Autumn/WinterSURREY 2020 SkipperNumber 70

Sat 7 Nov Virtual AGM page 6

Butterfly Conservation Saving , moths & SW London & our environment Surrey 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, 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 & 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 , 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 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. and moths, not just in Surrey & SW Our friendly, enthusiastic, dedicated, London, but further afield. volunteers are key to this success and I The Brilliant Butterflies project is thank everyone who is helping us to deliver extending into Kent and we are also looking action, whether it be at a county scale or to replicate the recent Surrey Small Blue even in their own street or garden. project onto the Kent Downs AONB; Important too will be recording and our Wood White project is extending surveying, so that we continue to have the southwards as far as Ebernoe Common, best evidence to highlight and celebrate our where we are working with Sussex Wildlife positive impact. For this I thank all Surrey Trust; the Woodland Trust has promoted & SW London’s butterfly recorders and this project in their national magazine I encourage others to get involved over the (250,000 members); and the National next exciting five years.

Tice’s Meadow Tice’s Meadow, one of Surrey’s top three The butterfly species total is now 28. birding sites, is also delivering butterflies. g Surrey’s other top birding sites: London A fresh male Brown Hairstreak, recorded Centre & Beddington Farmlands. by Dina Burford on July 17 at SU87244872, www.ticesmeadow.org was a first for the reserve, which is 2km east LINK of Farnham. Surrey Skipper 6 Autumn 2020 Virtual AGM via Zoom 11.00, Saturday 7 November

All members are invited to our virtual AGM. To receive a link, please email your name to [email protected] by Thu 5 Nov. Proposals/comments also welcome. Voting: if you are unable to attend, please use the Google Forms link in the email alert to this Skipper to vote for: n Last year’s minutes n Committee elections Alternatively, votes/proposals/comments are welcome by post to: Surrey Branch Secretary, 1 Woodstock Close, Cranleigh GU6 7LD

AGENDA

1 Apologies 3 Matters arising 6 *Committee elections 2 Last year’s minutes: 4 Chairman 7 Any other business page 10 5 Treasurer: page 7 8 Q & A *Standing for re-election (en bloc) Clive Huggins, Francis Kelly, Paul Wheeler n Minutes will be posted on butterfly-conservation.org/surrey within one month.

Lockdown: Grayling contemplates 2020. FK Surrey Skipper 7 Autumn 2020

Treasurer’s Report 2019/20 Peter Camber

The statement of Branch After allowing for a VAT income and expenditure refund of £233 for last year’s (next page) provides an purchases, our total overview of Branch finances operational expenditure for for the 2019/20 year, together the year was £2,666 versus with the equivalent figures for £6,358 last year. 2018/19. The following Contributions to comments relate to the figures BC projects shown for the year ended Although we had budgeted 31 March 2020. contributions of £5,000 and Income £545 towards the Big City Total income of £8,840 Butterflies and Heart Moth included subscriptions of projects respectively, these £8,103, donations totalling £108, and £378 were not needed and have therefore been from the sale of goods. A further £250 was carried forward into next year. A budget of earned from Guildford B.C. for the £1,250 for the Surrey Small Blue project production of a survey report for their was also not needed this year, so these Tyting Farm site; our thanks go to Ken and funds will also be used to support further Gillian Elsom for their excellent work on conservation work next year. this project. This year’s total income A total of £496 in cash from the compares to a figure of £10,243 last year. Members’ Day proceeds mentioned above, Expenditure was donated directly to BC’s Winter Appeal, Total operating costs were £2,666. thereby benefiting from the “Double Your Expenses for Oaken Wood included £468 for Impact” 2x multiplier. bracken treatment and £102 for felling. Closing balance & 2020/21 budget Conservation expenses for the reserve The above income and expenditure totalled £780 versus £1,663 last year. resulted in a year-end cashbook balance of Membership support costs included £233 £12,278, some of which has been for the Skipper magazine and £527 for the earmarked for supporting conservation Annual Report. The former is less than last projects in 2020/21. Our budget anticipates year, reflecting lower printed copies and contributions of £7,000 to the Big City associated delivery costs, while the latter Butterflies project, £545 to complete the has increased as a result of using an (easier Heart Moth project, and a further £6,000 to prepare) A4 format. However, the for other projects to be agreed. combined cost of these important Conclusion publications decreased slightly to £760 Although we had budgeted considerable versus £797 last year. financial support for BC projects this year, Our Members’ Day and AGM cost £829, progress towards initiation of Big City compared with £855 last year. This was Butterflies has been slow due to funding offset by donations of £290 for lunch, and delays. We have however continued to raffle proceeds of £206, which reduced the support our enthusiastic team of net cost of this event to £333 from £390 conservation volunteers, who have made last year. The successful New Members Day, further habitat improvements this year, held at Common, cost £101 to hire both at Oaken Wood and at key sites along the meeting room. the North Downs. Surrey Skipper 8 Autumn 2020

Income & Expenditure Statement: year ended 31 March 2020 Peter Camber

2019/20 2018/19 Balance as at 1 April £5,923.48 £25,199.52 Income 2019/20 Comments Receipts from Head Office Membership Subs 8,103.00 7,338.00 Grants From 0.00 2,149.50 Donations Individual donations 12.00 505.00 Corporate donations 96.73 115.61 80 from Bill Downey presentation Sales (net of VAT) Sales of goods bought in 378.31 135.00 Books, leaflets, etc Other income Misc income 250.00 0.00 Tyting Farm survey report for Guildford B.C. Total Income £8,840.04 £10,243.11 Expenditure Payments to Head Office Insurance 28.65 42.37 Field equipment VAT refunded -233.17 -104.53 For last year's expenditure Fundraising/publicity Support for Events 20.00 0.00 Stand at Kingston Purchase of Sales Stock 0.00 0.00 No purchases Cost of goods sold 130.46 36.22 Equals decrease in stock value below Conservation Training Courses 73.20 970.60 First Aid for Oaken Wood volunteers Conservation volunteer expenses 0.00 234.00 None claimed Field Equipment 21.00 1,601.85 Oaken Wood – fuel Contracts 570.00 780.00 Oaken Wood – 468 bracken, 102 felling Aspen Other 205.57 882.84 116 Oaken Wood signage, 90 N Downs tick tools Membership Membership Postage 100.49 87.00 Stamps and envelopes Surrey Skipper 233.25 451.86 144 printing, 89 postage Annual Report 526.80 345.13 317 Printing, 210 postage (400 x A4 copies) New Members' Day 101.25 104.00 Room hire Support Stationery 0.00 14.23 Management & governance Committee travel expenses 0.00 0.00 None claimed Other Committee expenses 59.00 57.00 Room hire for meetings Members' Day/AGM 829.35 855.47 588 catering, 241 room hire Total Operating Expenditure 2,665.85 6,358.04 BC project contributions West Wood White 0.00 13,000.00 Big City Butterflies 0.00 10,000.00 Budgeted 5,000 Surrey Small Blue Stepping Stones 0.00 0.00 Budgeted 1,250 Total Expenditure £2,665.85 £29,358.04 Cashbook Adjustments 2019/20 VAT payable on sales 50.00 0.00 2019/20 decrease in stock value 130.46 36.22 Closing stock balance: 35 Closing cashbook balance £12,278.13 £6,120.81 Bank Reconciliation 2018/19 VAT paid on sales 0.00 -8.33 2018/19 prepayment – NMD room hire 158.00 104.00 Payment of last year's creditors 0.00 -135.00 Payment in advance for next year -180.00 -158.00 AGM catering deposit and committee room Invoice not yet paid -300.00 0.00 Closing bank balance £11,956.13 £5,923.48 To 31 Mar 2020 BC Appeals The following additional cash sums were donated directly to BC's Winter Appeal Members' Day lunch donations 290.00 280.00 Members' Day raffle proceeds 206.00 185.00 Donations made at AES event - 5.00 £496.00 £470.00 Benefited from 2x multiplier Financial Analysis Total income 8,840.04 10,243.11 Operating expenses 2,665.85 6,358.04 - % of Total income 30.16% 62.07% Conservation costs 869.77 4,469.29 - % of Operating expenses 32.63% 70.29% Membership costs 1,791.14 1,843.46 - % of Operating expenses 67.19% 28.99% Surrey Skipper 10 Autumn 2020

