Suffolk Argus 48 Summer 2010

Suffolk Argus The

Orange-tip on Lady’s Smock at Wolves Wood (see p16) Photo by Brian Dicks

The Newsletter of the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation

Summer 2010

Volume 48

The Suffolk Argus

Dingy Skipper at King’s Forest photo by Bill Stone

Common Heath at Rampart’s Field photo by Tony Prichard

Green Hairstreak at King’s Forest photo by Peter Maddison

Orange-tip photo by Liz Cutting

New Members We welcome the following new members who have joined the Branch and we look forward to meeting them at some of our events.

Miss E Freeth Miss JA Sherwen Mr JW & Mrs C Colthup Mr MC & Mrs ES Harris Mr WE Whybrow

Lowestoft Melton Woodbridge Witham Lowestoft

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Summer 2010

Contents Editorial

3

2009 Butterfly Report

4

Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey 2009

8

Purple Hairstreaks in an Ipswich Garden

15

Roosting Orange-tip

16

Butterflies and Water

17

Decisions

17

International Symposium

18

Field Meetings

20

2006 - A Year of Grand Surprises

22

Martlesham Heath

25

Remaining Events of 2010

26

What’s In a Name? The Painted Lady

27

The Great Apollo Hunt. Epilogue

28

Editorial Copy Date

30

Suffolk Branch Contacts

Back Cover

Editorial

by Peter Maddison

There is little room for an editorial so we move straight into the nitty-gritty of Suffolk butterflies. Rob Parker presents an extended report on our 2009 butterflies, Peter Dare analyses last year’s WCBS, we have a number of articles regarding observations of butterfly behaviour in gardens and woodland, and Richard Stewart poses an intriguing question about human behaviour.

We have three events in ‘Save our Butterflies’ week. Trudie Willis has a ‘must visit’ butterfly garden at Aldeburgh which will be open on Sunday 25th July. In the south of the county at Stoke by Nayland, Tracey Hayter will be opening her Stewardship Scheme farm with established wildflower/butterfly meadows on Sunday 1st August. In the evening of Wednesday 28th July the Ipswich Wildlife Rangers will hold a moth night at Orwell Country Park. Details of our many summer events are on our website www.suffolkbutterflies.org.uk or refer to the Contacts page in this newsletter. Members and friends will be most welcome at all these events.

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The Suffolk Argus

2009 Butterfly Report Rob Parker but there were still 12 days that failed to meet the basic butterfly flight criteria, delaying the emergence of species that had passed the winter as pupae. In June there were 13 days that provided little opportunity for flight, or pairing. The frost and snow of December (the coldest December for 15 years) will be bad news for some species, particularly over wintering Red Admirals. However it could also kill parasitic fly and wasp species, once again bringing benefits for host species next year.

After two poor years, 2009 came as something of a relief. For most species, it has been a decent season, and the major immigration of Painted Lady was very welcome. Only for a few species has it been a poor year, and long-term declines account for some of these. Good recording effort has resulted in meaningful coverage for the whole of the 5-year period.

Weather. The winter was colder than recent mild years, and even below average judged by historic averages, with February bringing frosts, cold winds and snow. In all, air frosts occurred 38 times in East Anglia. Thereafter, things improved, and 15th March was warm enough to bring out first butterfly sightings for many observers. Spring was warmer, sunnier and drier than 2008. The summer figures in the table below are averages, and mask the reality that July was very wet (15 rainy days), whereas August and September were unusually dry, creating conditions of drought for some larval host plants.

Monitoring the BAP Species. There are now 5 Suffolk BAP priority species, and 2 in a new category of “for study only”.

The annual Silver-studded Blue count missed the peak at several of the major sites, but numbers were generally close to 2006 levels. A professional ecological survey was conducted by Neil Ravenscroft, and provided useful data for conservation at our most threatened sites. The translocated

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colony at Blaxhall Common survived another season, and up to 21 butterflies were recorded on the transect, flying over a five week period.

For the fourth year in succession, the Dingy Skipper was not found at RAF Barnham,

The shortage of sunny April days with temperatures of above 16°C (at the SNS weather station in Boxford) again explains why transect walkers had difficulty in getting any walks in within the stipulated weather criteria. May was slightly better,

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Summer 2010 and the colony has probably been lost.

Again, there were no sightings from the small isolated site at Center Parcs, and this too may have been lost. In the King’s Forest, the habitat is in transition, with decent numbers breeding only at the archery site, so the overall picture is gloomy.

Small Heath is in a less critical situation than the Wall, but is losing ground on farmland amongst fertilized grass. It has been recorded from 234 tetrads in the past 5 years (24% of 994 recorded tetrads), but numerical counts are falling at the few transect sites which still support it.

White-letter Hairstreak was one of the species that was hard to find in 2009, partly because of July’s wet weather. In the period 2005 to date, it has been found in almost 8% of the county’s 1088 tetrads, but it was seen in only 2.5% of the tetrads surveyed in 2009.

Residents - Winners & Losers. Some of our resident species had an encouragingly good season. In particular, the Small Tortoiseshell made quite a come-back, being the season’s first sighting for many recorders, along with Peacocks, Commas and Brimstones, mainly during a bright spell in mid March. Partly this was due to an immigration of healthy Small Tortoiseshells over wintering successfully after their arrival in late August 2008, probably enhanced by reduced parasitism from the Tachinid fly Sturmia bella, which suffered losses during the colder winter. The good showing of Vanessids and Whites in gardens, along with immigrants, left an impression of abundance that was not valid for all species. The Common Blue & Brown Argus, both recovered after poor seasons in 2007/8. Small Copper numbers were average, whilst Holly Blue appeared to have begun one of its periodic downturns, with a poor showing in the second generation. Small and Essex Skippers maintained their distribution but were not particularly abundant, whereas the Large Skipper had a better than average year. The commoner Browns all had a good year, particularly the Speckled Wood. The less mild winters have checked the surge of the Red Admiral somewhat, but it was present everywhere, and was still flying into December, albeit in small numbers.

White Admiral continues to do well in Suffolk woodlands. This year, it was noted in 26 tetrads (4%) compared with 13 (1%) in the whole of the 1983-85 survey. The situation here is more favourable than in the UK as a whole.

Grayling is in general decline across Suffolk, but enjoyed a good season at several coastal sites, particularly at North Warren. Its present distribution is restricted to well-drained sandy soils of low fertility, where sparse grassland is found, mainly in the Brecks and the Sandlings.

The UK BAP species list includes 2 further species for enhanced monitoring. In both cases, the larval host plant is grass: Wall is in decline in the UK and in Suffolk.

Lost from inland locations, its distribution is now restricted to well-drained sandy soils of low fertility, particularly down the east coast, with a lesser stronghold in the NW corner of the county. In 2009, it was found in 5.6% of the surveyed tetrads, against 12% over the past 5 years.

Purple Emperor. The introduced Purple

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The Suffolk Argus Suffolk gardens in July, and selected coastal locations had Clouded Yellows in clusters in September. Both species continued to fly right through October and into a mild November. By the end of the season, Painted Lady had been recorded from 69% of tetrads visited.

