.Almost all of them were impressively large, and boldly marked. There were small numbers of Bath Whites (Pontia edusa), and in one spot I found 2 Dappled Whites (Euchloe ausonia). Small Whites (Pieris rapae) were quite scarce, I
by RobParker This note summarises the butterflies (and other beasties) seen on holiday in Rhodes from 2-16 May 2001. There were some interesting butterfly observations, but most of the period was blighted by strong winds. In all, I saw 24 confirmed species; not bad for May. I had done my research conscientiously from Alain Olivier's authoritative and comprehensive 1993 work on the butterflies of Rhodes, so I knew what I was looking for.
Sunday 13th May
by Stella Wolfe
We arrived to find very hot, calm weather, with butterflies everywhere. On 3/4 May, there were
This previously cancelled meeting was reconvened at very short notice with the lifting ofFMD restrictions some 48 hours beforehand! May is a favourable month for this attractive five-mile circular walk published by the Dedham Vale and Srour Valley Project. As hoped for, a variety of early butterflies were seen, brought out by a long awaited spell of warm spring weather. Highlights of the walk were the sighting of a kingfisher where the route passes through the grounds of Stoke College, the magnificent elms coming into leaf at Stonard' s Farm, the cowslip-rich banks and hedgerows and the sighting at close quarters of a male Orange Tip selecting daisies for nectaring at the conservation area at Mac's Pond.
large numbers of Painted Ladies (Vanessa cardui) nectaring at sea level. The thistles were abundant, shoulder-high, and in flower, but attracted less attention than garden plants such as choysia, lantana, and the wild scabious, which were all loaded with cardui - though in dozens, rather than thousands. All of them were very well worn, some almost colourless, others very damaged. A high proportion were small specimens, including some of the smallest dwarf-forms I have ever seen. Their presence was consistent with them being the remnants of the 22 Mar migration through Cyprus, but there was no sign of any further wandering intent. The storms that flooded south Turkey gave us gales, afi:erwhich the cardui numbers at sea level reduced dramatically (2 specific site counts reduced from I 00 to 4, and from 48 to 2). In the high hills, however, they
doubt I saw more than 6 in the whole stay. On the first morning, just outside the hotel, I saw a couple of "brimstones", and was pleased that one settled helpfully, so that I could confirm that it was a male Powdered Brimstone (Gonepteryx farinosa) - a new species for me. I did not see Rhodes' other brimstone - the Cleopatra (Gonepteryx cleopatra) until I visited the high ground on 14 May. Clouded Yellows (Colias crocea) were common throughout, with about 6 of the pale female form, f - helice seen. Our hotel at Kalithea was nicely placed on the east coast, just south of Rhodes town, and with direct access to some herb rich clifftops. My favourite spot was a wind-free glade where I found more Lycaenids and Hesperids than anywhere else. I was looking for Chapman's Blue (Polyommatus thersites), but all the blues I managed to catch here were the Common Blue (P. icarus). One male Lesser Fiery Copper (Lycaena thersamon) stood out from the Small Coppers (L. phlaeas). The most abundant skipper was the Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon), and I spent a lot of time looking at them to see ifT. hyrax was there (it has only been recorded once from the island). I was left to conclude that acteon is quite variable, and the 2 species are extremely difficult to separate in the field. The Pigmy Skipper (Gegenes pumilio) was still around, but worn, whilst the Orbed Red-underwing Skipper (Spialia orbifer) seemed to be fresh, and I did not find it elsewhere. Scarce Swallowtails (Iphiclides podalirius) floated around the same glade, and later I got a
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