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Autumn/WinterSURREY 2020 SkipperNumber 70 Sat 7 Nov Virtual AGM page 6 Butterfly Conservation Saving butterflies, moths Surrey & SW London & our environment Surrey Skipper 2 Autumn 2020 Branch Committee Chair Simon Saville (first elected 2016) 07572 612722 Conservation Adviser Ken Willmott (1995) 01372 375773 Field Trips Mike Weller (1997) 01306 882097 Membership Ken Owen (2015) 01737 760811 Moth Officer Paul Wheeler (2006) 01276 856183 Skipper Editor Francis Kelly (2012) 07952 285661, 01483 278432 Social Media Francis Kelly (& Mick Rock) see above Transects & WCBS Coordinator Bill Downey (2015) 07917 243984, 0208 949 5498 Treasurer Peter Camber (2011) 0208 224 2957 Website Francis Kelly & Ken Owen see above Committee member Clive Huggins (2014) 0208 942 7846 ALSO National Council Chair Karen Goldie-Morrison (Branch member) County Recorders Butterflies Harry Clarke, Moths Graham Collins Branch reserve Oaken Wood Steve Wheatley Media [email protected] Website butterfly-conservation.org/surrey Twitter @BC_Surrey, @surreymoths Recording irecord.org.uk Facebook Branch page Butterfly Conservation in Surrey Groups Surrey Butterflies (Mick Rock), Surrey Moths Conservation groups Small Blues in Surrey, Wealden Wood Whites Surrey Skipper thank you to all contributors copy deadline published online Spring end Feb ....................mid-March includes new season’s field trips Autumn end Sep ....................mid-October previews AGM & Members’ Day n The full Surrey Skipper is published online only. A Small Skipper is posted to the 10% of members for whom we do not have an email address. Front-page picture Black Hairstreak, Epsom Common, Jun 5, Mick Rock. See page 11 LINK When reading on screen, click underlined link to visit webpage © Surrey Skipper is published by Surrey & SW London Branch of Butterfly Conservation, a charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and Scotland (SCO39268). Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468). VAT No: GB 991 2771 89 Registered office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset BH20 5QP Tel 01929 400209 Surrey Skipper 3 Autumn 2020 Chair Simon Saville WELCOME to the Autumn some butterflies. Work parties edition of the Surrey Skipper, have now restarted and we which is packed full of hope to have data on over 100 interesting content. transects this year. Thanks to I hope you have been able all the committed volunteers to enjoy the outdoors and see who get involved. some butterflies, despite the As a result of changes at Covid restrictions. It has been Head Office, Steve Wheatley, a strange season weather-wise our Regional Conservation too: no doubt we are seeing the Manager, now has impacts of climate change, responsibility for the Oaken a reminder of the looming crisis. Wood Reserve near February was one of the Chiddingfold. Thanks to the wettest months ever, to be followed by hard work of volunteers, this reserve is in warm, sunny weather in April and May. good condition and the Wood White is June and July brought high winds, doing doing well there. Fiona Haynes is leading much damage to the Purple Emperors that regular work parties for volunteers, now were on the wing. We scorched in the heat integrated into her Saving the Wood White in August - 36.4C at Heathrow, which saw project (page 12). off lots of butterflies, and then enjoyed an Work on the Brilliant Butterflies project Indian Summer. (page 14) near Croydon also had to be The effects of the pandemic on Butterfly suspended. A huge amount has been Conservation, and on our Branch, have achieved, despite the Covid restrictions, been far-reaching. Work parties, transect in community engagement, outreach and walks and field trips were all suspended communications, and in habitat creation during lockdown. We also had to cancel our and management. New Members’ Day, an event that is There was excitement on Epsom becoming increasingly popular. Common with the discovery of a Black We were able to run some field trips Hairstreak colony by Gareth Tilley (page 17) from July as restrictions were (page 11), who lives locally. In 2020, all five eased. It was good to see some new hairstreaks were recorded on Epsom members joining these trips and seeing n continued next page Contents click item to go directly to page Projects ............................4 Brilliant Butterflies ........14 Book Review ..................25 Steve Wheatley ................5 Purple Emperor Afoot....17 Transects ........................26 Tice’s Meadow ..................5 Field Trips ......................17 Big Butterfly Count ........27 AGM ..................................6 Conservation Group ......18 UK Transects 2019 ........28 Treasurer ..........................7 WCBS ..............................19 Weather Watch................29 Finance..............................8 Unusual Sightings..........20 Legacies ..........................29 Minutes of 2019 AGM ....10 Foulsham Collection......20 Bullseye ..........................30 Black Hairstreak ............11 