Emperors were still flying, not only in Theberton Woods, but also putting in an appearance at Minsmere. A male was photographed from the RSPB’s canopy hide on the 19th July and was much observed until the 23rd July. Perhaps this heralds a spread to the wider area of sallow lined ditches between the two sites. One possible female sighting at Minsmere was not confirmed by photography. A separate Purple Emperor sheltering from the rain in Bury St Edmunds is more difficult to explain.

Vagrants & Unusual Sightings. July brought three separate sightings of Marbled White. One singleton was seen near the Cambs border at Kirtling, another in the Fynn Valley, and the third in the King’s Forest; all were flying in suitable looking grassland habitat and identified by reputable observers. Marbled White has been making progress in Cambridgeshire recently, and it is likely that climate change is extending its range. At least 3 Silverwashed Fritillary were unexpectedly seen in a private wood near Stowmarket in July. An optimistic explanation might be to hope that they arrived with the Silver-washed expansion in 2006, and have been breeding ever since. No such interpretation can be put on the two Tiger Swallowtails from North America (Papilio rutulus) that turned up in Long Melford and Sudbury in September.

These were in local gardens, and must have been releases. An unexpected female Longtailed Blue probably arrived as a stowaway in imported peas.

Migrants. 2009 was an interesting year for migrants and other unusual observations. A few isolated Painted Lady sightings in mid May were overtaken on 23/24/25 May by a major immigration, first evident along Suffolk’s east coast, but occurring simultaneously along the entire south coast of England too. Classic streams of migrants flying determinedly northwest at shoulder height were counted at over 100 per hour in many hotspots, particularly along our river valleys. The butterflies were worn and faded, and climbed up over trees or houses, before descending again, and continuing without pausing for nectar. The event was monitored and recorded in real time, on-line

by Butterfly Conservation’s Migration Watch. During that influx, there were very few mentions of other butterfly species, but Hummingbird Hawkmoths arrived too, and later in the season small numbers of Clouded Yellows. In the days following the main Painted Lady influx, it appeared that most had flown beyond Suffolk, but some paused for nectar and egg-laying on thistle.

The Clouded Yellows mostly paused to lay eggs on coastal clover patches. The resultant generations put Painted Lady in most

Early & Late Records. Following a cooler, more “normal” winter, spring 2009 did not bring any earliest-ever records. Thereafter the season was of a stop-go nature, with alternating drought and heavy rain, followed by a mild autumn and a particularly gentle November – but still without any latest-ever records.

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Summer 2010 Geographic Coverage. As the final year of the five-year period, 2009 brought a challenge to extend cover from 80% by filling the unvisited “black holes”, and many recorders rose to the challenge. A record total of 645 tetrads were visited, bringing overall cover up to 91% of the county during the 5-year period. This honourable achievement looks perfect when measured at the 10km square scale required for the national records. The area covered most thinly is the agricultural land in High Suffolk, where both the human population and the butterfly density are inherently low.

Improving cover in this area sets a challenge for the future, as there must be some pockets of decent habitat that remain undiscovered.

including Grayling and Small Heath.

Special thanks are due to all our transect walkers for their commitment to regular monitoring at: North Warren (Rob Macklin), Fynn Valley (Richard Stewart), Minsmere (Robin Harvey), Bradfield Woods (Steve Hunt), Center Parcs (Graham Hersey-Green), Cavenham Heath (Michael Taylor), Walberswick (Will Russell), Spring Lane (Rob Parker), Combs Wood (Liz Cutting), Ramsey/Hintlesham and Wolves Wood (Mark Nowers), Newsons Farm (Frances Bee), Upper Abbey Farm (Trudy Seagon), Alton Water (Simon Waters), Manor Farm (Brenda Hudson) and Tythe Farm (Peter Vincent). Single-species transects for Purple Hairstreak (Steve Hunt) and Silver-studded Blue (Terry Peake) also produced useful results. In almost every case, additional volunteers (not named individually) assisted the lead walker.

Species Maps. Distribution Maps for individual species have been prepared for our 31 regulars, and these are available for reference as required. This year’s total species count stands at 34, including the introduced Purple Emperor, but excluding the Long-tailed Blue and the Tiger Swallowtails. The average number of species recorded per tetrad was 10.3, the highest annual figure since the start of the Millennium survey.

Transects. Any analysis derived from distribution maps and counts of presence/absence responds rather slowly to changes in a species’ health. The “index” derived from transect walks, on the other hand, gives a valid evaluation of a species’ abundance in the current year, providing a more sensitive indicator of change, albeit at specific sites. The 16 full transects walked this year did reflect falling numbers of Common Blue and Brown Argus, with a longer-term decline of several other species

Essex Skipper

by Beryl Johnson

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The Suffolk Argus

The Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey 2009 in Suffolk Peter Dare (WCBS Suffolk Co-ordinator) gives an overview of the results of the Survey. membership. Several members also made preliminary spring counts in their squares.

Surveyors encountered a wide range of habitats – conifer forest edges, heath, scrub, arable field margins and urban fringes - as well as physical and agricultural obstacles in their ‘yomps’ across country. It also proved difficult at times to synchronise counts with the particular weather and time-of-day conditions required by BC methodology. BC will doubtless allow for the variable quality of the counting conditions when calculating indices of abundance in various areas and nationally.

For present purposes, the Suffolk results have been compiled from the ‘raw’ counts data received from BC.

The Butterfly Conservation official report on the findings from this ambitious first national survey of butterfly abundance in the ‘wider countryside’ of the British Isles should now have been received by all participants. The survey was based on 1 km rural and semi-rural squares produced at random by computer. Within each square butterflies were to be counted, by a standardised method, along two routes chosen by the surveyor so as to criss-cross the square.

These routes, together amounting to about 2 km, were to be walked on single days in July and August.

Detailed instructions and recording forms were provided to each counter as well as a large-scale OS map of the individual square on which the survey routes could be marked. Results were returned direct to BC online or by post; some also were copied to our county co-ordinator.

Observations Surveyors counted a total of 4,900 butterflies of 25 species on their July and August walks across all the 27 squares. Results are shown for each square in Tables 2 and 3. For those 23 squares with counts in both months, a total of 4,669 butterflies was recorded; at an average of 203 butterflies and 13-14 species per square. In general, numbers were higher in July than in August, perhaps owing to the drought affecting vegetation and nectar sources in August. As expected, butterfly populations varied markedly between squares according to habitat richness.

Lucky counters in the most productive squares counted more than 500 butterflies and up to 21 species whereas some who had ‘drawn short straws’ struggled to find even 50 butterflies and 7 species. The square (TL7781) with 21 species, in fact, had the

BC hoped that each county would be able to survey at least 20 of their selected 1 km squares. In Suffolk we attempted to cover nearly 30 squares. In the event, 23 squares were surveyed fully in both months and four others covered (for various reasons) only in one month, one of the highest efforts in the country. The squares were well scattered across the county (see map); their locations and surveyors are listed in Table 1 together with six other allocated squares that were not surveyed. This achievement reflects the enthusiasm of 17 Suffolk Branch members, one of whom fully surveyed three squares, together with seven volunteers from the British Trust for Ornithology

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Summer 2010 highest diversity nationally!

