Suffolk Argus 44 Spring 2009

Suffolk Argus The

Shades of Summer - Painted Lady Photo by Peter Maddison

The Newsletter of the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation

Spring 2009

Volume 44

The Suffolk Argus

Contents Editorial

3

Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey

4

Garden Moths Count 2009

6

Butterfly Hotspots

7

Field Meetings

9

South of the Border 2

11

Harlequins and Brimstones

13

Suffolk Branch Accounts

14

Letter

16

Autumn Butterflies

18

Monographs for the UK BAP Species

20

Dingy Skipper Monograph

20

Suffolk Branch Contacts

Back Cover

Editorial copy dates Contributions for the Summer edition of our newsletter are very welcome and should be sent to the Editor, Peter Maddison, no later than Monday 25th May. Any piece of writing considered to be of interest will be published and we also welcome line drawings, prints and photographs.

Contributions (preferably electronic) can be sent to the address on the back page or by email to: prmaddison@yahoo.co.uk

2

Spring 2009

Editorial by Peter Maddison The desk where I write these notes during this first week in March looks out upon a garden of snowdrops, now past their winter-white best. Recent blustery, cold winds have done nothing to coax the nodding heads of daffodils into flower, and as for the butterflies in these parts, well… a Peacock, unmoved since last October and still hugging a timber beam, is oblivious to the desiccating wind beyond the garage doors. Elsewhere in the county early flights have been noted: David Tomlinson saw his first Peacock on the 21st February, and on the same day a Peacock appeared in Jo Wood’s Bury St. Edmunds garden, and another was seen by Steve Goddard at Minsmere dunes. However, Steve had an earlier sighting of a Peacock at Martlesham on the previous day.

is hoped that nationally 1000 squares will be surveyed this year to provide valuable baseline information on the status of widespread butterfly species. Garden Moths Count inquires after twenty commonly found moths. This is a national survey, and Tony Prichard shows how even those of us with little experience of moths can play a valuable part here in Suffolk. I urge you to consider taking part in these surveys.

Tony’s Suffolk Moth Group website www.suffolkmoths.org.uk is a fascinating encyclopaedia of information containing a comprehensive library of moth photos and intriguing pages such as ‘What’s Flying Tonight’.

Elsewhere in the Newsletter Rob Parker introduces us to the first of a series of monographs on this county’s BAP species, Richard Stewart continues his ‘Butterfly Hotspot’ series with a look at Rushmere Common, a site where recent management proposals have been in the news. Beryl Johnson has added another stunning drawing to her gallery, this time to accompany Jim Foster’s report of the Heath Fritillary field day at Thrift Wood, and James Mann takes us on a delightfully tempting butterfly walk in the south of France. Perhaps the summer of 2009 will be a Mediterranean one, full of our own burgeoning local species, and migrant Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady too!

Since the last Newsletter we have held our AGM. Jim Foster, who is a long-standing member of the Branch, was the Suffolk Argus Editor between 2001 and 2005 and who has been our Treasurer since 2005, retired from this post. Mike Dean thanked him for his dedicated and much valued work for the Branch and welcomed Graham Simister, who was duly elected as Treasurer. We look forward to our field event visit to Graham’s farm at Wickhambrook during May. After a disappointing butterfly season in 2008 we hope, of course, for a muchimproved summer to come, and for those people who want to be busy, two surveys are announced in these pages. Rob Parker outlines the background and the targets for the Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey.

This is a joint Butterfly Conservation / British Trust for Ornithology survey and it

3

The Suffolk Argus

Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey and its roll-out nationwide in 2009.

Rob Parker explains This new survey arose out of BC's concern that the long-standing Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (BMS) covered nature reserves, SSSIs and special habitats rather well, but ignored the "boring bits". As a result, BMS presented an image that was unrealistically brighter than an average for the country as a whole. The idea is to survey a random sample of squares, to fairly sample butterflies of the wider countryside, rather than the species of special habitats.

surveyors without internet are also welcome, and may send their returns by post). A large number of BTO bird surveyors have already agreed to record butterflies in their existing squares, which gets us off to an excellent start.

The system works like this: The BTO computer selects 1km squares across the country at random, at a density which will create about 20 squares per county in addition to those already allocated to BTO members. Butterfly Conservation's local branches will endeavour to match volunteers with squares within reasonable reach of their homes. Volunteers are invited from the ranks of existing butterfly recorders (addressees are a mix of BC members and non-members alike), and it is hoped that others will be interested too.

Over the past 3 years, the survey methods have been trialled in a way that establishes its scientific and statistical credentials. A pilot scheme was run in 2007 and extended to selected counties (including Norfolk) in 2008. The results were a success, and as notified in February's "Butterfly" magazine, it has been decided to launch to all counties in time for the 2009 season.

