Southampton Natural History Society ANNUAL REPORT 2011 NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT 2011

CONTENTS Page Indoor Meetings 2 Publicity Events in 2011 3 Membership Secretary’s Report 4 Obituary: Chris Oliver 5 Field Meetings 6 Lord’s Wood by Graham Manchip 12 When TinyToadstools Aren’t Toadstools At All ... by David Hubble 14 Mutate, Mate, Sporulate! by David Hubble 15 Now I Know Where My Sparrow Go To Sleep by Darren Naish 18 Weather Records 2011 21 Members’ Records for 2011 25 Mycota 28 Flora 31 Fauna 34

Society website: http://sotonnhs.org/

Cover: Juvenile Hedgehog Photograph : Keith Plumridge Design: Mike Creighton Founded 1907

- 1 - Indoor Meetings In 2011 we started holding an additional September Indoor Meeting to take advantage of the lighter evenings. Therefore we held eight Indoor Meetings in 2011 including the April A.G.M. All were held on Monday evenings at the Edmund Kell Hall, Bellevue Road. On 3rd January we invited members of F.O.S.O.C. (Friends of Southampton Old ) to join us for a talk on ‘Garden Butterflies’ by Brian Fletcher of Butterfly Conservation. As a result, there were thirty-two attendees, despite the fact that it was only two days after New Year’s Day and the weather resembled that of Siberia. We learnt a lot about what to expect in an urban or suburban garden and how to attract more butterflies and other nectar-feeding . Brian gave a similar talk at the Hawthorns Centre on 19th November. 7th February was a perfect cure for the winter blues and twenty-nine members came along to witness the ‘Most Flowery Places in the World’ by Bob Gibbons. The locations included ‘The Burren’ in Ireland and the Lizard Peninsula of Cornwall and abroad they ranged from South Africa and Australia to California and Eastern . Despite not being very well travelled, even I had visited five of the places featured, including The Algarve and Transylvania. There was another invite extended to F.O.S.O.C. on 7th March as one of their members presented the talk. We recorded a record attendance of thirty-seven, including twenty-eight members. John Vetterlein gave a PowerPoint presentation entitled ‘Conservation of Wildlife in Southampton Old Cemetery’. We thought that there aren’t enough talks about conservation efforts on our doorstep, so this was a welcome subject. John explained how, since 2003, F.O.S.O.C has transformed the rather overgrown cemetery into a haven for all wildlife. John also spoke about the rich and varied flora and the regular butterfly monitoring. Our A.G.M. took place on 4th April and saw change of chairmanship after thirteen years. I stood down as Jan Kidd took to the Chair; I was also surprised to be awarded Honorary Membership. There was a complete change in the general committee—we thanked Anthea and Vernon Jones and Kathy Emmott for their service on the committee and welcomed John Poland and Vicki Russell for a second term and Graham Manchip as an entirely new member. There was an American Supper, a three-team general knowledge quiz and an opportunity to view the new display materials. Eighteen members attended. The idea of a September meeting proved to be a popular one, with thirty people, mostly society members, attending. We invited Rosemary Webb to present a talk on the ‘Orchids of Crete’ on 5th September. Although this was a narrow subject,

- 2 - the pictures were of excellent quality and many were of forms or variants that have hardly ever been seen previously let alone photographed. There were many stories woven around the subject as a result of the speaker’s 25-year familiarity with this eastern Mediterranean Island. Twenty-two members attended a talk by Marina Pacheco, of the Mammal Society, on 3rd October. It was good to find a speaker willing to focus on the recording of a group, another important aspect of the society’s activities. Marina covered the full range of mammals likely to be recorded in Britain in a most friendly and informative manner, hopefully stimulating some interest in the more elusive of these species. After a 25-year gap we were delighted to invite Dennis Bright to present a talk for us on 7th November. The talk was covered a long-term project to increase the populations of Barn Owls, a highly protected species, in the upper on . Over many years this has resulted in working with numerous private landowners to improve habitats along the valley and create artificial nesting places. We were encouraged that there has been an increase in Barn Owl numbers, especially in the Test Valley. Twenty-one members came along. Our final Indoor Meeting of the year took place on 5th December and was a varied and interesting talk on the island of Corsica and its wildlife presented by Mike Read. Corsica lies only 100 km off the west Italian coast but has a unique Island biogeography. Mike covered a wide range of species, but focused on flowers and birds of all the habitats. Corsica has some unique orchids, the endemic Corsican Nuthatch and several other specialities, but has very few mammal species. Again tweny-one members attended. I would like to thank Julian Moseley for organising most of the talks and for other helpers through the year, especially for Anthea and Vernon Jones, who continue to serve the teas and coffees and who also prepared the American Supper for the A.G.M. Publicity Events in 2011 Southampton Butterfly Survey Launch In 2011 we have resumed closer ties with Southampton University, especially through Dr Judith Lock. We launched a joint project to record butterflies in Southampton from May 2011 to April 2012 and, hopefully, the results of this will be presented in the 2012 Annual Report. We launched this project at Building 85, the new biological science block, at Southampton University on Tuesday evening 10th May. Brian Fletcher gave a presentation on the species of butterfly likely to be encountered in the area and key