Minutes of 25th AGM Francis Kelly

Sat 2 Nov, 2019, 11.00; King George V Hall, Effingham Chair: Simon Saville Attendance: AGM 60, Members’ Day 68

1 Apologies Paul Wheeler 6 Committee Standing for re-election 2 Approval of 2018 Minutes Simon Saville, Mike Weller, Ken Willmott Proposed ...... Mike Weller Proposed ...... Nigel Jackman Seconded ...... Ken Willmott Seconded ...... Tony Hoare 3 Matters arising none 7 Q & A 4 Chair Report see Julie Williams (BC CEO): https://butterfly-conservation.org/in- Surrey is a shining example of how to your-area/surrey-and-sw-london- manage branch funds. branch/surrey-sw-london-agm- Michael Friend: will Branch have a stand members-days at Wisley in 2020? 5 Treasurer: Peter Camber FK confirmed that for the 2nd year 2018/19 opening balance ...... £25k running Wisley will not host a butterfly Income ...... £10k event. Recommended were the Natural Expenditure ...... £6K History Museum (Geoff Eaton) & Conservation contributions ...... £23k Horniman Gardens, Forest Hill (SS) Closing balance...... £6k Martin Angel described SCC’s plan to 1.2m by 2030 as a knee-jerk Full details, 2019/20 forecast & reaction that risks the introduction of three-year summary: see alien species. https://butterfly-conservation.org/in- Nigel Jackman asked about sponsorship: your-area/surrey-and-sw-london- SS confirmed this is on HO radar. branch/surrey-sw-london-agm- n Meeting closed: 11.45 members-days

Julie Williams, BC’s CEO, addresses Surrey’s 2019 Members’ Day. FK Surrey Skipper 11 Autumn 2020

Black Hairstreak at Epsom Common

Gareth Tilley relates his discovery of a Black Hairstreak colony on Epsom Common I MOVED to the Wells Estate, which is surrounded by Epsom Common, three years ago. I inherited a love of butterflies from my father and one of the few positives of the lockdown, as I have been working from home, is being able to go for daily walks on the Common. I found an area of pasture that looked good for Green Hairstreaks. From early May I saw them in good numbers and returned on a daily basis to photograph them. May 29, 8.50am: on a morning stroll I spotted a Black Hairstreak sunning itself on grass at TQ18656024. As a student 20 years ago, I had visited a site in Oxfordshire to see the butterfly with no luck. I got a good enough photo to confirm the identification and informed the Epsom Common Association, who passed on Black Hairstreak, Epsom Common GT details to other relevant organisations. involved in managing the Common. I returned several times and found the g Black Hairstreak is confined to the butterfly over an area of 600m². East Midlands between Oxford and How it got there is a mystery but the Peterborough. An introduction by colony seems well established and is A E Collier in Cranleigh lasted from testament to how well the Common has 1952 to 1990. Collier is suspected to have been managed in recent years. been involved in the seeding of the colony One of the nice outcomes of my discovery rediscovered at Ditchling Common in is that I have since met many of the people East Sussex in 2017.

Directions from Stew Ponds car park, south side of Christ Church Rd, KT18 7TR, TQ182611 Walk south to Stew Pond. Turn left. After 250m, turn right opposite bench. After 200m, go through gate, turn immediately right, then left after 15m. Follow this path for 200m, finally crossing a tiny plank bridge, reaching TQ18578 60651. Ride on left was one of several hotspots. g Jun 2: most individuals were surprisingly worn, given such an early date in their season, which traditionally peaks on 2nd weekend of June. Last sighting on iRecord was Jun 9. g With thanks to Gareth Tilley, Steve Nevard, Frank Boxell & Pamela Harwood. Surrey Skipper 12 Autumn 2020

Saving the Wood White Fiona Haynes, Project Officer

“Saving the Wood White” runs would be using the machinery, for three years from Oct 2019 and relocated any we found. This proved to be WELL, a lot has happened in worthwhile and we moved the six months since the last several Slowworms, Common Surrey Skipper hasn’t it! Lizards, Toads and Great Although things have clearly Crested Newts. not gone entirely to plan for September was productive, anyone, I am happy to report with ditch clearance in Sidney that we have made good Wood, Fisherlane Wood and progress on the project. Ashpark. These areas of ditch I used the initial time had become overgrown with working from home to concentrate on scrub, sedges, and Bracken. We removed providing resources for schools such as the top layer of roots and soil, and these presentations on butterflies and moths, areas have been seeded with seeds that the butterfly spotter sheets, and little videos. volunteer group collected within the SSSI. It was such a great feeling to be allowed Meadow Vetchling, Tufted Vetch, Greater back out for some surveys and landowner and Common ’s-foot-trefoil, Betony, meetings in June, and to actually see some Fleabane, Devil’s-bit Scabious, Red Clover, of the first brood Wood Whites too. Selfheal, Wood Sage and Agrimony have I kept on seeing cars of my volunteers been sown into these areas. I have more around the place, and bumped into a few sites lined up for the turf-stripper – some familiar faces too, at an appropriate private and a common in Chiddingfold distance of course! managed by the parish council. We were able to start volunteer tasks In exciting news, Wood Whites have been again in July and it was such a pleasure to recorded at new sites this year, involving get out and do some practical work with the several landowners we have been working volunteers. We have a target of creating with to whom I have been able to provide 3km of Wood White flower strips by the end management advice. of the project. This involves creating bare Myself and Phil Darley, transect walker at ground in suitable locations and seeding Oaken Wood and key volunteer on the them with an appropriate and local seed project, visited Chiddingfold churchyard mix, including foodplants and nectar with the church warden to discuss suitable sources. We have made great progress on management of the site as it is packed with this and have passed our target of 1km2 for the foodplants. We actually saw a female the first year. Wood White while we were there! We hired a great little turf-stripper in I have also visited a couple of landowners August and spent four days creating bare recently with amazing meadows packed ground on 10 sites, including NT sites with the foodplants, so I look forward to around Plaistow, meadow edges and even visiting for the first brood next year and some gardens. Then the volunteer group hopefully confirming Wood White there! did a great job on England land of clearing some areas of ditch in preparation Overall, I think things are going well and for ground works with a digger. I cannot thank the volunteers enough for their hard work and support. I was keen to ensure we removed cover for reptiles and amphibians in areas we We have works lined up at a variety of Surrey Skipper 13 Autumn 2020