When volunteers take a first look at their allocated square, they will need to investigate land ownership and geography before deciding whether the job can be done. Experience shows that most landowners are co-operative (providing they are approached properly), but rivers, motorways and industrial sites can block some routes entirely. A look at the map will help to pick out a suitable transect route straight across the square, out the other side, and then back again on a parallel track - would be the ideal, with the total walk length working out at exactly 2 kilometres, divided into 10 sections of about 200m. Of course, a bit of ingenuity is

The new scheme is an extra, and does not replace existing surveys. It borrows some transect methodology, but requires only 2 or 3 walks per year, as distinct to the heavy commitment of 26 weeks required by the established BMS. For this reason, it may well appeal to some existing recorders who are keen to do more, but not ready to tackle a full transect.

The Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey (WCBS) is being mounted in collaboration with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), using their established bird survey arrangements, including on-line recording as the primary method (although

4

Spring 2009 TM3150 east of Bromeswell, where 16 species have been recorded in the last 4 years.

necessary to match any given square to that simplified model, and a set of guidelines, including a letter to present to landowners, will be provided for volunteers to get their route organised early in the season.

TM3450 Rendlesham Forest, north. 22 species have been recorded in the last 4 years.

The walks have to be conducted in good weather conditions and within set times (as for regular transects). One walk is required in July, and a second in August (at least 10 days later). A May walk to catch spring species such as Orange-tip is an optional extra. During each walk, butterflies passing through a 5 metre box around the observer are identified, counted and recorded. Day-flying moths and dragonflies may also be recorded, but this too is optional.

TM3388 Bungay SW. 18 species have been recorded in the last 4 years.

Grid references are in standard OS format (i.e. two numbers representing the 'easting' and two numbers representing the 'northing'). The 1km square to be surveyed is the one to the north east of the grid reference point.

If you would like to expand your recording effort by joining the scheme, please make contact with Suffolk's newly appointed WCBS Co-ordinator - Peter Dare, either by phone on 01502 478061 or at: peterxema@aol.com

The 20 Suffolk one km squares were notified in February, and 15 of them were quickly snapped up. The unadopted squares are listed below, but can be added to, provided there are sufficient volunteers.

TL7262 Around Dalham Hall TM2975 Silverley's Green, west of Cratfield lies in a ‘black hole’ tetrad, so records are doubly valuable.

More early butterfly News....

TM3180 Docking Hall, near St James South Elmham, which also lies in a "black hole".

TM3183

The warmth of the 11th March produced some good news: a Brimstone was seen at Pakefield, a Small Tortoiseshell at Wenhaston, and a Brimstone and Comma at Snape Marshes.

St Margaret South Elmham

Latest News: The following 5 additional squares were notified in early March and require surveyors: TL7781 Wangford Warren, which is in another 'black hole' tetrad.

TL8271 Culford Heath is in a rich tetrad where 23 species have been recorded in the last 4 years.

5

The Suffolk Argus

Garden Moths Count 2009 Tony Prichard outlines the survey for twenty large, easily identified moths in your garden.

Beginners at moth recording may find the sight of a full trap of moths in the summer a rather daunting identification challenge.

Even in suburban settings moth traps can attract hundreds of moths of over seventy species a night, in a variety of shapes and sizes. The rather steep learning curve in identification skills can put off some people starting moth recording and others fall by the wayside after a relatively short period of recording.

night or to try more regular recording in your garden. Moth recording may require greater identification skills than butterflies, but the effort can be very rewarding and does become easier with practice.

Further details on the Garden Moths Count project can be found at the Moths Count website (www.mothscount.org). The website is currently showing the results of the 2008 survey and details for the 2009 survey should be available shortly.

The Moths Count project has recognised this and for a couple of years has been running a 'Garden Moths Count' project aimed specifically at people with little experience of moth recording.

The project is to be run again in 2009, between the 20th and 29th June, and may be of interest to some. The project website gives ideas for attracting moths without purchasing expensive equipment. Once you have attracted your moths the project only requires that a limited number (20) of larger easily identified moths are recorded. The intention is that beginners should not find identifying and recording the moths too arduous a task.

Submitting your results is reasonably straightforward using the online form on the website and records submitted are then converted to distribution maps, these are later made available on the website.

Garden Moths Count will hopefully give you a taster of moth recording in general and tempt you to come along to a moth Lime Hawk Moth by Mervyn Crawford

6

Spring 2009

Butterfly Hotspots.

Number Three: Rushmere Common.

by Richard Stewart This is an important ‘green lung’ on the edge of Ipswich and although it includes a golf course there is easy public access. The main part is within tetrad TM 2044, but at its western edge it includes TM 1944.

Access on two sides, north and east, is restricted by lack of car parking, and my own preference is to enter from Heath Road, near the hospital. Here a left turn takes you along a sheltered lane passing right through to the golf club building.