Pearl-bordered Fritillary 21 Clubtail Dragonfly ..........30 Saving the Wood White 12 25th Anniversary ............22 Moths ..............................31 Website............................13 Social Media....................24 Email Appeal ..................32 Oaken Wood ..................13 iRecord ............................25 Surrey Atlas ....................32 Surrey Skipper 4 Autumn 2020 n SIMON SAVILLE from previous page At the AGM, we will be electing committee members. After nine years of Common, which is quite special: sterling service, Peter Camber is stepping only 18 other 1x1km squares in the UK down as Treasurer. I would like to take this have records of all five hairstreaks. opportunity to register our thanks to Peter We don’t know how or when the Black for being such an efficient and effective Hairstreaks reached Epsom Common, but Treasurer. I know that he is regarded as one the fact that sightings were over a large area of the best treasurers by Head Office: we (some 1km apart) suggests that this is a will miss him. If you have an interest in breeding colony. We will be back next year helping the Branch look after its finances, to check this out. please do get in touch. Our application to the National Lottery The Branch Committee has decided to Heritage Fund for the Big City Butterflies establish two new sub-committees, project was also delayed. The project was alongside the Conservation Sub-committee amended to show it could benefit those led by Bill Downey. These will cover communities most affected by Covid-19. (a) Recording and (b) London. If you would We expect to hear the outcome in like to get involved, please contact me. December and – subject to securing Sadly, my Bike For Butterflies ride from additional third party funding – the project Land’s End to John O’Groats was also a will start early in 2021. This is a flagship victim of Covid. I hope that I will be able to urban engagement project for BC, so we do this next June instead. Cycling was my have our fingers crossed. main means of exercise during lockdown Because of the Covid restrictions, our and by mid-July I had completed twice the AGM this year will be online (page 6). distance of the planned ride, so I just need We will not be able to hold a Members’ Day to stay in shape now! with guest speakers, quiz, photo We are looking for new committee competition and so on, but we hope to members, including a TREASURER. restore normal service next year. Don't forget to register if you wish to attend. If you would like to volunteer, please email [email protected] Conservation projects Brilliant Butterflies BC officer Start Duration Main funding Steve Bolton 2019-09 2 years to 2021 PPL Dream Fund £1,000,000 London Wildlife Trust, in partnership with BC & NH Museum: South Croydon & Bromley Saving the Wood White in the South East Fiona Haynes 2019-10 3 years to 2022 NLHF £93,000 Chiddingfold, Dunsfold, Plaistow, Ifold Big City Butterflies May Webber to 2020-02 2019-02 1 year development phase NLHF London 2021 4 years to 2024 Application decision: December NLHF National Lottery Heritage Fund; PPL People's Postcode Lottery Oaken Wood Steve Wheatley & Fiona Haynes North Downs Conservation Group Bill Downey Small Blue Stepping Stones Fiona Haynes: completed 2017-19 Surrey Skipper 5 Autumn 2020 Steve Wheatley BC Conservation Manager — South East WE are now halfway through Trust have championed Surrey’s the delivery of Butterfly Heart Moth to their 5.6 million Conservation’s 10-year Regional members. Action Plan for South East Closer to home, progress has England (2016 to 2025). also been made with the London Delivering action is of course Boroughs to help White-letter the most important element of a Hairstreak; the National Trust plan, and I am pleased to report continues to help us conserve that in the last five years we the Straw Belle, Small Blue, and have delivered lots of positive Adonis Blue, while the RSPB, work to conserve the species we Wildlife Trust and NT are highlighted as most in need. working with us on Grayling Key to the success has been the and Silver-studded Blue. outstanding efforts of the committee and Many other organisations are also now other volunteers in Surrey & SW London. helping to save butterflies and moths. We are a relatively small organisation, but There are too many to thank here but it is our army of volunteers, surveyors, reassuring that there is so much interest recorders and advisors make a vast and love of butterflies. difference to what we continue to achieve. Over this last five years the Surrey & SW Not only is the Branch delivering effective London Branch has excelled in working action, but it is also inspiring others to do with partners to extend conservation effort the same; the National Trust, Woodland and increase our effectiveness. I’m sure that Trust, RSPB, Wildlife Trusts, parish in five years’ time we will be able to report councils, town and borough councils are all back on even more action, positive results contributing more to saving our butterflies and great examples of positive action.