Plans for 2010 Recently, BC has announced that it proposes to repeat this survey using the same squares that were covered last year and, if possible, using the same surveyors.

This standardised methodology will enable good comparisons to be made of butterfly abundance variations between these two years. So, this year’s survey will be of special importance in deciding how our breeding butterflies are faring across the agricultural landscapes of Suffolk. All contributors will be contacted directly by BC this spring and I am prepared to continue as the county co-ordinator. My main task will be to try and find replacements for any members who may be unable to take part this time and who cannot find someone in their local area to stand in. There are still some allocated squares that have not yet been surveyed (Table 1) and await volunteers this year. Doubtless, 2010 will see some marked differences from last year.

It will be especially interesting to discover how the resident species have fared after this coldest winter for 30 years. Please let me know if you are able to continue with these surveys.

Five species each accounted for 10-15% of the total number recorded (Table 4) and these together comprised around two-thirds of the summer butterfly population. They were (in descending order) the Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Large & Small Whites, and combined Small/Essex Skippers.

The skipper ranking is surprising but problematical, however, as it reflected very high numbers in just three squares. At the other extreme, and excluding the arboreal Purple Hairstreak, the scarcest butterflies were the migratory Clouded Yellow and the habitat specialists Wall Brown, Holly Blue and Grayling.

In terms of spatial distribution across the county, the most widespread of the resident butterflies, each found in more than 80% of squares, were: Large White, Speckled Wood (a surprise), Small White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Peacock. The most restricted residents were Wall Brown, Grayling and Small Heath.

The generally warm and sunny summer of 2009, at least here in Suffolk, should have been much more favourable for our resident butterflies than were the very wet and dull summers of 2007 and 2008. Indeed, local experiences confirm that such was the case although, judging by our WCBS results, not all species seem to have benefited. Small Tortoiseshell numbers were still very low as were those of skippers (except in a few localities), but it was a good year for Ringlets. Among migrants, fewer Red Admirals than expected were seen; Painted Ladies were well below their earlier exceptional invasion abundance level. The offspring from that generation had bred but were only just emerging as the survey ended. Unfortunately, it proved not to be also a Clouded Yellow year in 2009.

Contributors in 2009 Suffolk Branch and BC are most grateful for the enthusiasm and efforts of the following Branch and BTO members (in no particular order): M. Crawford, Mrs A Austin, Miss S. Peck, Mrs J. Green, N. Hannay, C. Boase, M. Dean, Mrs A. Burchnall, S. Goddard, Mr & Mrs A. Johnson, N. Mahler, Mr & Mrs R. Wolfe, Mrs G. Perkins, N. Mason, Mrs K. Vaughan, T. Glazebrook, B. Buffery, W. Brown, K. Johnstone, W. Sivyer, Mrs. J. Hardingham, Mrs. A. Bannister, and W. Whybrow. Finally, my thanks also to Rob Parker for providing the map and for advice in the preparation of this report.

Peter Dare can be contacted by phone on 01502 478061 or by e-mail: peterxema@aol.com

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The Suffolk Argus

Table 1

WCBS 2009 - 1 km squares surveyed in Suffolk

GR

Location

Surveyed (27) TL6381 TL7781 TL7163 TL8482 TL8381 TL9047 TL7262 TL7866 TL7951 TL6545 TL8271 TL9354 TM0057 TM0553 TM0969 TM3549 TM3762 TM3388 TM3450 TM4069 TM1666 TM1838 TM2144 TM3582 TM5075 TM5397 TM2560

Survey Months July * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Isleham Fen, Mildenhall Wangford Warren, Thetford Newmarket east, Dalham Thetford Forest Thetford Forest Lavenham, south Newmarket, Dalham Hall Risby, south Thurston End Hazel Stub, Haverhill Culford Heath Stowmarket, west Needham Market, Ringshall Mendlesham, north Rendlesham Saxmundham Bungay Rendlesham

* * * *

Not surveyed 2009 but still available 2010 (6) TL8778 TM5195 TM2975 TM3180 TM3183 TM3150

Little Fakenham, Barnham Flixton Tong's Lane, Cratfield The Saints, Docking Hall St Margaret, Elmham, south Bromeswell, Rendlesham

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August * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Observers

M. Crawford M. Crawford M. Crawford Mrs A. Austin Mrs A. Austin Mrs J. Green Mrs J. Green N. Hannay N. Hannay C. Boase M. Dean Mrs K. Vaughan Mrs A. Burchnall S. Goddard A. & J. Johnson N. Mahler R. & S. Wolfe Mrs G. Perkins N. Mason Mrs J. Hardingham B. Buffery T. Glazebrook W. Brown K. Johnstone W. Whybrow D. Sivyer Mrs A. Bannister

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*July only

Small Skipper Essex Skipper Small/Essex Skipper Large Skipper Clouded Yellow Brimstone Large White Small White Green-veined White Purple Hairstreak Small Copper Brown Argus Common Blue Holly Blue Red Admiral Painted Lady Small Tortoiseshell Peacock Comma Speckled Wood Wall Gatekeeper Meadow Brown Small Heath Ringlet Grayling

totals species

265 21

3 7 54 2 21 40 14

126 13

19

8

30 148 13

12 23

1 5

16

14 18

1

2 4

1 6 3 7

1 1

5 9 3

14 17 3

3

7163

2

2 1

5

5

1

8271 * 3 1

165 12

2

10 54

2 1

3

1

13 52 25

1 1

7262

10 45 15 9 8 647 21

9 10 28 1 13 34 33 37 20 47

16 51 41 16

199 5

7781

50 7

45 8

4

3 3 8

1 5

3 2

1

7 14

7951

2 1

1 8 32

7866

569 18

116 74 3 101

1 3 4 6 1 17

3 17 47

2 7 47 15

105

8381

464 17

52 46 12 13

6

6 2 13 2 4 31 4

3 15 18 4

226

7

8482

155 6

2

35 39

.

15

1 1 3

2

18 30 7

9047 * 1 1

WCBS Counts: July - August 2009 (combined total)

16

18 11 6

2 16 28 9

7 3 5 6 9 12 20 11 3

13 4

6545

11 3 29 4

6381

Table 2 TL Squares

48 6

17

12 4

2 3 5

5

9354

34 99 77 68 31 120 3 269 366 32 222 8 2711 23

27 33 115

totals 23 6 572 17 5 24 172 293 95

12

WCBS Counts: July - August 2009 (combined total)

* = counted in one month only

Table 3

TM Squares

Summer 2010

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The Suffolk Argus WCBS squares 2009 (selected at random by BTO computer)

+

+ +

+ +

+

This map includes 6 squares not tackled in 2009 shown as a +

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Summer 2010

Purple Hairstreaks in an Ipswich Garden Patient observation allowed Richard Stewart to record this species hundred yards from the Borrowdale Avenue oak and has an abundance of honeydew, as revealed on the leaves of plants in our vegetable plot below some of its branches.

This sycamore also catches late evening sunlight and most of our sightings have been of a few Purple Hairstreaks spiralling around the higher sunlit branches.