Here on a sunny spring day, with the strong coconut smell of flowering gorse, you can quickly record many species, including the three whites, Peacock, Comma and Small Tortoiseshell, Orangetip, Speckled Wood in the shady copse, Small Copper and Green Hairstreak. The last two mentioned have strong colonies across the Common. Some central parts have extensive red carpets of sorrel and the Green Hairstreak uses the plentiful gorse and occasional broom for egg laying. On May 12th 1998 a combination of sunshine, peak of emergence and enough recorders, the Common produced very high totals of 369 Small Copper and 345 Green Hairstreak, the latter also seen nectaring on flowers or honeydew of oak, sycamore, hawthorn, elm and rowan. 32 Green Hairstreak were noted on the flowers of just one sunlit rowan. Further across the Common the large pond is good for dragonflies and the hedge of flowering hawthorn also attracts nectaring Small Copper and Green Hairstreak.

The central part of the Common also has abundant Small Heath but the Grayling, now a national priority species, is harder to find. I haven’t seen one at Rushmere for the past two years, but Steve Goddard had a ‘B’ total on July 27th 2008. Moving over towards the tall water tower you enter a lane with oaks and elms. This hedge has management specifically designed to help White-letter Hairstreak. With the ‘secret garden’ now disappearing beneath new housing the main problem in hairstreak spotting is finding somewhere more convenient than the acute angle along the lane. The view from the children’s play area is easier and offers more extensive views, but personally never feel very comfortable there holding binoculars.

Along the lane Holly Blues can usually be seen and at its end the lane joins Bixley Drive, probably the most used access to the Common.

Purple Hairstreaks can be seen around many oaks in July and it is also worth

Green Hairstreak by Douglas Hammersley

7

The Suffolk Argus exploring a hedge parallel to the one by the water tower, about three hundred yards to the west. Here in 2008 I watched a White-letter Hairstreak nectaring on bramble flowers, very close and at eye level.

With this abundance of species it was still a good achievement for Steve Goddard to record twenty species on the Common in just two hours. The date was July 28th 1999, as reported in the Suffolk Argus, Volume 19, pages 16-17. He had low views of both White-letter and purple hairstreak, nectaring respectively on bramble and ragwort.

Following the water tower lane north and then turning right near a hollow eventually leads to the remnant of what was once an extensive field, full of ragwort and also full of hundreds of summer butterflies.

This remnant has cowslips in spring and a rich abundance of summer flowers, many of them good nectar sources. Below a bank of tall buddleias there is wild carrot, ox-eyed daisy, scabious, tufted vetch, yellow hawkweed, clovers, flowering thistle, many clumps of kidney vetch and the pale sky blue of meadow cranesbill. Tall hedges with elm and oak partly surround the sunlit field, and look out for the nightjar sculpture on the ground, as this is at the far end of the extensive Sandlings series of footpaths.

Here some butterflies can include the three skippers, Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Gatekeeper, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Red Admiral and Painted Lady.

No doubt several readers will have read of changes in the management of the Common, proposed by the Commoners’ committee. These have currently been postponed but the Suffolk Wildlife Trust is being consulted and hopefully the Greenways Project will be involved. On a very wet day in December 2008 Neil Sherman from Purdis Golf Club, Rob Parker and myself met Don Ayre, chairman of the Commoners’ trustees, first at his home for a briefing and perusal of aerial maps, then on a soggy walk around the main central area under review. Rob Parker subsequently produced a detailed response from our Branch of Butterfly Conservation, stressing the importance of leaving ample amounts of oak, gorse and bramble in place, adding that ‘the plan to restore the present solid gorse areas to heather and acid grassland is a worth while objective, and we would support a compromise which retains selected elements of scrub around the fairways, but opens up the maximum area to a mosaic of heather with a varied age structure’. The proposed plans relate mainly to the central part of the Common with many of the areas mentioned in this article not being affected.

The Wall now appears to have gone from the Common and I have never seen a Brimstone there, probably because no buckthorn is present. Of the resident breeding Suffolk species only three have not been genuinely recorded here in recent years. These are the Dingy Skipper, White Admiral and Silver-studded Blue. The last mentioned has appeared in small numbers around the football pitch area, but is obviously an unlicenced introduction.

Purple Hairstreak by Douglas Hammersley

8

Spring 2009

Thrift Wood, Bicknacre Saturday 14th June 2008 Jim Foster reports about our visit to this Essex woodland for the Heath Fritillary Twelve members assembled at the Brewer’s Arms car park where we met George Fletcher, warden of this Essex Wildlife Trust reserve and our leader for the meeting.

While in the car park a Sparrowhawk flew over in the direction of the wood. The weather could have been better for observing butterflies; nevertheless there were sunny periods but a cool wind. The party set off in convoy to the restricted access car park within the wood.

Here the warden gave us a map of the 49 acre woodland reserve and explained the management.

sheltered areas for butterflies, but soon we were rewarded with good views of Heath Fritillaries. The author counted at least ten, however more than that were noted by the group. The butterflies conveniently were near paths which made matters easier for the photographers.

The only other butterflies seen were a Speckled Wood and a Holly Blue. The larval food plant for the Heath Fritillary, at Thrift Wood, is Common Cow-wheat and this was abundant in the glades. Other flora noted was Yellow Flag, Common Milkwort, Greater Stitchwort and Slender St. John’s Wort. A Blackcap and Chiffchaff were heard and a Green Woodpecker seen.