- 3 - features of their identification. He also included some brightly day-flying and some butterfly caterpillars which may be readily encountered. We were able to supply information on the project, promote both the society and the Hampshire branch of Butterfly Conservation and, hopefully, stimulate the students with some ideas for their own projects. Twenty-eight people attended the event including eight society members and eighteen students. We hope to be able to arrange other, similar, events in the future. Display In 2011 were able to show our new display on several occasions, for example: • The Forestry Commission Volunteer Fair at Lyndhurst on 5th March. • The Hampshire Ornithological Society Members Day/A.G.M. at Winchester on 20th March. • The Launching of the ‘Friends of Hurn Forest’, also on 20th March.

• The Environmental Fair at The Hobbitt in Southampton on 2nd May. • The Forestry Commission Boldrewood Bioblitz on 18th June. • Spring into Summer Festival on on 26th June. I would like to thank everyone who assisted on any of those additional events. Phil Budd

Membership Secretary’s Report Barbara Thomas We would very much like to welcome the following new members and hope they enjoy our meetings: Mr Leslie Brown, Miss S. Chaddock, Miss Grace Dickens, Dr Naomi Ewald, Miss Claire Ford, Ms Sheila Ford, Dr Paul Garratt, Ms Helen Harris, Ms J. Hearn, Ms Janet Knox, Mr Guy Mason, Mr Angus McCullough, Mr Joshua Phangurha, Ms Elizabeth Rogers, Miss K. Walsh, Dr Francis Wenban-Smith

- 4 - Obituary Chris (Christine) Oliver We have a very sad announcement that SNHS member Chris Oliver, passed away very suddenly shortly before Christmas 2011. Several members attended her funeral at the Hinton Park Woodland Burial Ground, near Christchurch on 13th January. Chris had been unwell for several months. I first met Chris in the late 1980s, when as a member of the Southampton branch of the RSPB, and from 1994, Southampton and District Bird Group. We were both involved in practical conservation work at and other nature reserves in the area. Chris retired from the teaching profession early and was able to devote a lot of her time to various charities and especially our society. She first joined the society in 1995, then rejoined in 1999 and has remained a member ever since. Chris served on the committee as a general member in 1996/7 and then again, for five years from 2001 to 2006. One of Chris’s most valuable contributions to the society has been to lead Field Meetings, mainly bird watching events during the migration season. She led at least fifteen Field Meetings from March 2002 and November 2010. The venues for these meetings included Keyhaven and Pennington Marshes; Titchfield Haven; ; Shatterford and Denny Wood in the ; Martin Down and Horn’s Drove Wood. The latter locality is a small block of woodland near Chris’s home in Rownhams, which the local parish council maintains as a nature sanctuary with limited public access. Chris had access to this reserve and she recorded the wildlife there and also organised practical conservation work at the site. Chris was also active in many other society activities; from 2000 she submitted records of birds, butterflies, dragonflies and ladybirds. During the 2002/3 dragonfly survey she monitored Fernyhurst Pond (Lord’s Hill), also near her home. In 2004/5 she greatly assisted the ladybird surveys and carried out a lot of work in encouraging the recording of ladybirds in primary schools in Southampton and in the waterside area. She continued to be actively involved in recording and society events up until March 2011, when she attended what sadly turned out to be her final Indoor Meeting. Rest in peace, Chris Phil Budd