Three factors have undoubtedly contributed to our garden records of Purple Hairstreaks since 2003, with observations each subsequent year, except for 2007. The first factor is a series of mature oaks stretching, with some gaps, right from the village of Westerfield into Ipswich, as far as the large specimen on the corner of Borrowdale Avenue, just a few yards from our house.

Some of these oaks are several hundred years old. A few years ago I surveyed Westerfield parish and a number of these oaks had a girth, at chest height, of 4.2 metres or more, thus qualifying for veteran tree status. The second reason is that we are still just a few hundred yards from open countryside, on the northern edge of Ipswich. The third is that nearby gardens are relatively large and mature, with plenty of trees. Close by is the Spinney, a long and important green corridor stretching from Westerfield Road right through to Tuddenham Road.

2009 was probably our best year so far, with the first on the 30th June, one flying low over our heads on 4th July, as we sat near the garden pond, another low over the lawn on 3rd August and on 6th August one actually landed in the garden, feeding on our tall buddleia.

After observing the butterfly in 2003 and 2004 I suspected the Spinney as having the host oaks, but a walk through revealed a scarcity of this species. Eventually in 2005 we at last saw Purple Hairstreaks around the top of the oak at the corner of Borrowdale Avenue. On the same sunlit evening at least six were observed flying high up in a tall sycamore, just beyond our back garden fence. This is only about a

Purple Hairstreak

by Douglas Hammersley

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The Suffolk Argus

Roosting Orange-tip often, butterflies will settle at the top of the right sort of plant, usually choosing one that is receiving the late afternoon sun. They rest head down until the sun is gone, and then crawl down the stem much lower, and settle for the night. As you said, in a comatose state until the following morning, when the sun's rays arrive. They then crawl back up the stem to bask head up, until they reach a suitable temperature for flight. Often, at that stage they will be covered in tiny droplets of dew, which take some time to disperse.

An Orange-tip roosting on Lady’s Smock bathed in early evening sunlight must be one of those memorable moments of the woodland in spring.

Mark Nowers, Warden of RSPB Wolves Wood and Stour Estuary Reserves, noted such an occasion …….

For the second spring running in Wolves Wood I have come across an adult Orangetip in the evening at rest atop a Lady's Smock. To all intents and purposes, set up to spend the night there and very easy to overlook with its green-marbled underwing. When I noticed this last year I put it down as a one off, but now I think differently. In both instances, the insects were comatose.

I well remember a pre-breakfast walk in a glorious Hungarian meadow in the summer of 1995. It was calm and clear, with butterflies at the top of every other tall grass stem. I used a whole roll of 26 exposures on a dozen different species. More recently, I have found good numbers of Silver-studded Blues settled to roost on heather and bramble at Minsmere. In fact, that is a good time to do a count - as they stay still for you!

Mark asked Rob Parker for his comments………

Butterflies have to spend the night somewhere, but spotting where they finally roost is often rather difficult, and many naturalists lack the patience to keep a long watch. Some species go to communal roosts, and are more readily noticed, but most roost individually and benefit from their camouflage.

There is often an association with particular plants, in your case, the Lady's Smock, as one of the right larval host plants, probably has the right aura/aroma, and is in a popular microhabitat. As the females will be visiting it in the morning to lay eggs, it is not a bad place for a male to wake up!

Ed. Observations such as this make natural history the fascination, the thrill and the wonder that it is. A number of observers have written about their sightings in past and present editions of the Argus, and I hope that as you read this article you too will be inspired to notice, to record and share your observations in these pages.

Did it roost head up, or head down? Quite

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Summer 2010

Butterflies and Water Richard Stewart was moving out of the line of the water then returning into it, with wings open, obviously enjoying the experience on what was a very hot day. In 2009 during the Painted Lady influx I watched one in our garden on 12th August. Light rain lasted most of the morning but it sat out in the open with wings closed, on a buddleia floret. This was from 9.45am to 1.35pm, with the wings opening as it got brighter, even though the rain hadn’t completely stopped. Are these insects, which though seemingly fragile manage to reach our country from as far away as North Africa, and even occasionally America, more resilient to water than we imagine? Perhaps others have observations which can add to the evidence.

On many occasions in Latin America Marie and I have been made aware of impending rainstorms by the sudden disappearance of butterflies, usually to hang under a broad leaf. On my Fynn Valley transect I was once watching a ‘white’ and trying to establish which one it was when it suddenly disappeared from view. Turning round I realised why, seeing an ominous black cloud approaching.

However, butterflies have conversely reacted very differently to water on some occasions. Paul Johnson related an incident to me – which I hope I am relating accurately – of a Comma under a water sprinkler in a small park along the South Embankment in London. He thought it was trapped, but closer observation revealed it

Decisions Sometimes there are unexpected circumstances, Quick decisions that have to be made.

The patient spider’s masterpiece spans The aerial flight into flowering bramble And as you turn the corner There it is, caught in the carefully spun trap, One of our rarest fritillaries.

It struggles furiously, wings beating, As the hungry spider moves purposefully Towards its ensnared prey. So do you React to the law of nature and let it be Or favour the law of Man the conservationist And break the web, release the butterfly?

What would you do?

Richard Stewart

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The Suffolk Argus

Butterfly Conservation’s International Symposium ‘The 2010 Target and Beyond for Lepidoptera’ was the theme for the 6th International Symposium held at Reading University, during the 26th-28th March 2010.

Welcomed by an inspiring speech from Sir David Attenborough, 250 delegates from Britain, continental Europe, America, Africa and Japan attended lectures on subjects that ranged across topics such as ‘British Butterfly Distribution and the 2010 Target’, ‘How are Butterflies Doing in Europe?’, ‘Countryside Moth Conservation’ and ‘Butterfly Response to Climate Change’.

“suitable sites”, and the difference is often not readily apparent to the human eye.

Adonis Blue often prefers to lay in short sward in preference to “perfect looking” adjacent patches loaded with nectar and larval host plants.

Sites with general diversity and high species counts also have high numbers (butterflies/acre).

Rob Parker shares some of his gleanings from the Symposium

Abandonment leads to scrub encroachment and progressive loss of diversity. This can be measured at suitable sites (an Estonian island was assessed) and floral & faunal degradation was quite rapid. Declines in butterfly populations were noticeable before floral decline was detected. Abandonment is occurring across Eastern Europe as smalltime farmers give up and move to towns. In some ways, planting of trees in former grassland in UK as “conservation areas” can amount to abandonment of grassland habitat.

Larval Habitat Needs Various speakers drew attention to very precise needs for successful completion of the larval stage. Egg-laying criteria were very precise, and larval survival depended on a variety of factors. Optimal habitat was needed particularly at the margins of range.

Some factors: niche microclimate, aspect, shelter, soil type, drainage, sun or shade, sward height, temperature (optima differ for species), quantity of larval host plant(s), quality of larval host plant’s growth & situation (sprawling over rocks, climbing up other vegetation), predation by host-specific parasites, casual grazing, management.

The decline of nectar sources is a general phenomenon driven by eutrophication and has a direct impact on bee and butterfly abundance. Actually, the rate of nitrogen deposition has been reduced over the past decade, but the effects are presumably cumulative.