A Banded Demoiselle fluttered by and out of sight, surely one of our most beautiful Odonata.

We proceeded to one of the glades specifically managed for the Heath Fritillary, our target species for the day. En route a number of Wood Ant mounds were noted, bustling with activity, some of the mounds incorporated granite chipping that the ants had removed from the track.

Wild Service trees flourish in the wood and some were pointed out by the warden.

Another interesting item was the leaf roll of a weevil Deporaus betulae. The weevil rolls up the leaf in a manner similar to a cigar in which the egg is placed.

Members expressed interest in looking at a pond within the wood and on reaching it felt that some renovation could be beneficial to the habitat. The following dragonflies were noted, Broad-bodied Chaser, Four-spotted Chaser, Azure Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly. We then made our way back to the car park where lunch was taken.

Thus the meeting came to a close, although some members were able to continue to explore the reserve in the afternoon.

Owing to the wind we had to seek

9

Heath Fritillary by Beryl Johnson

The Suffolk Argus

Cavenham Heath and Devil’s Dyke Saturday 6th September 2008 Peter Maddison reflects on our last field trip of the season

I stretched and turned on the radio. The 05.20hrs shipping forecast informed me that along the coast a force 6-7 south-west wind would dominate another showery day. Failing to convince myself that the wind inland would be less strong and that the sky would be blue, I turned over and tried to go back to sleep.

kindly lead our party around his butterfly transect walk. The track skirts woodland where Commas and white butterflies were seen, then it leads off along a well-fenced path across the tightly rabbit-cropped heathland. A few Small Copper and Small Heath were noted, but in a sheltered dip over 40 Small Copper were encountered – most of them nectaring at ease as the gusting wind blew above them. Vivid orange and black wings contrasted with the purple ling. Some two hundred yards away over the bleached stony ground 35 Stone Curlew rose, circled and descended to add to this memorable heathland moment. Further into the heath Small Copper and Small Heath arose from the thin grasses around us, then a solitary Brown Argus, a Meadow Brown, a Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Red Admiral and 2 Common Blue. Towards the River Lark the vegetation became lush and the path led us into a wet fen area where Gipsywort, Marsh Woundwort and Pepperwort grew. A 2’6” Grass Snake basked comfortably in a shaft of sunlight, Speckled Wood flittered through the Alder Buckthorn, and there were more whites, Red Admirals and another Small Tortoiseshell. Returning across the heath the clouds rolled in and Grayling failed to rise from the path ahead, but several impressively long and hairy Fox Moth caterpillars were noted. In the birch wood the uncommon Hoof Fungus was spotted.

By mid-morning periodic warm sunshine bathed Cavenham Heath, but a fairly strong breeze meant that butterflies would be found only in the more sheltered parts.

Michael Taylor, the Natural England manager for this National Nature Reserve,

Small Copper & Small Heath by Beryl Johnson

10

Spring 2009 Then, with a Buzzard calling over the wood we returned to the cars for lunch and the drive to Devil’s Dyke.

ridge of Devil’s Dyke was not the place to be, but on the leeward lower slope mostly females, with just a few males, clung tightly to nectar plants and grass stems.

Here the chalky soil produced flowering Felwort, Yellow-wort, Carline Thistle and Scabious, but it was the Knotweed that enticed the most butterflies.

A heavy shower swept across Newmarket Heath, but we were determined to find our quarry, and Sharon Hearle, our BC Regional Officer and Devil’s Dyke transect walker, guided us to the likely places for Chalkhill Blue. This has been a bumper season for the species, huge numbers being seen in early August, and although we were now at the end of the flying season we were not disappointed. The exposed

Then, as the next squall hurtled in we sought cover and an opportunity to reflect on a successful day.

South of the Border 2.

The Murs of Rocabruna.

James Mann continues his perambulations in the south of France

The lack of butterflies in 2008 is very widespread. In England it seems to have been caused by the wet weather and lack of sunshine. Here in the south of France our very dry winter and spring has retarded the growth of food plants for the caterpillars and the overcast weather at the start of the summer has resulted in the first ever water restrictions in the Pyrénées Orientals and has resulted in our usual feast of wild fruits being severely desiccated.

the valley it was pleasantly cool for the climb but directly we reached the Col at 1131 metres and the Spanish border, the sun warmed us up and we basked in it whilst having our coffee and cake among the grazing cows.

Today, instead of turning left to descend to Beget we turned right across the flowering grassland to traverse the other side of the valley to Col Boca Bartella. Flitting among the flowers were many Grizzled and Dingy Skippers together with several Silverspotted Skippers and at the end of the grassland we found a solitary Small Skipper. As we started down the slowly descending rocky path we spotted both Grayling and Great Banded Grayling. What at first appeared to be ‘whites’ turned out to be female Cleopatras, reinforced by the bright yellow males. The other ‘whites’ we

On Monday 8th September 2008 as we approached Lamenére I thought back to 6th October 2003 when we had been here and it resulted in ‘South of the Border’ Suffolk Argus. Volume 35 Summer 2005. Although we were only four weeks earlier in the year the temperature was much higher. We took the path up through the forest to Col de Malrems. As the sun had not yet reached

11

The Suffolk Argus saw were Pale Clouded Yellows, the first Clouded Yellows were not seen until well below the 1000 metres level.

circled by a wall (mur) with defensive towers at all critical points. Inside the wall at the very top of the hill were situated all the main buildings. Much of the stonework has been removed for use elsewhere but the remaining ruins are enough to get a clear idea of the original layout. The grassy banks and shady trees now growing inside the wall make an ideal spot for lunch.

