Field Meetings

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 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.

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.

Newson’s Farm, Thorpe Morieux Wednesday 24th May 2010

Peter Maddison

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.

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.

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 nectaring on Marsh Marigold.

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.

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

Brimstone by Douglas Hammersley