Volunteers in action at Mackerels Common, Plaistow: L-R John Tallon, Dave Thomson, Geoff Pierce, Alan Novelle and Shep the dog. FH sites over the winter and have a good valuable difference. I hope to encourage network of local landowners involved, with people to grow on the vetches at home as more coming on board all the time. plug that can be used in the project If anyone is interested in volunteering to area too, so if anybody was interested in help with the project, you would be getting involved in that way I would be keen extremely welcome and would be making a to hear from you.

Branch website Francis Kelly

The Branch website continues to be a Sightings is by far our most popular page. valuable resource. It received 1,000+ visits in each of July weeks two & three in the LINK butterfly-conservation.org/surrey lead up to the Big Butterfly Count.

Access: SU993338, via track (usually no Oaken Wood vehicular access) that runs west from OAKEN WOOD, founded by FC senior Plaistow Rd at SU994338; GU8 4PG. ranger Peter Beale in 1993, and our Parking for only a few cars. Branch reserve since 1995, is 12ha Western (Botany Bay) entrance to (30 acres) of wood/grassland in the is off High Street south-west of Surrey, 2.6km south of Green at SU978348; GU8 4YA. Parking Dunsfold. It is part of Forestry here is slightly easier; beware roadside Commission’s 324ha Chiddingfold Forest. ditches! Oaken Wood is 2.5km to the east. A 3ha extension west to Lagfold track n Volunteers are invited to our winter was added in 2015. Our licence was work parties. Please see website. renewed for five years in Jan 2018. LINK Oaken Wood Surrey Skipper 14 Autumn 2020

Brilliant Butterflies Steve Bolton, Project Officer

“Brilliant Butterflies” runs for tips, quizzes etc. two years from Sep 2019 To date the project has IT has certainly been a worked with contractors and challenging year to deliver volunteers to restore the project but I am pleased approximately 16.8ha of chalk to report that the Brilliant grassland habitat, the Butterflies team has equivalent of 39% of our responded to the challenge target, across the six project superbly by adapting our nature reserves: delivery activities to suit West Kent Golf Course, the restrictions. Saltbox Hill, Chapel Bank, Hutchinson's Bank, Over the last year the project Riddlesdown SSSI has engaged 1,233 people & Dollypers Hill. directly via our activities, walks and events. Covid-19 has directly impacted this, as the Recent work has included stump removal summer is the most beneficial time for and mowing of a meadow compartment at community engagement on chalk Hutchinson’s Bank. Plus numerous grasslands. However, we have focused on volunteer activities including seed online engagement across the peak of harvesting, meadow management, butterfly lockdown (Apr-Jul). transects and creating habitat features such as scrapes. This included regular newsletters filled with project news, recommended reading, at home activities, top butterfly spotting n continued page 16

Omar Abu-Seer (trainee), Katy Potts & Steph West (NHM) with malaise trap, Chapel Bank. SB Surrey Skipper 15 Autumn 2020

Creating a Butterfly Bank at Milne Park, New Addington. SB

Volunteers at Riddlesdown (L-R): Martina Horner, Omar Abu-Seer, Sebastian Hollingshead, Richard Bostock, Raymond Kingsbury, Nicola Hunt, Milo Hayes-Collins. Anna Guerin Surrey Skipper 16 Autumn 2020 n BRILLIANT BUTTERFLIES from page 14 We are excited to report the completion of 11 new butterfly banks across Croydon in schools, recreation grounds and local nature reserves. In addition, we have four in the process of being completed and another 12 awaiting final approval. We have worked with landowners and local communities to design banks that suit the local environment in the most cost-effective way. For example, at Falconwood Meadow a simple scrape, which exposes low nutrient subsoil, provides the right conditions for wildflower seeding and planting to support declining and butterfly populations, including the Small Blue. At Milne Park in New Addington two banks were created by spreading imported chalk onto existing roadside bunds. Local Seed-harvesting at Chapel Bank: volunteers will help plant the banks with trainee Charlie Nwanodi. SB chalk grassland flowers and assist with their Why is this important? It is difficult to maintenance. identify each species in the field as some Three New Addington schools now have have tiny differences between them their very own butterfly bank within their (e.g the position of one tiny hair that can school grounds, providing an excellent only be seen under a microscope). educational resource. The children will help Furthermore, some of these species only plant, monitor and maintain the banks come out at night, making them hard to including recording of butterflies. I have find! It would take weeks, if not months, to shared images and videos of bank creation survey the invertebrate population by sight on my Twitter account @bc_bolton. using traditional methods. The information We have just completed year two of our we gain from these eDNA surveys will help environmental DNA or eDNA fieldwork. us understand what species are present on The Brilliant Butterflies team have been the nature reserves, and how best to surveying the six project nature reserves manage the reserves for the future! with malaise (the tent like structures in the Over the autumn and winter all these picture below) and pit fall traps. activity strands will be progressed with my These traps take a very small sample of own role focusing on habitat creation the population in which their DNA is planning and delivery. For more preserved in alcohol, which is then analysed information and volunteering opportunities using pioneering eDNA extraction methods. please visit our webpage: LINK Brilliant Butterflies Surrey Skipper 17 Autumn 2020

Purple Emperor

Something is afoot in Chiddingfold! New member Richard Upton, from Peaslake, who had joined Surrey Branch the previous month, will not always find Purple Emperors this easily. June 28 photos FK (left) & RU

Field trips Mike Weller

I STARTED up the field trips on July 11 on Skipper were seen on three trips to the Epsom racecourse, which attracted a record downs. But where were the Adonis on number for that particular walk – 12 were Denbies Hillside? delighted to get into the countryside after We had to cancel the usual trip to lockdown. Vale End for the sake of everyone’s health. Encouraged by the response, I led 10 of As it happened the weather would have the remaining 14 trips, and was thanked been foul. Unusually, four of the five trips many times for doing so. (except Cranleigh) to see the Brown A highlight was the Wall Brown on Colley Hairstreak failed, but a successful one third Hill found by Paul Huckle, who travels from of the season I think. Henley-on-Thames for nearly all our trips. g The two Train Journeys were tied on 25 Clouded Yellow and 2nd-brood Dingy for most species seen. Surrey Skipper 18 Autumn 2020