On leaving Col Boca Bartella we started on a steep, rocky, south facing descent which we knew would be hard going when we returned in the afternoon. On the other side of the valley we spotted the large green mound which was our destination for lunch. After about twenty minutes the path levelled out a bit and we reached a band of trees, here we exchanged Walls (murs) for Southern Speckled Woods. Through the band of trees we came to a lovely green meadow flanked to the north by a sheer rock face and to the south by a huge hedge of blackberries (mures) some 150 metres long. To our pleasant surprise, despite the dry summer, it was loaded with large juicy fruits. As we ate, well stuffed ourselves, and rested we saw both Common and Mazarine Blue, also Gatekeeper and Spanish Gatekeeper. Having eaten our fill we followed the path down to the tarmac road which to the left leads to Beget and the right to Rocabruna. We turned right and crossed the bridge over the Torrent de les Arçoles and walked up in the direction of the village. At the top of the rise we came to an interesting signpost designed to help randonners. It has four arms coloured green with white lettering and just below four arms coloured yellow with black lettering. The arms point in more or less the same directions and largely complement one another, but the times shown vary by up to 40 minutes. We turned left off the tarmac following the path that was signed Cadstell 14 minutes. Half an hour later we arrived at the top of the green mound at Castell Rocabruna (ruins).

The temperature was around 25º C and with a gentle breeze the hilltop acted as a magnet for butterflies. During lunch we saw Swallowtails, Large, Small and Marbled Whites, Cardinals, Dark-green and Marsh Fritillaries and the odd Painted Lady, Meadow Brown, Small Heath and Scarce Copper, together with several species moving too quickly to identify. After an hour of pleasant relaxation we reluctantly had to leave. We envied the medieval soldiers who could stay there all the year.

We stopped again to top up on blackberries before starting on the hard climb in the baking sun; it must have been 40° C. When we finally reached Col Roca Bartella the hard bit was over and we were rewarded by seeing Spanish Chalkhill Blues and a lot of Burnet moths and Hummingbird Hawkmoths. On the descent to Lamenére we saw the expected Wood Whites.

Surprisingly we saw neither Red Admiral nor Peacock nor Tortoiseshell, but best part of 30 species in a day in a poor butterfly year can’t be bad. A discussion on medieval history on the way back made a perfect day.

James Mann Saint Jean Pla De Corts FRANCE

It is a typical early medieval fortification situated on a hilltop with all-round observation of the surrounding countryside some 200 metres below. The hilltop is

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Spring 2009

Harlequins and Brimstones Richard Stewart observes a predator Ever since Julian Dowding’s successful campaign to increase the planting of buckthorn in East Suffolk, we have waited patiently for Brimstone to visit the one in the far corner of our garden. A few male Brimstone butterflies have passed through but never a female.

away from the buckthorn. To our delight a freshly emerged female Brimstone, almost certainly from our garden, was feeding on buddleia on July 26th.

There was, however, just one initial problem. When we found the first four caterpillars one was almost gone, being devoured by what we soon realized was the larva of the rapidly increasing Harlequin Ladybird. Despite our vigilance and quickly removing any we saw on or near the plant, a Harlequin larva managed to take another one the next day. No further predation was recorded. Much concern has been expressed about the adult Harlequin’s effect on our native ladybirds, but look out for the larva as well. They appear to be voracious, with a catholic diet that almost certainly includes caterpillars of most species they discover.

However in 2008, just after Marie had pruned our buckthorn, a male Brimstone was seen in our front garden and a female around the buckthorn. The date was May 12th and both were seen again on the 13th, with just the female the next day. Peter Locke, who has offered to help with my Fynn Valley transect walk, mentioned recent Brimstone sightings along a hedge of mixed native species, including buckthorn, at the Millennium cemetery, scarcely a mile from our garden and no great distance for a female Brimstone searching for egg-laying plants.

On June 4th four small Brimstone caterpillars were found on the buckthorn, with a maximum count reaching nine on June 22nd. This corner of the garden is well used by foraging birds, including families of Long-tailed Tit, but the green Brimstone caterpillar is well camouflaged against the leaf’s central spine, though more obvious if it rears up or moves as it feeds.