Site Quality Site size was considered less important than site diversity. Sites with optimum habitat often have the carrying capacity to support populations a hundred times as great as

Extinction Debt Progressive degradation has inertia, and

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Summer 2010 season. Mowing appeared to improve butterfly diversity.

loss of diversity is not easily checked – thus extinctions may become inevitable and conservation effort will be doomed to failure if left too late. The converse is that there is a time lag before conservation effort leads to results. The invertebrate fauna of a site is more closely related to the historic flora than to the present situation.

An interesting study by Robin Blake, at Reading University’s Centre for AgriEnvironmental Research, used an application of a selective graminicide on existing grass buffer strips. The graminicide (fluazipop-P-butyl) kills competitive grasses, but leaves finer grasses like fescues unharmed and creates a germination niche for wildflowers. Trials with and without scarification, with and without wildflower sowing are showing great promise as a means of enhancing the biodiversity of the 29,000 ha of existing grass buffer strips in UK. Buffer strips have been a popular option in UK because they are cheap, but the lack of nectar limits their biodiversity value.

Field Margins At least 4 speakers covered the topic of agrienvironmental schemes and assessing the benefits to insects. A long running scheme in the lowlands of Switzerland is proving very effective, and seems (to me) much better than ours. Its key features are that farmers are encouraged to plant strips sown with a locally standardised mix of 24 wildflowers with zero grass. (OK, it must be more expensive than ours too!). Often these strips are left without further management until the rules demand that they are ploughed after 7 years. These strips supported 25 of the 38 species found locally (plus the Mallow Skipper, not normally considered local, appeared because mallow was one of the plant species). Old meadows nearby were treated as controls, and the species found there were somewhat different, due to LHP availability, presumably.

It was observed that sowing yellow rattle would also be an enduring way of suppressing competitive grasses, perhaps after an initial graminicide treatment.

Mowing the Meadow Browns away In Belgium farmers are required to leave a shelter zone of 5% of each hay field when mowing the crop. A study of the impact on butterflies of the sudden reduction in nectar availability involved filming knapweed plants before and after mowing, and tracking the movements of associated Meadow Browns. I was interested to discover that females used the shelter zone for nectar sources, but also make excursions well into the mown area to lay eggs there.

Finnish studies found that nectar & pollen mixes outperformed standard mixes, as did a grass mix composed of less competitive varieties. Strips alongside wooded margins invariably outperformed open field strips, particularly for moths, although generally, butterflies colonised before moths. Mid-field strips attracted many butterflies when in flower, whereas field margin strips retained their butterfly populations throughout the

Purple Emperor Preferences Matthew Oates’ detailed study of egglaying preference in the Purple Emperor

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The Suffolk Argus soft mid green leaves (70%). Eggs were never laid in full sun, and 75-90% were placed in summer shade. The mid green dull, soft leaf is a product of a shady situation, and the implication for woodland management is that opening rides and leaving sallow in the sun is exactly the wrong thing to do. This does not prevent the drainage channels around Theberton Woods from being used; it simply means that eggs will be laid low, on the shadier north side of the sallows.

may be of assistance in woodland management, as well as in searching for ova & larvae. He found that Salix caprea (Goat Willow), the most common form of sallow is strongly preferred over other varieties and hybrids of sallow, but that there were additional features to be considered. Leaf colour is variable (yellow-green, mid green, dark green and blue-green), as is leaf texture (soft & dull or hard & glossy). Egg-laying females made a positive selection (80%) for Salix caprea, and strongly favoured relatively

Rampart's Field Photography Session Thursday 29th April 2010 Rob Parker Thirteen of us turned out - 7 BC members plus 6 Blackbourne U3A photographers wanting to learn a little about insect photography. Unfortunately the sun was veiled by high cloud, so the number of butterflies prevented us from getting properly to grips with all the Spring species.

Nonetheless, we split into small mixed groups and separated for patient hunting, and this approach worked quite nicely. One of the visitors described his experience as a masterclass.

Our most notable target was a very patient female Emperor moth, but the butterflies were so scarce that we were reduced to

photographing moths, St Marks flies, beeflies and bumblebees in the morning.

The four who persevered for the afternoon had a better time down by the riverside, and some nice images of male and female Orange-tips were sent back by email that evening. Another guest sent an image of a bee-fly in flight, not a shot any of us would have been certain of getting in focus!

All in all, it seems a good idea to arrange occasional meetings like this, designed to draw in some specialist interest from nonmembers (otherwise known as potential members).

If you want to know what is going on in the world of Suffolk’s moths www.suffolkmothgroup.org.uk has a wealth of information ……… events, newsletters and identification guides……… it’s all there.

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Summer 2010

Newson’s Farm, Thorpe Morieux Wednesday 24th May 2010 Peter Maddison nectaring on Marsh Marigold.

Frances and George Bee welcomed us with cups of steaming coffee and gave us a potted history of the 12 acres of meadows and woodlands that we had come to visit.

With an eye on the weather and hoping for some real sunshine and warmth we began the tour, temperatures barely reaching 13°C.

After lunch the group walked the kilometre or so to Bull’s Wood. A recently arrived, migrant Turtle Dove called from a nearby hedgerow, but just inside the wood our attention was caught by Oxlip and Wood Anemones. In the more sheltered central rides Peacock, Brimstone, Green-veined White, Comma and Orange-tip were counted. A small stand of Early Purple Orchid, Lady’s Smock and Goldilocks Buttercup were found.

A small meadow bounded by thick blackthorn hedges produced a couple of Peacock butterflies, a Green-veined White and perhaps a female Orange-tip that was gone in an instant. Here Tony Prichard noted the potential for the Sloe Carpet moth.

In the main meadow, where an experiment with grassland management is being carried out to maximise flora, two more Peacock butterflies were counted, but on the boundaries of the field our attention was taken by the piles of wood, the carefully positioned corrugated metal and the felt squares which yielded Common Lizards, a Grass Snake and Slow-worms. An early Large Red Damselfly flew by a pond.

We returned to our parked cars at the farm and, after grateful thanks to our hosts, departed.

Moving on through the older planted woodland where bramble and dog rose had been allowed to grow Comma and Greenveined White were observed. Hedgerow elm was noted with the thought of Whiteletter Hairstreak appearing later in the year.

Grassy rides where wildflowers are encouraged are being created in the recently planted woodland areas. Returning by the farmhouse pond we watched a Brimstone

Brimstone

by Douglas Hammersley

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The Suffolk Argus

2006 – A Year of Grand Surprises Paul Johnson recalls a special year bed, and trying to extract reluctant amphibians from the silted ponds. I remember that the dad of one of my friends was forever encouraging us to catch newts by dangling earthworms into the ponds using improvised fishing rods. We must have spent hours trying this and never had a bite. In hindsight, I guess that particular joke was firmly on us!

Butterfly season 2006 brings back good memories; of a Silver-washed Fritillary in the Rheidol valley which had established a territory not only encompassing the breadth of this spectacular Welsh upland river, but also a waterfall into which it would appear to repeatedly plunge, only to emerge unscathed each time from all the foam and the spray; of glimpsing a Helice form of the Clouded Yellow in my local country park; and of getting off the train on an August evening and, instead of marching to the station exit and grumbling my way up the homebound hill, pausing to count the Painted Ladies & Red Admirals on the buddleia by the platform. However, three other experiences are more vivid still in my memory – partly because of the species involved, but also because they largely by chance, by choosing to look in one place instead of another, by calling heads rather than tails if you will.