Conservation Group Bill Downey

THE Small Blue Stepping Stones project established but they have not yet been ran from 2017-2019. Because Kidney Vetch, colonised by the butterfly. Other project the sole larval foodplant of the Small Blue, locations have not been successful – takes two years to flower, 2020 was the although they may still be in the future. first year that the success of the project A key lesson is the need to persevere, as the could start to be gauged. Small Blue has an uncanny ability to find The strategy was to develop a network of even isolated patches of vetch. connected sites, enabling a meta-population The distribution map of the Small Blue in to develop with individuals able to move VC17 now comprises over 50 sites in Surrey between locations. The original project area and London, with every hope that more will was between Guildford and but be colonised in 2021. Sites are displayed in surveying took place across VC17. monads to protect precise locations as there So it is heartening to report that there has is some sensitivity where the species occurs been some real success with new colonies: on private property – particularly gardens. e.g. Tytings Farm near Guildford, Albury The next stage is to take forward the re- Vineyard, Netley Plantation, Blatchford seeding of existing areas via the network of Down, Wholecomb Down and others. Some scrape stewards, which is progressing well. project sites where there were existing small The ideal however is for Kidney Vetch to populations have expanded – e.g. sustain itself without intervention at sites the Fingers, Denbies Hillside. Some new where it has been established. non-project locations have also been found There are potential new sites where by increasing the area of search. “stepping stones” could be developed. On other sites Kidney Vetch has been The Group prefers locations where our Surrey Skipper 19 Autumn 2020

planting can be opportunistic and light this necessitates developing contacts with a touch. different team. There are positive developments in east The hiatus in the original project area Surrey where the Brilliant Butterflies provides an opportunity to move elsewhere project is creating new Small Blue habitat and we are hoping to develop new sites in the London Borough of Croydon. A Small between Guildford and Farnham, where the Blue project has also been proposed for only Small Blue colony is at The Mount. Kent and this will take advantage of the Many thanks to all conservation lessons learned in Surrey. volunteers and scrape stewards for their The Group is working on a new continued support. If you would like to programme of events for autumn and receive information on work parties and winter. This is not easy due to problems other events, you can join the mailing list at caused by the pandemic. Work parties on this link: NT, SWT & Guildford BC land are currently http://eepurl.com/ds7MaP not possible. Fortunately, we are able to More restrictions may be in the air but work on the Albury Estate. we hope to continue the programme while Conservation responsibilities for some maintaining social distancing. SWT sites have passed to Surrey CC, and

Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey Bill Downey

Monad Location Walker Monad Location Walker SU8736 Hindhead Lesley Benson TQ1662 Pamela Harwood SU8737 Beacon Hill TQ2042 Jo Hurren SU8748 Badshot Lea Clare Grindrod TQ2059 Epsom Janet Cheney SU8960 TQ2355 Nicola Sainsbury SU9038 Thursley Harry Clarke TQ2562 Belmont Morag Loader SU9047 Seale TQ2654 Mugswell Janet Cheney SU9133 Haslemere TQ2657 Banstead Woods Alison Gilry SU9150 Ash Green TQ2759 Woodmansterne Morag Loader SU9351 Normandy TQ2868 SU9364 TQ3045 Salfords Lucy Halahan SU9647 Compton Gill Hanson TQ3069 Malcolm Bridge SU9760 TQ3079 Westminster Danielle Wagner SU9863 Paul Wheeler TQ3269 Mike Pearce SU9951 Guildford TQ3279 Borough Janet Cheney TQ0071 Runnymede TQ3354 South TQ0543 Winterfold TQ3377 TQ0944 Peaslake TQ3378 Simon Saville TQ0960 Cobham Roz Szanto TQ3559 Hamsey Green David Gough TQ1144 Bill Downey TQ3566 Shirley Malcolm Bridge TQ1247 Wotton Graham Revill TQ4352 Limpsfield Chart Jim Yeeles TQ1354 Harry Clarke

WCBS monitors butterfly abundance in the It is ideal for surveyors unable to commit wider countryside in fixed monads away to a weekly transect. from hot-spots. Surrey has 41. g You may also be interested in: It requires one 2km walk in each of the www.gardenbutterflysurvey.org four months, May-August. Surrey Skipper 20 Autumn 2020

Phantom of the Francis Kelly

A SPATE of unusual sightings several Marsh Fritillaries in May this season suggests a mysterious and the Black Hairstreak colony butterfly-releaser is at work – on Epsom Common. Surrey’s very own A Wall Brown was reported in Phantom of the Lepidoptera. Banstead near High Down Prison. The Phantom has been partly Perhaps the Phantom is doing time unmasked at Chapel Bank, there for crimes against butterfly but unexplained records include monitoring.

Unusual records Date Species Site Source Mar 25 Beauty Ash garden Mike & Jane Clifford Chapel Bank & Facebook Apr-May Duke of Burgundy 3+ Hutchinson's Bank Surrey Butterflies May Marsh Fritillary Hutchinson's Bank Martin Wills et al May 12 Marsh Fritillary 2 Guildford University Roy Hancock Stephen Reisbach May 19 Marsh Fritillary Denbies Hillside & Marian Thomas May 22 Pearl-bordered Fritillary Oaken Wood Paul Huckle May 29+ Black Hairstreak 20+ Epsom Common Gareth Tilley et al 3rd-party reports, Jul Wall 2 Banstead & Redhill possibly reliable Paul Huckle, Jul 28 Wall Branch field trip Craig Knox Aug 18 Short-tailed Blue fem Nature Park, Surrey Butterflies Camberwell Beauty may be a genuine migrant: see Branch website/Sightings. Wall may be returning north from South Downs. Others: presumed release/escape.