After that the numbers declined and just one much larger feeding caterpillar was there on June 30th. We had no more sightings but knew pupation occurred

Brimstone by Beryl Johnson

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The Suffolk Argus BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION SUFFOLK BRANCH INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 March 2008

INCOME Membership Subscriptions Connect Fund Bank Interest Donations:general Fundraising Output VAT VAT refund Sales of Merchandise Cost of Sales Profit on Sales Total Income

EXPENDITURE Donations Newsletter/Programme Meetings Office Expenses Insurance SSB Translocation Depreciation Input VAT Total Expenditure SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR YEAR

2007/8 £ £ Restricted General 1,296.00 920.00 53.61 86.25 -

2006/7 £

£ General 1,209.00 38.63 192.49 2.23 4.49

28.75 25.00 3.75

920.00

1,435.86

1,450.59

500.00 546.51 25.00 12.22 101.05 187.00 0.55

88.00 410.43 25.00 52.39 115.67 807.00 6.70

404.59

1,372.33

1,505.19

515.41

63.53

404.59

14

(54.60)

Spring 2009 BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION SUFFOLK BRANCH BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2008 2007/8 £

2006/7 £

£

£

Note

CONSOLIDATED FUND

Restricted General 2,895.95 515.41 63.53 515.41 2,959.48

Balance 1 April 2007 Surplus for Year (spent)

Transfer between funds Transfer to Head Office Balance 31 March 2008

515.41

Represented by: ASSETS Fixed Assets Debtors

General 4,200.55 (54.60) 4,145.95

1,250.00 1,709.48

1,250.00 2,895.95

150.00

337.00 12.50

1 -

Cash at Bank - Current - Deposit Cash in Hand

2074.89 -

649.32 1840.83 56.30 2,074.89 2,224.89

Total Assets LIABILITIES Creditors

2

2,546.45 2,895.95

515.41

-

1,709.48

NET WORTH

2,895.95

Notes 1. Fixed Assets Projector Table Exhibition Tent Display Stand Generator Dell Laptop Dell Projector Canon Printer

Life Years 5 5 5 5 3 3 3

Cost 29.99 100.00 229.12 630.00 1178.53 633.32 98.01 2898.97

Book Value 126.00 24.00 150.00

2. The Connect Fund balance may be required to be repaid back to the grantor in the event that it is not spent by 31 March 2009, or if any expenditure during 2008/9 is not approved by the grantor.

I have examined the financial statements and supporting documents and in my opinion they give a true and fair view of the state of the branch's affairs at 31 March 2008.

Graham Bull Independent Examiner

Mike Dean Chairman

Jim Foster Treasurer

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The Suffolk Argus

Letter to the Editor The Silver-studded Blue in Suffolk I read with avid interest the Summer 2008 Special Edition of the Suffolk Argus reporting on the attempted reestablishment for the Silver-studded Blue at Blaxhall Common. A great deal of work has been put into this translocation with the involvement of over 30 people.

Perhaps the assumed clandestine release of 1997 is open to question as small numbers were recorded in 1996.

expected growth of population of Silverstudded Blue relocations in Suffolk.

The Blaxhall Common release is a good move but it would have been good for the Suffolk Branch for it to have been shown as a continuation of the work of the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation rather than a one off.

When I skimmed the report and saw the wide distribution list I thought this would ‘bang the drum’ for the Suffolk Branch and highlight its Silver-studded Blue work, but here I was disappointed.

James Mann Saint Jean Pla De Corts FRANCE 6 January 2009

The Suffolk Action Plan for Butterflies compiled by the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation specifically notes Blaxhall under Silver-studded Blue, but this failed to get a mention.

The Suffolk Argus. Volume 18 November 1999. Silver-studded Blues in Suffolk. Past, Present and Future again features Blaxhall as a likely site for re-introduction, but this again is not mentioned. This article also mentions the re-introduction at Aldringham Walks of 1998.

The Suffolk Argus. Volume 20 June 2000 reports on the reinforcement of the reintroduction at Aldringham Walks. The numbers sighted from the 1998 release are not dissimilar from those sighted at Blaxhall in 2008. I believe that the Aldringham Walks release should have been mentioned and the numbers recorded since 1999 used with the future Blaxhall numbers to begin a pattern for the

16

Spring 2009

Rob Parker replies Many readers will remember James Mann as a past Branch Chairman, and a pioneer in the business of conserving the Silverstudded Blue in Suffolk, and I read his letter with interest, particularly because I believe that the Special Edition of the Suffolk Argus really did “bang the drum” for our Branch. His words reminded me that I am a relative newcomer, and that a lot of work had been done before I arrived.

Nonetheless, a lot of water has passed under the bridge in the last decade, and several of the documents that James assembled have been superseded.

purpose of continuing our work into the future.

Rob Parker.

In particular, the Suffolk Action Plan was overtaken by the BC Regional Plan for Anglia (Joy, 2000), which incorporated a history of the species in Suffolk, quoting the Suffolk Argus (Mann, 1999) as one of its sources. The possibility of introduction was carried into the Suffolk Local Biodiversity Action Plan (also 2000). This incorporated a Species Action Plan for the Silver-studded Blue, which was revised in 2007, and was awaiting re-issue at the time our submission for the 2007 translocation was made.