The Rec’s butterflies caught my eye too; the small dun-coloured insects which teemed on the open grassland, the bright blues, and the curious chestnut-brown species which always flew high and never seemed to settle. Through a combination of a twelve year old’s naivety and very rudimentary field skills these were ‘identified’ respectively as: Lulworth Skipper, Adonis Blue & Brown Hairstreak, all apparently thriving outside of their recognised geographical ranges. Indeed, Landseer Rec appeared to be Suffolk’s answer to Barnwell Wold, yet its significance was known only to me and a few close adolescent associates.

Saturday 15th July We had travelled back to Ipswich for the weekend and after lunch discussed plans.

The forests of Tangham and Tunstall were mooted and then, as I looked out of the window and through the gap between the houses across the road, my eyes alighted upon the shimmering tops of some elm trees in Landseer Rec…

Nowadays, the stream bed is grassed over and the only reminders of the ponds are a few areas which never quite dry out in summer and into which your foot may sink with an unexpected squelch. As for scrambling, well, that doesn’t quite have the appeal it used to. However, there are still butterflies and on reaching the wooded part of the Rec this July afternoon, we’d recorded quite a credible list.

When I was younger, a few friends and I used to devote a good deal of attention to the Rec – scrambling up and down its precipitous sandy banks, searching for fossils amongst the stones of the old stream

We came now to a long, deep bramble bank

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Summer 2010 on and immediately came across a Dark Green Fritillary – an immaculate butterfly offset against the deep purple bloom of the orchid upon which it was nectaring. I then looked up to see another set of fast-moving golden wings, much more vivid in colour than the skipper’s, and Clouded Yellow x1 was hastily scribbled into my notebook.

Excited now, I continued to an area where some pioneering trees had established themselves on the scree. From the top of one of these, a large, powerful insect descended, swooping before me to reveal two white bands set boldly against a much darker ground colour – the markings of a female Purple Emperor.

illuminated fully by the afternoon sun, and started to note the various browns, whites, blues and Nymphalidae. Then amidst this throng, something quite different; a small butterfly engrossed in a slow rotation about a bramble blossom which gradually revealed its almost triangular profile and fine white stencil-line markings. No more than fifty yards from where I’d grown up, one of the most satisfying of all butterfly sightings – a White-letter Hairstreak.

Landseer Rec does, after all, have its own rarity!

Monday 17th July It was just six days before the branch field trip to the Surrey Downs and I could postpone rehearsing the walk no longer.

Locking up the car at Betchworth station, I felt slightly apprehensive on three counts; the unfamiliarity of the trail ahead, a predicted mid-afternoon temperature of 34o C, and the infrequency of return trains from the finish in Dorking. It was therefore a relief to reach the mid-point of the walk, the disused lime pit at Bletchingly. I paused by the entrance, unsure whether to enter or push on directly to Dorking. Promising to limit myself to a brief look at the Marbled Whites which are abundant here, I clambered over the stile and was quickly drawn into the old working’s labyrinthine network of narrow chalk paths, hollows, hummocks and ridges.

I sat down on a chalk ridge, inhaled deeply and reflected almost disbelievingly on the ten minutes just passed; four new species for the year (all of them good ones too), a first ever female Purple Emperor and, by some margin, my earliest record of a Silverspotted Skipper. I also reflected that I was now unlikely to see any further species in 2006 despite it being only mid-July. This assumption was to prove spectacularly wrong some four weeks later.

Wednesday 16th August The forecast was set fair and I wondered, just wondered if I might be able to sneak a day off at short notice. I think it was just before nine when I phoned the office.

Louise answered. Said that she really wasn’t sure, that there was a lot of work to do. Said that it seemed rather irregular, that she would have to ask Tim. Shortly afterwards, Tim called, permission was granted and without waiting for the phone to ring again, we hastily packed up and pointed the car towards West Sussex.

By the centre of the site, an orange blur zigzagging low over the sward suddenly came into view. The blur halted abruptly at a marjoram flower, revealing itself – as the wings were momentarily snapped shut during refueling – to be a Silver-spotted Skipper. Surprised by this sighting, I moved

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The Suffolk Argus We spent the morning at Holly Gate Cactus Nursery (a favourite place of my daughter’s) and, having had our metaphoric fill of succulents, contemplated the afternoon.

A downland walk at Storrington was considered, but we decided instead upon a new venue, the RSPB’s Pulborough Brooks reserve.

Arriving at Pulborough, I wandered over to some buddleias by the visitor centre. And there it was. Right in front of me. Bold as you like. A butterfly I’d never seen before, yet which I recognised instantly without any need to pull a field guide from my bag.

A butterfly previously of idle day dreams rather than any realistic expectation. A Camberwell Beauty!

I was taken first by the sheer size of the Camberwell Beauty for it appeared to virtually dwarf the Red Admirals and Painted Ladies with which it shared the buddleia. My next impression was of the boldness yet simplicity of its markings – something a young child might conceive if asked to draw ‘a butterfly’. Then I foolishly ventured too close and it took flight before settling, to my great relief, on a whiteblossomed buddleia just inside the reserve.

Diane and Stephanie had joined me now, and we hastened to the visitor centre.

Whilst paying the admission fee, I mentioned the Camberwell Beauty to the lady serving us, fully expecting her to say, “Oh yes, it’s been here for a few days now, caused a lot of excitement at first.”

However, it hadn’t been here for a few days at all and shortly an excited group had gathered by the buddleia – a man to my right was firing off photos at will, whilst the

24

warden was recording the Camberwell Beauty on a curious digital camera which appeared to only save images onto floppy discs periodically provided to him by assorted RSPB assistants. An elderly gentleman simply mouthed words in silent exultation, whilst two young children looked on with expressions of increasing bemusement, their attention waning by the second.

I wondered if they would remember what they’d witnessed (the Camberwell Beauty, not the elderly gentleman that is!) or one day perhaps appreciate its significance.

With the growing crowd, some of the initial magic had been lost and we embarked on a walk around the reserve. From the northern perimeter, the town of Pulborough was visible and I reflected that had the Camberwell Beauty reached the point of exhaustion just one mile earlier, it would probably now be settled on a garden buddleia – hidden from wider view.

Beyond this observation, I didn’t pay much attention to our walk and was relieved to be back at the buddleia where the aforementioned photographer was still present, casually remarking that he’d now taken about three hundred shots. The Camberwell Beauty was harder to locate at first, its dominant cream border – so distinctive against the dark flowers of the first buddleia – now blending with the white blossoms of this plant. Then it flew once more, the merest flick of the tips of the forewings seemingly sufficient to propel it effortlessly forward, before alighting on the white reserve sign. Here, the moleskinsheen of its deep burgundy uppers was illuminated fully in the early evening sunlight.

Summer 2010

Martlesham Heath Phil Smith, chairman of Martlesham Conservation Group, notes some of this year’s developments on the heath.