Foulsham collection Francis Kelly

The Foulsham Collection of Butterflies and Moths is now on display in the Holmesdale Natural History Museum in . The collection was started in the first half of the 20th century by Chester Foulsham (1887-1977), and continued by his son John (1925-2019). John’s widow Daphne kindly donated the 10 boxes to Holmesdale Natural History Club in March. Viewings by appointment. PDFs showing the full collection are on the Links page of our website: John, an architect, and Daphne moved to Vale End, Albury, in 1965. Since 1996 they LINK Foulsham Collection PDFs have hosted a regular field trip, a tradition LINK Holmesdale Natural History Club which Daphne continues. Surrey Skipper 21 Autumn 2020

Pearl-bordered Fritillary Francis Kelly

VERDLEY WOOD, not Rewell Wood, the South-East’s 3rd-best site for PBF, with is the closest site to Surrey for a recent high count of 52, compared with Pearl-bordered Fritillary. Five miles south just three in 2016. of Haslemere, and only 3.4 miles into Occasional sightings at Oaken Wood, West Sussex, Verdley Wood is part of the including by Paul Huckle in May this year, Cowdray Estate. are presumed releases. But the revitalised PBFs descend from the Sweet Chestnut Verdley Wood colony is only 7.2 miles to coppice to nectar on Bugle along 350m of the SW! the public footpath that runs east from LINK South Downs National Park SU90032594. LINK Fritillaries for the Future Thanks to conservation work by BC’s Fritillaries for the Future project 2015-18, Below: Pearl-bordered Fritillary on the led by Neil Hulme, Verdley Wood is now Bugle bank at Verdley Wood. May 2020 Surrey Skipper 22 Autumn 2020

Silver Anniversary Gail Jeffcoate

Surrey & SW London Branch The Branch had stands at celebrated its 25th birthday Box Hill Country Day, on January 1. Gail Jeffcoate, Country Park, SCC original committee member Woodland Day and a wildlife and wife of launch Chair event in Sutton. It was Steve, looks back on 1995 represented at a celebratory Surrey Skipper lunch in the Queen’s Stand at Epsom Racecourse when New Branch, new Newsletter! was The name Surrey Skipper designated National Nature evolved during chat at an Reserve. Steve did an interview Oaken Wood work party. for Southern Counties Radio Bryan Ceney designed the logo about butterflies and the work that appeared on the front cover for the of BC, and we gave a presentation to Tree next 10 years, and is still used today. Wardens at their event in Farnham. There were many jokes that the butterfly In August Owen Lewis and Jane Hill from had seven legs, and in 2002 the extra leg Leeds University came to survey Silver- disappeared, between issues 21 and 22. spotted Skipper populations on the North Bill Gerrard edited the Skipper in those Downs, a survey still continuing. days, and in 1995 Steve and I went to his There was a fun social evening in August, house for evenings of chat and packing the at the home of David and Gill Hanson in Skipper into envelopes. , with quizzes and excellent food. In February the first Branch Report, for The AGM was held in October in , 1994, was distributed. and several Branch members gave Events and meetings 10-minute talks on species, projects or On New Year’s Day the first event of the observations during the year. There was a new Branch was a Brown Hairstreak egg joint meeting with Hampshire Branch, in hunt at Denbies Hillside and westwards to Farnham, when Sandy and Anne Harman White Downs. In those days this was a gave a talk on the butterflies of France, and scarcer species in Surrey and its in November Matthew Oates spoke in distribution was not well known. Dorking about the National Trust’s work to On a cold day with flurries of snow conserve butterflies. 19 people turned up and celebrated the new At about this time the Branch committee era with Denbies Vineyard Surrey Brut. decided to award a bursary to support a The next day I was in bed with a bad cold, Branch member to attend Matthew’s but hardy Branch volunteers were out weekend course in Butterfly Conservation cutting scrub at Chalkpit Field, further at the Kingcombe Centre in Dorset. along White Downs. Regional Action Plans were being In March we took a display to the BC developed as part of the wildlife Annual Members Day in Aldershot. Later in community’s response to the Rio Earth the month we were represented at the Summit and after a meeting in Kent earlier Branch Liaison Meeting at the Butterfly in the year BC SE Region Branches spent a House in Stratford-on-Avon. In April David weekend in December at Kingcombe in Gardner and Dennis Newland gave a talk at Dorset for a RAP workshop. Meanwhile the Friends Meeting House in Dorking. various Surrey wildlife organisations met in Surrey Skipper 23 Autumn 2020

Guildford to discuss the Surrey Local On July 13 we witnessed what is now Agenda 21 movement, which resulted in known as a Purple Emperor “tumbledown several Boroughs establishing LA21 groups. rejection” in a glade on the reserve. Further Oaken Wood meetings with FE took place in November, and a BC Chiddingfold Forest Working At the end of January we met with Forest Group was set up with Sussex Branch. With Enterprise at Alice Holt to finalise the help from BC Conservation staff the reserve management agreement, followed by work was included in English Nature’s Reserves in February to create Nightingale habitat. Enhancement Scheme, and consultant The butterfly transect route was set up and ecologist Dr Sue Clarke was contracted to we started to walk it in April. write our first management plan. Recording and transects were in their early days then and have developed beyond Conservation Work recognition, along with the technology Most work parties took place on Sundays, needed to support them. Communication to allow people at work during the week to then was by phone and letter. The join in, but in late 1995 there were tasks on membership records were on file cards! some Wednesdays too. Some were led by In May Martin Warren and the BC wardens and rangers from other Publicity Officer came to a Woodland organisations, including Surrey Wildlife Campaign meeting with FE at the reserve, Trust, National Trust, the Downlands and soon afterwards Martin and Paul Project, and City of London Corporation, Kirkland returned to advise on while others were led by Branch members. management. We saw Pearl and Small Apart from Oaken Wood, sites included Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, Wood Whites, Ashtead Common, Banstead Down, an egg-laying Broad-bordered Bee Hawk, Box Hill, Brentmoor , Colekitchen, and heard Nightingales. Fairmile Common, Holmwood Common, The BBC filmed a piece for Newsround, Long Hill at Woldingham and Stagbury. shown on May 31. The cameraman was not We had a Brown Hairstreak egg hunt on a specialist in filming wildlife and ran Holmwood Common on a winter morning, around after Wood Whites and Grizzled with lunch at the Plough at Blackbrook Skippers with a hand-held camera, looking (now converted to houses) and further as if he was hoovering them up. egg-hunting in the afternoon at Newdigate. At the start of June Steve and I went on a Several days were spent working at woodland management course at Chalkpit Field, to the west of Denbies Kingcombe run by Martin Warren, straight Hillside, including Butterfly Action Day, after which there was a joint field trip with when all BC Branches carried out a Upper Thames Branch at Oaken Wood, conservation task. Some work was targeted where SPBF were seen by the pond. at the Duke of Burgundy, but drought in We then began Bracken-swiping to keep 1995 led to the larval foodplants, Cowslips, Bracken under control on rides and in the becoming dry and brown by the end of open areas. June, long before the larvae were fully July 1 was a big day for the reserve, when grown. This sealed the fate of the species in it was opened by BC President Gordon Surrey, where it was recorded for the last Benningfield, with much celebration, a time in 1997. Similar conditions in 2020 wonderful butterfly cake made by Nellie show how precarious is the future of the Beale, wife of warden Peter, and guided species in Britain. walks around the reserve for the guests. n continued next page Surrey Skipper 24 Autumn 2020 n ANNIVERSARY from previous page Recording and Monitoring (where there were Golden Rod Butterflies of Surrey, by Graham Collins, pulling tasks as well), Princes Coverts, was the first in the Surrey Atlas series Ashtead Common, Colley Hill, Whitecross published by Surrey Wildlife Trust. Steve Green in Oxfordshire for Black Hairstreaks and I were on the Atlas Project steering and Boldermere for dragonflies. There was group and the Branch supported this a trip to the Booth Museum in Brighton. groundbreaking work. At the end of May Steve led the first Great We provided records from the recently Railway Journey, taking the train from set up Branch recording scheme to fill gaps Dorking to Gomshall and walking back in coverage in the maps, which covered the along the Downs. This was a popular trip recording period 1980-94, and Branch that has become a regular fixture. members also provided some of the photos There was a “square-bashing” field trip that appeared in the book. on the Downslink Path, where 16 species The Atlas was launched by David Bellamy were recorded in four tetrads, filling in gaps at an event at , SWT reserve, on in the distribution maps. July 9. I then took over from Graham as A field trip was held at Denbies Hillside County Recorder for butterflies, leaving him for beginners, and there was a long-distance to prepare the Larger Moths of Surrey weekend trip to the Mendips, where we atlas, which soon followed. visited Stoke Camp BC reserve, Sand Point, There was a meeting at the SWT offices in Crook Peak (where I lived as a child, not far Pirbright with Jim Asher, BC National from Cheddar), Westbury Beacon (20 years Recorder, and Mike Thurner, SWT before it became a BC reserve), and three volunteer, to transfer butterfly records sites in the Blackdown Hills. between the Levana and Recorder It was a busy year for the new Branch, databases. The Butterflies for the New even without the biennial Butterfly Festival Millennium Project was forming the at . network that became so effective in In those days communication was coordinating butterfly recording across the longwinded, but we made contact with British Isles, and in November Jim Asher many other conservation organisations asked Steve and me to join the national to ensure that we could be as effective steering group for the BNM Project. as possible. Field Trips A lot has been done for butterflies and moths in the Branch area since then, but Field trips included Oxted Downs, there is still much to do in the next 25 years. , Kew Gardens,

