The Suffolk Argus
chest height in a mixed hedge of hawthorn with elm, but was lodged in elm, and a delicate tracery of silk led clearly co a defoliated area of elm 3 feet away. Being familiar with the habits of the Pine processionary moth, I at once thought of the family Lasiocampidae, and rook another look at my book. There amongst the hawthorn feeders, was a possible - the Small Eggar, and a close examination of its markings showed a good march. The Small Eggar, Eriogasrer lanesrris, feeds on blackthorn, hawthorn, birch, sallow, and on "other deciduous trees and shrubs", or to put ir in Rafe Eley's words "it will eat almost anything". I had been driving home with 2 of chem, when I realized that a visit to Rafe would be easy, and I was lucky enough to catch him in his garden. After quizzing me on the appearance of the web, he rook a look at the larvae, and confirmed that they were indeed Small Eggars. His own description of the web was "like a parachute in the bush" - nor so different from a dead fish! He gets one or two every year, in his trap, but ir is nor a common species in Suffolk, and it is nice to know that they are still breeding locally. "Of course, "said Rafe,
well before Durch elm disease of course, and now the Small Tortoiseshell had suddenly become quire scarce. For years, Rafe had had an arrangement with rhe adjacent estate, where he used co work, char when the nerrle parch was due for its annual cur, he would set our markers close to any larval nests char he wanted co remain unharmed. Bur last year, when he did his walk round inspection of this very large nerrle parch, there were no Small Tortoiseshell larvae to be found - the first rime ever! We shall have co wait for future seasons to see what nature has in store for what we have always regarded as one of our commonest burrerflies. And, of course, remaining in the pupal stage for a variable number of years is one of nature's survival strategies. Rather than keep the Small Eggars for a long wait, I decided to return the cocoons co Wickhambrook, where they can pass their winters under the hedge they hatched in. What will be their chances of a reunion with the females of their own brood?
"You've got to be a young man to breed 'em. " -
\
this being a reference to their unusual habit of spending more than one winter in the pupal stage - and 4 years wait would certainly be a trial of one's patience! He went on to cell me char the cocoons would look like a hard white bean, and char is exacrly what appeared at rhe borrom of the cage on 22 July, four weeks after they were found, half grown. Siering in rhe sun reminiscing about Tortoiseshells, Rafe cold me char he used to have a great elm with Large Tortoiseshells in the field behind him, and char he could remember one day seeing 3 sunning themselves on the end wall of his house! The Large Tortoiseshells all disappeared
18
Autumn
\
2\ \ \"
~
~ \
\
I
l --
\0
'
I
,' )_j __l"-..\
',,,
_\____
"'---'
\ ~.,-
\
'<
\_\
,"-,\ ~
\ \ \ l' \
,)
~ \,;\ "v--_j \;✓ \
. .. . . . . . ... ... . Large Tortoiseshell by BerylJohnson
Joint IDNHS/BC visit to Wheatfen Broad Saturday 9th June
by Richard Stewart There was a good turnout of 24 for this joint meeting and Phyllis Ellis was as usual most welcoming, with refreshments on the lawn evoking memories of earlier visits when Ted Ellis and Francis Simpson would renew their long friendship. The windy, cloudy conditions produced just a few whites, Orange Tip and Peacock during sunny spells in sheltered areas and the Swallowtail area also was unproductive. A small group went back to the meadow in the afternoon bur again without success, though we had good views of a departing Kingfisher and a distant Marsh Harrier. David Nobbs not only rook us round in the morning, explaining the history, biodiversity and management of the reserve, but also extended his time by taking us around rhe wood area in the early afternoon. There were some raised eyebrows at the speed at which a boat from Brundall was travelling, and the reason given was chat it had speed exemption as it was undergoing trials for sea travel. In char case, ~hy didn't it go out co sea rather than erode rhe banks with its wash?
2001
Flowers seen included the rare Broad-leaved Ragwort, Common Sparred Orchid, Water Forget-me-not, Milk Parsley, Yellow Flag, Ragged Robin and Grear Water Dock. Birds included Reed Bunting, Sedge and Reed Warbler, Blackcap, several Herons, Great Crested Grebe, Jay and the strident Cerri's Warbler. Chinese Water Deer droppings and a Drinker Moth caterpillar were also noted and, of several damselflies and dragonflies, the Fosters sighting of a Red-eyed Damselfly, an important indicator of pure water, was significant. Donations were given co the Ted Ellis Trust from both groups and an indoor meeting has now been arranged on Saturday 9th March 2002 at the Oddfellows Hall, Ipswich, 7.30 pm. This is close co the museum and Charles St. car park is near-by. The meeting is part of the Ipswich and District Natural History Society programme of meetings and BC members are very welcome (admission is 50p). SBBC will be making a donation co rhe costs. David Nobbs will be giving an illustrated talk about Wheatfen and the work of Ted Ellis.
\
\
Orange Tip by DouglasHammersley
7
