A Butterfly Survey of The Old Cemetery, Ipswich TM1745, 24 April - 6 October 2022
The cemetery is bordered to the north by Belvedere Road and The New Cemetery though this has been succeeded by The Millennium Cemetery about 1000 metres to the north. One the west side it is bordered by back gardens of Tuddenham Road and Tuddenham Avenue, to the south by new housing development and to the east by a steep bank with the Ipswich to Felixstowe railway on the other side. In length The Old Cemetery is approximately 480 metres with a width of 420 metres. The same peripheral route around the cemetery was followed on each of the 22 visits, but not as a transect.
Nectar sources
A few species were dominant in seasonal order: late winter flowering purple Crocuses, Dandelions, Saxifrage, Red Clover, Hawkweed, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Bramble, Yarrow, autumn flowering Crocuses and Ivy. Other less abundant nectar sources again in seasonal order were Aubretia, Primrose, Primula, Cowslip, Hedge Garlic, Germander Speedwell, Spanish Bluebell, Sowthistle, Dove’s-foot Cranesbill, White Clover, Valerian (one on a grave and a larger plant by a path), Herb Robert, Hebe (growing outside the house just inside the northern gate), and Lavender. Most of the above were growing close to paths, between graves or on the railway bank.
Butterfly species recorded -brackets indicate the number of visits when recorded
Large Skipper 1 (1)
Large White 4 (3)
Small White 1 (1)
Green-veined White 7 (4)
Orange Tip 2 (2)
Holly Blue 3 (1)- only on 24 April, no records of the later brood
Red Admiral 3 (3)
Peacock 3 (2)
Comma 6 (5)
Silver-washed Fritillary 1 (1) - feedingon Bramble flowers
Speckled Wood 32 (14)
Gatekeeper 1 (1)
Meadow Brown 7(7)
Ringlet 4 (2)
This total of 75 is a very disappointing number except for Speckled Wood, using the abundance of peripheral dappled shade. The average number of identified butterflies per visit was just over 3.4 with none seen or identified on three separate visits. To give two examples, a luxuriant growth of Lavender on one grave attracted other insects but no butterflies and the same applied to a sunlit Valerian near one path, which also had a second flowering. On my final visit I counted 22 separate places where sunlit Ivy umbels offered late nectar, from small clumps in gaps along a Laurel hedge to covering an old ‘pill box’ and reaching up to the top of trees. Flies, wasps and bees were seen, but no butterflies. A close study of a short but healthy stretch of Elm produced no White-letter Hairstreak sightings and Oaks, mainly peripheral, revealed no Purple Hairstreaks despite several visits at times when they are usually most active. As a comparison, a nearby garden adjacent to the railway had 18 species in 2022.
Possible negative factors on site
The long period of drought and record high temperatures in 2022 would have had a damaging result for both nectar sources and larval food plants, though the latter was poorly represented-a few clumps of Hedge Garlic, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Stinging Nettles growing on the railway bank and Ivy. A promising large mound of excavated earth at the southern end had several thistle species, Bramble, Hemp Nettle and longer grasses but was completely removed on 22 July.
The grass-cutting programme left no ‘wild areas’ other than thin stretches around the paths on my route. On 22 June I saw the programme in action with one man using a large strimmer and the other with a ride-on mower. This prevented any longer grass flourishing, which is vital for egg-laying summer butterfly species. Although Bird’s-foot Trefoil was abundant and is the main larval food plant of the Common Blue its chrysalis is dependent on ants and although my route didn’t include the central area the grass-cutting frequency would be unlikely to leave any ant nests, and none were seen.
The adjacent railway line is an important ‘green corridor’ but maintenance work nearby, before my study, removed many trees and much vegetation near the lines and would have not assisted the movement of species.
Despite a determined campaign by local residents to preserve the rich biodiversity of Hayhill Allotments almost all of it was replaced to the south of the cemetery by new housing. Its proximity to the cemetery allowed relatively free access between the two sites and in 1997 to support the campaign I made a detailed butterfly survey which produced 19 species. These included Green and Purple Hairstreak, Essex Skipper, Brown Argus, Small Copper, Common Blue and Small Tortoiseshell, none of these species being recorded in my cemetery study though I am mindful of the 25 years between the two.
Other wildlife
The paucity of butterflies gave me plenty of opportunity to record other species. Birds seen were Magpies, Jackdaws, Jays and Carrion Crows, the last mentioned sometimes
Dappled shade for Speckled Wood butterflies.
A pill box covered in ivy; some having died in the long drought. Above is part of a short stretch of healthy elm.
congregating noisily in numbers of approximately 30. One Buzzard and Swifts were recorded overhead, and other birds included Woodpigeons, Collared Doves, a maximum of six Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Greenfinch, Robin and both Green and great Spotted Woodpecker. The last mentioned was seen or heard on six separate visits. A female Broad -bodied Chaser was identified on 22 June with both male and female Common Darters on 11 September. Grey Squirrels were abundant on early autumn visits and on 11 June fresh digging was observed on the railway bank, suggesting a Fox was present as I have previously seen them nearby. Undoubtedly the best mammal sighting was of a Muntjac on 5 May. It emerged from cover on the southern edge of the cemetery and was no more than ten metres away. I did what I normally do in such circumstances, which was to stand absolutely still and not even raise my binoculars. Without turning my way or increasing its pace it moved slowly towards the deep shade of a nearby Yew. It was probably used to humans and would also be largely untroubled by dogs since almost all the visitors I saw had their dogs on a short lead, as requested by the Old Cemetery notices.
Richard Stewart‘Valezina’
112, Westerfield Road
Ipswich IP4 2 XW