In producing the Special Edition of the Argus, we aimed to make a formal report of the translocation, backed with a readable account of the process. I believe we achieved that nicely, even if we missed the opportunity to present a comprehensive account of the history of the project.

During the 2009 season, Neil Ravenscroft will undertake a fresh ecological survey of selected Silver-studded Blue sites. This work has been funded by grants assembled by the Suffolk Branch for the

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The Suffolk Argus

Autumn Butterflies

by Richard Stewart Although 2008 will not be remembered as a vintage year for butterflies, the late summer and autumn weather was in parts beneficial for insects. A bowl of rotting fruit pieces in our garden attracted a maximum of five Comma, four Red Admiral and two Speckled Wood through September. On the 14th September we visited Freston Tower, which was open to the public, and a walk along the River Orwell path nearby produced six Comma, two of them feeding on a sunlight clump of soft blackberries. We went on to Freston churchyard which has an abundance of Ivy, and there recorded seven each of Red Admiral and Comma, three Speckled Wood and five Hornets. It is sometimes difficult to know if Hornets, which seemed to be very abundant in 2008, are around the Ivy for nectar or meat - probably both.

Also, there were good numbers of Red Admiral, Comma and Hornets on sunlit Ivy at Playford, during the weeks spanning late September and early October when I did a veteran tree survey of the parish. Fortunately my approach to measure the trunk of one veteran oak was from the side where I could see the nest of wild bees at just about the height where I usually use my measuring string.

continent, plus one Comma and fifteen Red Admiral feasting on the sunlit Ivy umbels. Here the plant festoons the high walls in some parts of the gardens, the clumps being thick and stretching some distance.

Three days later, at Tangham, a determined search of the few patches of Bell Heather in the sunshine and still flowering revealed five Small Copper, one var. caeruleopunctata with two small blue spots on the edge of each lower wing.

On 18th October a visit to Landguard Common led to the welcome sight of four Common Blue feeding on Horehound and Sow-thistle flowers. The one we examined closely was in very good condition, probably freshly emerged from a late brood. Back in the sheltered and sunny Spa gardens at Felixstowe we recorded at least fifteen Large White and one Small White, probably come in from the

Comma and Peacock by Beryl Johnson

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Spring 2009

and...

A Late 2008 Butterfly

by Richard Stewart On December 20th Marie and I were out Christmas shopping and as we turned the corner outside Sainsbury’s in the middle of Ipswich, at about 1.30 pm, I saw a Red Admiral fluttering on the pavement. It looked in good condition but the more immediate concern was to rescue it quickly as it could be trampled underfoot at any moment. Needless to say no one else appeared to have seen it. I cupped it gently in my hands where it kept still, and we walked down Lower brook Street and released it on a buddleia growing a few yards off the road. This was a memorable and unexpected end to a disappointing butterfly year and yet more proof of how this species arrears to be increasingly successfully overwintering in our country. Perhaps in a decade or two it may be reclassified as a resident species. This was only my second record of a December butterfly, the other also being of a Red Admiral, and it is also my latest ever record of a free flying butterfly.

Butterfly DVD On sale to raise funds for the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation

Sandy Harman has produced a new DVD entitled “The Best of Butterfly Days PLUS”. It is compiled from some of the best clips from the past five versions of “Butterfly Days” and much fresh material. The PLUS refers to a new section showing some of the rarer butterflies that visit this country and/or were resident here – a further eleven species.

This DVD can be likened to a field trip around Britain to see butterflies during the six months from April to September. 58 species (in addition to the 11 in the PLUS section) are identified by discreet captions, as are most of the other subjects. These include caterpillars, dragonflies, moths and wildflowers etc. There is no music, minimal voiceover and only natural sounds of the countryside. Detailed close-ups abound. The DVD costs £8.00, including p&p, and of this, at least £6.00 goes to our Branch funds – more if you add something to cover the postage costs, as many members have. To buy, just send a cheque, payable to ‘S. Harman’ to 31, Upper Manor Road, Milford, Godalming, GU8 5JW. Why not get one for a friend as well – Sandy would be happy to send this direct, if you so wished. You can enjoy beautiful views of our wonderful butterflies, and help support this Branch at the same time.

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The Suffolk Argus

Monographs for UK BAP Species Introduction The list of UK Biodiversity Action Plan species was revised in 2007. The extended list now includes 4 extra species of relevance to Suffolk, bringing our total to 7:

The following monographs are intended to give an up-to-date account of each species’ status in Suffolk, but they are not comprehensive, and should be regarded as supplementary to Mendel & Piotrowski, 1986 (Butterflies of Suffolk) and Stewart, 2001 (The Millennium Atlas of Suffolk Butterflies). For a broader picture of each species status in UK see the Butterfly Conservation Millennium Atlas and its update (Asher et al, 2001 and Fox et al, 2006).

Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages) White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium walbum) Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus) White Admiral (Limenitis Camilla)

References

Grayling (Hipparchia semele)

Asher, J. et al., 2001 The Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain & Ireland. Oxford, OUP.