Social Media Butterfly Surrey Conservation Butterflies OUR social media accounts are listed @BC_Surrey in Surrey Mick Rock's on page 2. Facebook is ideal for photos, Twitter for news. Branch page group We recommend alerts.talkwalker.com Follow Like Follow Members to see Twitter mentions of @BC_Surrey 2020-03 1,188 495 534 187 LINK Surrey Branch social media 2020-09 1,268 512 557 248 Surrey Skipper 25 Autumn 2020

iRecord is our recommended recording platform iRecorders iRecords via app (smartphone/tablet) or computer. 2013 32 344 Records sent to iRecord, plus those sent to BC’s own 2014 116 1,004 recording portal at www.butterflyrecording.org, 2015 159 3,182 are viewable at www.brc.ac.uk/irecord 2016 230 4,247 Launched in April, www.butterflyrecording.org 2017 333 7,214 is BC’s own online portal for casual records. 2018 322 6,434 Data from all sources is added to BC’s 2019 443 6,534 Butterflies for the New Millennium (BNM) database. 2020 560 9,750 g Thank you to the 560+ recorders who have submitted LINK Surrey Recording 9,750+ Surrey records to iRecord in 2020. Surrey topped LINK iRecord the county league for app users with 7,000+. Thanks also to those who took part in the Big Butterfly Count. Book Review Nigel Jackman

His Imperial Majesty: A Natural History He draws on historical background and of the Purple Emperor Matthew Oates data, but also develops the findings of his OVER the past decade there has been a own research over many years. welcome trend in a broader literary In particular he details how his more approach to lepidoptery, expressing a recent observations at the Knepp Estate in passion for and appreciation of butterflies Sussex have revealed so much not in a fresh way. previously known or as well understood Notable examples include The Butterfly about Purple Emperor behaviour. Isles (2010, Patrick Barkham), Rainbow This is not a dry or turgid scientific tract, Dust (2015, Peter Marren) and In pursuit of but a scholarly labour of love that is a joy to Butterflies (2015, Matthew Oates). read. Moreover, it acknowledges the earlier This has now been taken one step further pioneering work and observations by the irrepressible Oates, who has undertaken by our own Branch member managed the seemingly impossible by Ken Willmott at Bookham Common, and devoting more than 400 pages to just one there is a chapter on where to find Purple species, his beloved Purple Emperor. Emperors county by county, including some In His Imperial Majesty (2020, of Surrey’s hotspots. Bloomsbury £20) Oates has written a If you have not already read this book, thoroughly readable, informative and witty I encourage you to do so, or even add it account of the lifecycle, behaviour and to your Christmas wish list. habitat of one of our most iconic butterflies. You will not be disappointed. Surrey Skipper 26 Autumn 2020

Transects Bill Downey

THIS has been the most normally involves a certain unusual and disrupted of amount of “chasing”, which years. Following lockdown on was clearly not appropriate in March 23 BC suspended 2020, and so my monitoring. communications with the For the previous few weeks recording group has been very I had been cancelling dates to different this year. set up new routes or conduct I am aware that a number of training for new walkers – walkers will view 2020 as a which I normally do prior to watershed and may not return the start of each season. to recording. I anticipate that Lockdown lasted until Week it will require considerable 7 and monitoring resumed on May 14. Some legwork to restore the levels of 2019 and walkers have been shielding or share this may take a couple of years. Anyway, let households with vulnerable people; us hope for a return to something monitoring was not permitted by some land approaching normality in 2021. managers; some walkers employed as g There were six new routes this year, rangers have been on furlough – and there although there would have been more. have been innumerable other difficulties. Four are in London and add to the growth Even so, to date there have been returns of routes in the capital. from 100+ transects, 18 WCBS squares, and West Norwood and Cannon Hill are 130K butterflies have been recorded. Ample both Sites of Borough Importance for evidence that for many, including me, Nature Conservation (SINCs) owned by the butterfly recording has been a life-line London Boroughs of Lambeth and during this pandemic. respectively. So, I would like to applaud all recorders, The Orchard runs off the main transect whether they were able to get outside and at and is on the site of an walk or not, for their resilience and old railway marshalling yard. commitment. I am not sure how the Hogsmill Nature is the second statisticians will use the 2020 data, but, in transect in my home borough of Kingston these most difficult of circumstances, we upon Thames. It includes the location have generated a sizable dataset. where Millais painted his famous picture of My role as Transect Coordinator , although the Hogsmill river looks

Walking a transect Surrey transect data (spreadsheets) A TRANSECT is a fixed-route, weekly is on our website’s Transects page: walk, typically 1–3km, lasting 30–90 mins. n Sort by species to see their Volunteers record butterflies in a 5m sites & flight periods. band in suitable weather in the 26 weeks n Sort by sites to see their species. Apr–Sep, 10.45–15.45. Data is managed by n Transect walkers: sort by walker the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme to see your own records at a glance. If you would like to walk a transect Also see: or help with an existing one (many are Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey shared), please email Bill Downey Surrey Skipper 27 Autumn 2020