Nightjar to the heath. The Nightjar is a nocturnal bird that feeds in flight often eating moths and is a particular heathland specialist so it great to have it back on our heath after a gap of many years. It is very difficult to see being nocturnal in habit but can be heard more easily at dusk when it emits a strange mechanical song often referred to as "churring". It nests on the ground relying on its great camouflage plumage to keep hidden. Local dogwalkers can help enormously to promote the presence of Nightjars and other ground nesting birds by keeping their dogs on a lead during the breeding season from March to August. Something we hope to build into our management plans going forward.

The colder weather with everything seeming later this year has meant that many of our spring butterflies such as the Common Blue and Green Hairstreak have been less evident as a result. However in the first half of June these butterflies have been present on the Martlesham Heath SSSI along with others such as the Small Heath and Brown Argus, albeit in small numbers.

The Silver-studded Blue, that specialist heathland butterfly, might be expected to emerge towards the middle of June but no adults have been seen as of the 12th June.

We will aim to conduct one of our regular monitoring sessions on the heath at our next work party. This beautiful little butterfly requires pioneer heathland where bell heather is dominant. This prime habitat is short-lived without continual management.

The management of our heath is currently carried out by a small band of dedicated volunteers from Martlesham Conservation Group. We are aiming to expand on this effort by applying for funding from Natural England through Martlesham Heath Householders Ltd and formulating a ten year plan.

Three recent fires on the heath have caused concern as they have swept through vegetation quickly, destroying indiscriminately whatever wildlife was caught in the path. It is hoped we have seen the last of them for some time to come.

At our next work party on Sunday 11th July we will be counting the Silver-studded Blue butterflies present on the heath SSSI. Please join us to help with the count. No particular skill or previous knowledge is required, all training will be provided on the day. We will meet outside the Douglas Bader pub at 10am before moving on to the heath.

As temperatures increase many more butterfly species should appear from the diminutive almost moth-like skippers to the larger grassland species such as the Meadow Brown, Ringlet and hopefully Grayling, another butterfly that is seriously declining.

Phil Smith may be contacted on 01473 625630 or at phil.j.smith@btinternet.com

The exciting news has been the return of the

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The Suffolk Argus

New Butterfly Gardening Book Jan Miller-Klein of the North Wales Branch of Butterfly Conservation has been a friend of Suffolk Branch for many years, and a professional horticulturalist with a long-standing interest in butterflies. She has just written a book which will appeal to members thinking about improving their own gardens. Gardening for Butterflies, Bees and other beneficial insects goes deeper than many earlier publications on butterfly gardening.

It is ‘A practical dip-into, easy to use guide, with all the latest knowledge about our disappearing insects. Hundreds of full colour photos of which plants to use, how to identify butterflies, bees and ladybirds and many years of different experts’ experience. With plans to copy from patio pots to garden borders and green roofs.’

It may be just what someone wants to give you for your birthday!

Published in June £19.95 + £1.50 p&p Send your cheque payable to “Butterfly Reserve” to Jan Miller-Klein, Saith Ffynnon Wildlife Plants, Whitford, Holywell, Flintshire CH8 9EQ Or order online at www.7wells.co.uk

Remaining events of 2010 Sunday 18th July Downe Bank and Fackenden Down, Kent for Silver-washed Fritillary, White-letter Hairstreak, Dark Green Fritillary and Chalkhill Blue.

Sunday 25th July Priors Oak, Leiston Road, Aldeburgh. 10 acres of wildlife garden including buddleia and honeysuckle collections open to the public.

Wednesday 28th July Moth night at Orwell Country Park, Ipswich.

Contact Ipswich Borough Wildlife Rangers 01473 433994 Sunday 1st August Scotland Place Farm, Stoke by Nayland. An open day on the farm for families. Meadow and hedgerow butterflies, other wildlife and farmyard animals.

Saturday 7th August

Dunwich Forest for butterflies and bugs.

Saturday 14th August Lodge Farm, Westhorpe, Stowmarket.

Butterflies of this FWAG Silver Lapwing conservation award farm.

Saturday 21st August New Delights Walk, Westleton and Westleton Common.

Saturday 18th September

AGM and Members’ Evening, Bucklesham, near Ipswich.

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Summer 2010

What’s in a Name? The Painted Lady James Mann responds to Richard Stewart’s search for a name for a mass of butterflies Although some names may now sound a bit obscure they would have had meaning when first used. If it is all right for birds, why not butterflies?

Each time we have a Painted Lady year the search for a collective noun for a large influx of butterflies increases.

I have come up with several names; my suggestion of plague received the censure of Richard. Perhaps he will agree to this name for another species had he have shared my experience of seeing dozens of chains of Pine Processionary moth caterpillars, some chains up to 10 metres long, wending their way through the forest during one of my randonnées last year. Richard was not so scathing with the invasion but it did not seem right. Horde and swarm have been proposed and in my recent article I used the word drove, but none seem perfect.

One sunny April morning as Anne and I watched the hundreds of Painted Ladies nectaring on our lime tree she said that they would make a wonderful picture, as the ladies are painted they could be a canvas.

We propose that ‘A canvas of Painted Ladies’ be adopted as the collective noun to describe a large number of this species.

Unless a more appropriate name can be offered could the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation propose that this be adopted on a national basis.

Giving the matter more thought it came to me that as far back as the 15th century the bird people gave many species a specific name such ‘Parliament of Rooks’, ‘Gaggle of Geese’ or ‘Unkindness of Ravens’.

James and Anne Mann Saint Jean Pla De Corts France

Painted Lady

by Mervyn Crawford

27

The Suffolk Argus

The Great Apollo Hunt.

Epilogue

James Mann ourselves above the Sejourné bridge. This is an impressive composite granite bridge built at the beginning of the 20th century taking the railway line over the Tet river valley. The deepest part of the gorge, over the river itself, is spanned by a segmented arch on top of which are four large semicircular arches, the lower side is approached by three smaller semi-circular arches, and on the upper there are ten matching arches under which passes the main road to Andorra. We spent some time taking photographs from this unusual angle, most are taken from the road below.

Oh no not again I hear some of you saying but it is 4 years since I used the ‘A’ word in my article ‘What I did for my birthday June 25th 2005’ TEMPUS FUGIT. My thoughts came back to this lovely butterfly when I read the write up in ‘Butterfly’ showing concern as their habitat decreased due to global warming.

My thoughts were reinforced during what I could call my birthday randonnée of 2009. At the end of our June 14th randonnée it was agreed next week meet 6 a.m. for the ‘petit Train Jeune’.

Nine of us met at 6 a.m. and set off on the one hour twenty minutes drive to the car park at Thues-Entre-Vaills, the car park for the Carança gorge, the only changes in four years was the parking fee was now two euros. We left the car park and quickly crossed the Carança torrent by means of a wooden foot bridge. We turned left and after climbing 20 or so metres crossed over the Little Yellow Train line by another footbridge. Then came a hard bit, climbing a steep zigzag path 200 metres up the steep Cliffside arriving at an S.N.C.F. (French Railways) building from which protruded a one metre diameter pipe taking water down the 200 metres cliff as motive power for the hydro-electricity power station generating electricity for the railway. We took the level but fairly winding path cut into the mountainside above the River Tet, not recommended for those who suffer from vertigo, and after about 40 minutes the path started a slow descent into the trees. We came to a thinning in the trees and found

We continued on the wandering slowly descending path through the woods finally arriving at the river and the camping site at Fontpédrouse, a wonderful place to get away from it all. Up in the village itself we met up with four of the less intrepid randonneurs who did not feel up to the full walk. We partook of our coffee and cake and intrigued them with the account of the walk so far.