Wall (Lasiommata megera) Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)

Fox, R. et al., 2006.The State of Butterflies in Britain & Ireland. Pisces Publications for ButterflyConservation.

The first 5 are UK BAP Priority Species, but the Wall and Small Heath are in a lesser category, “Research Only”, meaning that the present requirement is for increased academic research, but not for active conservation effort yet. All of them are scarce or rapidly declining. Suffolk Local Species Action Plans already exist for Silver-studded Blue, Dingy Skipper and White-letter Hairstreak (not yet published). Similar plans will be prepared for White Admiral and Grayling.

Monitoring effort will be stepped up for Wall and Small Heath.

Mendel, H. & Piotrowski, S., 1986. The Butterflies of Suffolk. Suffolk Naturalists’ Society.

Stewart, R., 2001. The Millennium Atlas of Suffolk Butterflies. Suffolk Naturalists’ Society.

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Spring 2009

Dingy Skipper Erynnis tages Status Once widespread across the UK, the Dingy Skipper has lost 48% of its ground since the 1970 to 82 survey, and its population trend over the 10 years to 2004 was minus 26%. In Suffolk the decline was abrupt, and it is now restricted to just 3 sites in the Brecks, making it our rarest resident butterfly.

Distribution Rabbit-grazed sites with plenty of bird’s-foot trefoil provide the best habitat for tages. The best of these is the King’s Forest, which shows on the map below as a cluster of 5 tetrads.

The reality is that only 2 of these are occupied by healthy colonies, and the peripheral squares are strays noted over the past 5 years. The formerly strong colony at RAF Barnham, which accounts for two of the blobs below, may now have been completely lost.

The isolated colony at Center Parcs is also extremely precarious. A stronger colony is to be found just into Cambridgeshire along the chalky embankment of the Devil’s Dyke.

Dingy Skipper distribution Map for 2003 to 2008 (8 tetrads, 0.7% cover) materially reduced to just 2 tetrads in 2007 and 2008.

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The Suffolk Argus Ecology A single-brooded species, tages passes winter as a larva, hibernating in a tent of the leaves of its host plant – bird’s-foot trefoil. It re-commences feeding in spring, pupates in March and hatches in late April or May. The King’s Forest colony is generally on the wing from mid May to the end of the first week of June. The fundamental cause of the nationwide decline is not properly understood, but the absence of widespread flower-rich grassland with abundant bird’s-foot trefoil is undoubtedly relevant, and over-grazing by sheep may have been a cause at some sites. Other threats come from the ever-changing nature of the forest at King’s; clear felling, followed by replanting and then dense shade mean that only the wide rides provide suitable habitat, and these can be subjected to various logging activities from time to time. Progressively, genetic isolation and inbreeding will also threaten the smaller colonies.

Monitoring Although there is a transect at Center Parcs, it does not enter the Dingy Skipper area, and annual monitoring is by means of counts at current and past sites. Occasional casual sightings give rise to hope, but most turn out to be misidentifications of day-flying moths.

A habitat survey has been conducted at the Wordwell end of the King’s Forest, and will be updated periodically. A number of former sites still have areas that appear suitable, but repeated visits have failed to find the species.

Conservation Good co-operation with the landowners (Forest Enterprise, Center Parcs and MoD) has enabled Butterfly Conservation’s advice to be put into practice. In the Barnham SSSI, sheep grazing was introduced at English Nature’s suggestion, but this may have contributed to the decline/extinction.

Tailpiece Sadly, the Dingy Skipper could well become Suffolk’s next extinction.

Rob Parker Conservation Officer (Butterflies) and County Recorder

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Spring 2009

The Dingy Skipper resting in a moth-like posture.

Photo David Tomlinson.

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The Suffolk Argus

Spring 2009

Suffolk Branch Contacts President Howard Mendel c/o The Natural History Museum Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD 0207 938 8782

Programme Secretary and Newsletter Editor Peter Maddison Barnmead, Fishpond Rd Waldringfield, Woodbridge IP12 4QX

Chairman

01473 736607

Mike Dean Coach House, Ixworth Bury St Edmunds IP31 2HL 01359 230292

Conservation Officer (Butterflies) and County Recorder

Membership Secretary Susan Sidle Five Gables, The Ling Wortham, Diss, Norfolk IP22 1ST Tel 01379 643665

Treasurer Graham Simister The Old Bank House Wickhambrook Newmarket CB8 8XG 01440 820471

Rob Parker 66 Cornfield Road Bury St Edmunds IP33 3BN 01284 705476

Conservation Officer (Moths) and Branch Secretary Tony Prichard 3 Powling Road, Ipswich IP3 9JR 01473 270047

Regional Officer, Eastern England Sharon Hearle c/o Busy Bee, 21 High Street Newmarket CB8 8LX 01638 731648

Committee Member Stella Wolfe The Suffolk Argus is published by the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation. © 2008 All rights reserved. For more information, see: www.suffolkbutterflies.org.uk Butterfly Conservation is limited by guarantee.

Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP Tel: 01929 400209 Registered Charity No 254937.