New routes in 2020 New walkers in 2020 Barnes Common, The Orchard Janice Harris Park Dave Clark Happy Valley Malcolm Jennings Neville Squires, Simon Saville Place Jo Hurren Dungeon Hill, Woodmansterne Mare Hill Common Dave Thomson/John Tallon Graham Harris John Bartlett Hogsmill Nature Trail, Malden Manor Bryony Chapman/Ian Exton Peter Short Stoney Rock, Jenny Sparks Retired West Norwood Cemetery Alex Draper Anita Bathurst , very different today from its appearance in and formerly the 19th century. Doug & Penny Boyd Thursley Common Dungeon Hill is a large area of land, Laura Grice open access but privately owned, with a few Nick Press Happy Valley patches of chalk grassland. Mary Stuart-Jones Elstead Common & Newlands Corner Stoney Rock is a compartment of the Alan Wilkinson Tooting Common NT estate at Polesden Lacey Road, which is being managed as wood pasture. g Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey g There are new walkers on some existing Megan Lowe is the new national officer, routes, and there have been several taking over from Zoe Randle. There was a retirements this year. My thanks to all for useful Zoom meeting in June with her and their recording and efforts over the years. other local coordinators. Some have already been replaced but In Surrey, Gill Hanson has retired from I need new walkers for Sheepleas and her square at Peaslake but will continue to Tooting Common for 2021. walk her other square at Compton.

Big Butterfly Count 2020 Jul 17 – Aug 9 THE Large White moved up from 5th to 1st be due to a number of factors. An unusually in this year’s Big Butterfly Count. warm spring led many species to emerge This summer’s Count saw a reduction in earlier than usual. So we may have caught the average number of butterflies per count the tail-end of their flight period.” of 34% in comparison with 2019 and the Julie Williams, BC’s CEO, said: “A huge lowest average number overall since the thank you to everyone who took part. event began 11 years ago. This data is so valuable to our research.” Dr Zoë Randle, Senior Surveys Officer at LINK Big Butterfly Count Butterfly Conservation said: “The fall may Recorders Butterflies UK top 10 Butterflies 2020 111,628 ...... 1,413,349 1 Large White ...... 268,925 2019 113,500 ...... 1,595,500 2 Small White ...... 260,434 2018 100,200 ...... 964,000 3 Gatekeeper ...... 188,866 2017 60,400 ...... 550,000 4 Peacock...... 163,351 2016 36,000 ...... 390,000 5 Meadow Brown...... 146,273 2015 52,000 ...... 600,000 6 Red Admiral ...... 82,534 2014 44,000 ...... 560,000 7 Small Tortoiseshell ...... 56,105 2013 46,000 ...... 830,000 8 Common Blue...... 34,762 2012 27,000 ...... 223,000 9 Ringlet ...... 34,577 2011 34,300 ...... 322,330 10 Comma ...... 30,856 2010 10,200 ...... 210,000 Surrey Skipper 28 Autumn 2020

UKBMS 2019 Francis Kelly

IN their best year since 1997, just over half warming, increases in levels by wild of UK butterflies increased their abundance animals and a slowing in the rate of in 2019 compared with 2018, making 2019 agricultural intensification. the 8th best year in the 44-year series of Dr Marc Botham, Butterfly Ecologist at transects, which began in 1976. the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, For three Surrey butterflies, Marbled said: “The analysis shows that numbers of a White, Brimstone and Orange-tip, 2019 was wide range of species benefited from a their best year in England. The 10-year couple of warm summers in succession.” trend for the first two was above 100%. Anna Robinson, Monitoring Ecologist at However, 2019 was another bad year for the Joint Nature Conservation Committee the Small Tortoiseshell, with only five worse (JNCC), said: “The UKBMS provides an transect years and a 10-year trend of -30%. excellent evidence base to help us Professor Tom Brereton, BC’s Associate understand how butterflies are faring. This Director of Monitoring and Research, said: evidence is important to help inform “The results from the 2019 season are really environmental policy to take better account encouraging and provide evidence that the of .” overall rate of decline of butterflies is n The UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme slowing and for some species being (UKBMS) has run since 1976, covering reversed. Reasons for this include positive a record 3,014 sites in 2019. conservation through agri-environment schemes, increased woodland cover, climate LINK UK Butterfly Monitoring scheme

2019's abundance ranking in the 44 years of transects from 1976 10-year trend 10-year trend 1 Marbled White +142% 17 Wood White +36% Brimstone +109% 18 Speckled Wood +18% Orange-tip +22% Comma +15% 2 Ringlet +46% 19 Clouded Yellow +330% Dark Green Fritillary -14% Peacock -8% 3 Meadow Brown +61% Small Copper -13% 4 Painted Lady >1,000% 22 White-letter Hairstreak +31% 5 Red Admiral +65% -11% Silver-washed Fritillary +30% Adonis Blue -58% 7 Brown Hairstreak +63% 23 Gatekeeper +27% Small Blue +19% 25 +125% 8 Brown Argus +51% 27 Large White +36% 10 Holly Blue +103% Common Blue -6% Silver-spotted Skipper +11% 30 Grizzled Skipper -50% 11 Silver-studded Blue +52% 31 Chalkhill Blue -59% Purple Emperor +29% 32 Small Skipper +44% 12 Small Heath +6% White Admiral -29% 13 Green Hairstreak 0 35 Green-veined White -16% 15 Purple Hairstreak +85% 36 Grayling -57% 16 Small White +41% 39 Small Tortoiseshell -30% Dingy Skipper -25% Surrey's 41 regular species; data is from all transects in England, 1976-2019 Surrey Skipper 29 Autumn 2020

Weather Watch England SE & Central South Surrey, London, Berks, Hants, Kent, Sussex, Wilts