As we left the village following the sign Prats-Balaguer/Saint-Thomas-Les-Bains, Gehart, our German representative, dug me in the ribs and said “James, Apollos?” and sure enough drifting over the meadow to our right were half a dozen Apollos. Out came our cameras, but these Apollos were not into the foreign photographers and kept their distance. Giving up in disgust we saw the rest of the group just starting up a steep path through the trees and after a 20

28

Summer 2010 minutes climb we arrived at Saint-ThomasLes-Bains, the site of one of our many thermal baths. The entry fee to the baths is 4-50 euros, stay as long as you like. Dress restrictions: women one piece full length costume, men black trunks, Not shorts. If you forget to bring them you can hire. The pool is open air, the water is COOLED to 37°C from the source temp of around 50°C. In the winter lots of people brave the roads and bathe in the hot water as the snow falls around them. Out of the bath, a quick dash to the changing rooms and the glass of beer tastes the best ever.

We passed round to the back of the baths and started to climb again, looking back with envy at the bathers we thought next time. Just in front of me Gehart started jumping up and down and shouting something. I grinned to myself and thought the ants are attacking the German pants, but no, he had spotted more Apollos. These ones were much more co-operative and we settled down to take some good photos. A shout came from the top of the slope where the group were taking a rest among the flowers, “James come and tell us what these butterflies are”. “I am photographing Apollos.” “Yes but come and look at these, there are masses of them.” Knowing when I was beaten I climbed up to see. I was gobsmacked, after ten years of looking there they were, several hundred pairs of mating Silver-studded Blues. I was down on my knees with my camera. Everywhere I looked there were more pairs asking to be photographed. When the others got fed up with waiting they almost had to drag me away screaming. Well at least Gehart could have encountered black ants.

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The path entered the forest leaving us only Speckled Woods for company, coming to a fork we took the right hand path which descended into the valley passing under the Pont Gisclard. This is an impressive suspension bridge 80 metres high and over 200 metres long. It is classed as an historic monument. The dates cut into the top of one of the granite piers give the date of building 1905-1907. The official opening of the Little Yellow Train line is 18th July 1910.

The date has been delayed because on a test run on the 31st October 1909 the brakes failed causing a derailment resulting in six deaths including Albert Gisclard, the designer and builder of the railway. The redesigned brakes were so good that the same system is still used today.

After following the river for some time we came to a Roman bridge taking the ancient road over the River Tet. I think in England it would be called a pack horse bridge. Here we spread out around the bridge in the dappled sunshine for our lunch. We were well provided, I had brought my birthday bottle of Banyuls, Gerhart had a bottle of German Hock and Francois his usual bottle of red, today Andre had a few takers for his Pastis. With the sunshine, the tinkling river, the birdsong and the conversation an hour and a half quickly passed away.

We pulled ourselves together and climbed up the opposite side of the river coming out of the trees at the refuge La Cassanya, the worn date cut into the door lintel stating 1711. We chatted to a grandmother who stayed in her house here during the summer months for the grandchildren’s holidays, she confirmed this was the original route up the valley but as the gîte had now closed

The Suffolk Argus altitude of 2400 metres.

hers was the only semi-occupied house.

Along the open path we soon came upon several more Apollos, most of them rather more worn than the previous sightings.

One of them was happy to climb onto my hand and in the photo appears to be checking that we were making good time.

I thought my day had become perfect. At the side of the path roosting on a shrub in the full sun was a Queen of Spain Fritillary, the first I had ever had the chance to photograph, down on one knee, camera at the ready and, a dark shape passed in front of my lens. It was one of our randonneurs.

The Queen of Spain was not happy either and had gone for ever. You would think that a retired Air Force General would know more about flying objects, but then again Yves was a radar expert and no doubt only saw moving objects on screen.

The train arrived and we all piled into one of the open wagons. We slowly rattled and twisted in and out of the many tunnels arriving at Fontpédrouse where we dropped off our four less intrepid randonneurs. On our way down we had seen several Apollos drifting over the line and were entertained by a good number on the flower meadow beside the station.

These were not the same ones we had seen in the morning for that sighting was some two kilometres away. We soon arrived back at Thues-Entre-Vaills and all agreed that we should repeat the walk next year..

As I was not driving I could relax and think about Apollos. I have now seen them at eleven different places between 900 and 1700 metres altitude. I know they are present at several different nature reserves that I have not visited. At these sites they are strictly monitored so any variations due to climate change should become apparent.

Continuing along the valley we arrived at our destination the station of La Cabanasse where we had a fifty minutes wait for the train. Above us to the left we could see the town of Mont Louis where the 17th Century fort is still used to house the mountain training unit for the French Commandos and above us to the right the ski slopes of Saint-Pierre-dels-Forcats which rise up to an

After Copenhagen I despair of World Leaders doing enough to stop, let alone reduce pollution levels.

Editorial copy date Contributions for the Summer edition of our newsletter are very welcome and should be sent to the Editor, Peter Maddison, no later than Saturday 18th September.

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

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Summer 2010

Apollo in the hand photo by James Mann

Queen of Spain Fritillary photo by Peter Maddison

Apollo

by Mervyn Crawford

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The Suffolk Argus

Summer 2010

Suffolk Branch Contacts President

Programme Secretary and Newsletter Editor

Howard Mendel c/o The Natural History Museum Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD

Peter Maddison Barnmead, Fishpond Rd Waldringfield, Woodbridge IP12 4QX

0207 938 8782 Chairman Mike Dean Coach House, Ixworth Bury St Edmunds IP31 2HL

01473 736607 prmaddison@yahoo.co.uk Conservation Officer (Butterflies) and County Recorder

Michael.Dean2@virginmedia.com

Rob Parker 66 Cornfield Road Bury St Edmunds IP33 3BN

Membership Secretary

01284 705476

01359 230292

Susan Sidle Five Gables, The Ling Wortham, Diss, Norfolk IP22 1ST

robparker@waitrose.com Conservation Officer (Moths) and Branch Secretary

ssidle@btinternet.com

Tony Prichard 3 Powling Road, Ipswich IP3 9JR

Treasurer

01473 270047

Tel 01379 643665

Graham Simister The Old Bank House Wickhambrook Newmarket CB8 8XG 01440 820471 Committee Member Stella Wolfe

tony.prichard@btinternet.com Regional Officer, Eastern England Sharon Hearle 216 The Street Kirtling Newmarket CB8 9PD 01638 731648 shearle@butterfly-conservation.org

The Suffolk Argus is published by the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation.

The opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of Butterfly Conservation or the Branch. © 2010 All rights reserved. For more information, see: www.suffolkbutterflies.org.uk Butterfly Conservation Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468) Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QP Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268)