DAVID GRADIDGE Anomaly columns shows comparison with 30-year average, 1981-2010 IF 2020 is to enter the record Yellow: warm/sunny; Blue: wet books, it will be for sunshine. Red: year's warmest/sunniest; Black: wettest May did not just break the Temp C Sunshine Rainfall record for the sunniest month 2019 Mean Anom Hours Anom mm Anom at 335 hours, it smashed it: Jan 4.0 -0.6 59 100% 34 42% 27 hours or nearly 10% above Feb 6.6 +2.0 125 159% 56 102% the previous highest. Mar 8.5 +1.7 130 114% 66 114% The three months of Spring Apr 9.4 +0.7 181 107% 28 53% broke the record by 100 hrs. May 11.8 -0.2 209 104% 33 60% Records normally get broken by Jun 15.2 +0.3 192 95% 92 180% 1 or 2%, not 15%. Jul 18.2 +1.1 232 108% 43 83% Data on sunshine now goes Aug 17.5 +0.5 226 111% 51 88% back to 1919 (excl. 1929) and Sep 15.0 +0.5 173 116% 92 147% 2020 is on course to break this Oct 11.1 +0.0 84 74% 125 134% record as well. The current Nov 6.7 -0.7 59 83% 113 130% record of 1,917 hours was set as Dec 6.3 +1.3 63 122% 130 153% far back as 1949. Annual 10.9 +0.6 1,723 106% 857 109% Rainfall as usual has been Temp C Sunshine Rainfall very variable. No doubt many of 2020 Mean Anom Hours Anom mm Anom you suffered a month’s worth in Jan 6.5 +1.9 56 95% 71 88% one day back in August. Unless Feb 7.0 +2.5 77 97% 130 235% autumn is wet like last year, it Mar 7.0 +0.2 173 151% 50 87% looks as if in will be another Apr 10.9 +2.2 257 152% 48 111% dryish year like the last six. May 13.1 +1.1 335 166% 5 9% The last really wet year recently Jun 15.8 +1.0 221 109% 51 100% was in 2014 at 1,039mm. Jul 16.7 -0.4 210 98% 37 72% Aug 18.9 +1.9 187 92% 76 132% Jan, Feb, Apr & Aug have all Sep 15.1 +0.6 177 118% 32 51% recorded mean temperatures in the top ten. Surprisingly, with Don’t forget December 2010 was the second coldest all that sunshine, May did not, in over 120 years. due to the cold nights. What has all this sunshine done to butterfly There is little doubt that numbers? Locally to me, on Park Downs, Banstead, the 2020, in common with recent transect has recorded over 50 Dark Green Fritillaries years, will also be in the top 10. for the second year running. If that wasn’t remarkable The last seriously below average enough, over 50 Silver-spotted Skippers were seen. month was February 2018. It can’t be all bad in this world.

REMEMBERING Butterfly Conservation in your will is one of the most effective ways to help ensure butterflies and moths thrive in years to come. Legacies represent over a third of our voluntary income and make a crucial contribution to our work. n Please contact Dorset head office: 01929 40020 [email protected] Surrey Skipper 30 Autumn 2020

Bullseye Ken Owen

A Saturday evening in August, with friends due to arrive for a takeaway supper, and then the phone rings. It is excited new member Philippa Davison, who reports a huge butterfly in her Redhill garden. She had seen movement the previous day on a bush and thought nothing of it, but that morning she took a closer look and was amazed to find this creature bearing no relation to any in the books. But it was so lethargic was a moth, and not a butterfly. It had a that she felt it was not long for this world. passing resemblance to an Emperor Moth, Could I identify it? No. Had she a but it was too large; and they fly only in photograph? No. Desperate to discover April and May. what it was, she decided she could come Photos were sent to those who know far over immediately and placed it in a box. more than me. The following day I Inevitably our guests arrived at the same discovered we had a male Madagascan time, resulting in an intricate dance, the Bullseye moth, popular with breeders and sort with which we are all so familiar obviously an escape. nowadays, as social distancing holds sway. It is a saturniid (silk moth). The male is It was huge. It moved its hindwings in said to be able to detect the scent of a sluggish fashion and showed no desire to female from seven miles away. fly. It was battered, and seemed to have LINK Madagascar Bullseye been attacked by a bird. I could confirm it

Clubtail Dragonfly Francis Kelly

AFTER five years of failure, I finally photographed the elusive Clubtail Dragonfly on the River Rother at Fittleworth in West Sussex. Clubtails are found in the south east only on the Arun and Rother. They emerge in the second half of May and depart to woodland to reach maturity. They make a brief return to the river and their season is soon finished. Clubtail male (left) & female, River Rother, May 29.

Green shoots Nigel Jackman May 9, my first visit to locations and one a little further afield. since March 20. A remarkable 14 Green Five were in the private garden of Hairstreaks were seen in three close Thatched House Lodge. Surrey Skipper 31 Autumn 2020

Moths Les Evans-Hill

Manager of BC’s National Moth Recording Scheme database, and Putney Heath resident THE disruption to BC caused by Covid-19 it was also affected by some atrocious delayed my priority for 2020 of adding the weather! However, recorders still targeted backlog of 2017-2019 moth data into the the ‘red underwings’, this year’s theme. National Moth Recording Scheme. I was delighted to record Dark Crimson This backlog was caused by the closure of Underwing and Clifden Nonpareil for the the NMRS to data from 2017 due to second year running, giving some production of the Larger Moths Atlas. confidence these may be breeding locally. Speaking of which, I understand sales were However, during this period there has been steady throughout lockdown as more people further migration from the continent so are taking up moth recording. breeding is difficult to prove. Some Surrey recorders have had success g My garden, surrounded by Wimbledon with Clearwing pheromone lures. One and Putney Commons and quite remote, species that has grabbed attention locally has had a fantastic year for butterflies with and beyond is the Lunar Hornet Moth, for 25 species. Highlight was a Purple Emperor which there is a new lure. A very elusive on Jun 26. It flew indoors and later spent species, I have encountered it only once, an hour in the shade on our chimney. nectaring on Buddleia in Dorset. Other star garden butterflies Recorders have taken this species at lures Green Hairstreak 5 ...... May 7-19 in the most unlikely of locations, sometimes White Admiral...... Jun 23 in abundance. I was a bit late to the party Purple Hairstreak 100+ on occasions...... Jun 24 - Aug 24 myself, so I will be having a crack next year. Marbled White ...... Jun 28 Silver-washed Fritillary 3...... Jul 1 - Aug 5 Moth Night 2020 was affected by Covid-19 and no public events were held;

LINK Atropos Atlas of Britain & Ireland’s Larger Moths LINK Surrey Branch Moths page Details of Paul Wheeler’s moth events and how to join his email group. LINK Garden Moth Scheme

LINK National Moth Recording Scheme Purple Emperor on chimney stack. LE-H Notable moth records from Putney Heath area Lead-coloured Drab 3 singles...... Apr 4-11 Chevron ...... Jul 15-16 Dotted Chestnut...... Apr 5 Double Line annual local specialist ...... Jul 15-16 Orange Underwing abundant among Birch ...... Apr Dark Crimson Underwing ...... at sugar Jul 23-Sep 8 Light Orange Underwing ...... Apr 16 & 24 2nd year on-site, max 7 on Aug 5 Blossom Underwing ...... Apr 17 August Thorn new to site, 1st recent TQ27 record..Aug 6 Emperor Moth max 8 males EMP lure...... Apr 24 Red Underwing single individual at sugar ...... Aug 6-12 Bridge Roller new to site, 1st recent TQ27 record May 6-12 Beautiful Yellow Underwing...... Aug 8 Red-belted Clearwing MYO lure ...... May 20 & Jun 22 Jersey Mocha 3rd Surrey record...... Aug 8 Yellow-legged Clearwing seen at rest by volunteer..May 21 Hoary Footman ...... Aug 13 Red-tipped Clearwing FOR lure ...... Jun 3 Old Lady ...... indoors Aug 30, at sugar Sep 8 Suspected 3 individuals...... Jun 19-Jul 24 Clifden Nonpareil 2nd year on-site ...... at sugar Sep 8 Surrey Skipper 32 Autumn 2020

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