- 5 - Field Meetings Report Riverside Park Date: 22nd January. Time: 13:30 to 15:30. Leader: Phil Budd. Purpose: Lichen identification. Attendance: 9. Weather: Dry, overcast and cold. Lichens: Species recorded on the bark of Poplar, and Norway included abundant Candelaria concolor, Melanohalea elegantula, Physcia grisea, Hyperphyscia adglutinata and Ramalina fastigiata. Poole Harbour Date: 29th January. Time: 10:30 to 15:30. Leader: Julian Moseley. Purpose: Good variety of duck, scarcer grebes, and possibly a visiting raptor. Attendance: 5. Weather: Overcast and very cold. Bird highlights: 4 Avocet, female Merlin, 3 Slavonian Grebe, 30 Black-tailed Godwit, Knot and Pintail. Hayling Oysterbeds Date: 27nd February. Time: 10:00 to 13:00. Leader: Julian Moseley. Purpose: Winter wildfowl and possibly raptors such as Peregrine or Merlin. Attendance: 12. Weather: sunny then rain, cold. Birds: 34 species of bird seen, plus possible female Merlin. Highlights were Mediterranean Gull, Spotted Redshank, 5 Red- breasted Merganser, Raven and Little Owl. Keyhaven Date: 6th March. Time: 14:00 to 17:00. Leader: Kathy Emmott. Purpose: Birds and late winter wildfowl. Attendance: 4. Weather: Mild and sunny. Birds: 36 (possibly 38) species. Highlights included Gadwall, Pintail, Red-breasted Merganser, Little Egret and possibly Dartford Warbler. Bishop’s Waltham Area Date: 12th March. Time: 10:30 to 15:20. Leader: Phil Budd. Purpose: Birds and early spring wildlife. Attendance: 11. Weather: Sunny and mild then cloudy and colder. Bird highlights: 43 species of birds seen including a Raven, 2 Buzzards, a Little Egret, 2 Linnets, singing Skylark and many other common species. No summer migrants yet. Other highlights: Brimstone and Tortoiseshell butterflies near Tangier Farm. Several interesting flowers such as Lesser Periwinkle, Lesser Daffodil, Garden Lungwort, Sweet Violet, Cowslip and Wood Anemone. Southampton Common Date: 3rd April. Time: 14:00 to 15:45. Purpose: Signs of spring. Attendance: 10 (public event). Weather: Mostly sunny and fairly warm. Highlights: Over 30 species of flowers, including Green Alkanet. Hairy-legged Flower Bee on Green Alkanet. Also Bee-fly and a displaying and very noisy male Goldcrest.

- 6 - Lord’s Wood Date: 9th April. Time: 10:30 to 13:30. Leader: Phil Budd and Graham Manchip. Purpose: Spring insects and wildlife. Attendance: 14. Weather: Sunny and very warm. Highlights: Coralroot Bittercress, Wood Horsetail with spore-producing cones, flowering June BerryAmelanchier lamarkii. A large colony of False Morel Gyromitra esculenta. Birds included Sparrowhawk. Also 4 species of butterfly. Weston Shore, West Wood and Sholing Valley Date: 17th April. Time: 10:00 to 13:50. Leader: Phil Budd. Purpose: Spring flowers, birds and insects. Attendance: 2 (extremely disappointing). Weather: Sunny and warm. Bird highlights: 34 species of birds, 2 Whitethroat and 2 Buzzards at Grange Fields. Rookery at Tickleford Pond Wood. 2 Stock Dove at Mayfield Park. 2 late Brent Goose on Weston Shore. highlights: Early Adela reaumurella (Green Longhorn ) at West Wood. Bee-fly and Hairy-legged Flower Bee on violets at St Mary’s Extra Cemetery. 5 common butterfly species. Flower highlights: 50 Green-winged Orchids out at St Mary’s Extra Cemetery; lots of Cowslip on Grange Fields; abundant Burrowing Clover on Weston Shore. Pig Bush Date: 1st May. Time: 04:15 start. Leader: Theo Jarman. Purpose: Dawn chorus. Attendance: Not recorded (joint with Hampshire Wildlife Trust). Weather: Cool and clear with east breeze. Birds heard: 19 species including Nightjar (2), Redstart, Garden and Wood Warblers and Redstart. Martin Down and Vernditch Chase Date: 7th May. Time: 10:30 to 15:30. Leader: Julian Moseley. Purpose: Orchids, possibly Turtle Dove, Nightingale and woodland butterflies. Attendance: Not recorded (joint with Hampshire Ornithological Society, HOS). Weather: Warm with sunny spells after night rain. Bird highlights: 2 Turtle Doves and a Cuckoo heard and many common song birds seen including Yellowhammer, Garden Warbler and Whitethroat. A curious raptor probably a sub-adult Montagu’s Harrier seen too. Other highlights: Poor for butterflies—only Common Blue, Small Heath, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood. Only one Burnt-tip Orchid in flower but 2 Bird’s-nest Orchids seen. Worth Matravers, Dorset Date: 14th May. Time: 10:30 to 15:30. Leader: Julian Moseley. Purpose: Coastal birds, possibly Peregrine and Raven, clifftop walk. Attendance: Not recorded (joint with HOS). Weather: Cool and sunny with north-westerly breeze. Highlights: 25 species of birds but only 3 species of butterfly. Usual birds on cliffs including Peregrine Falcon, Kittiwake, Guillemot and more surprisingly an Oystercatcher. Also Yellowhammer, Linnet and Rock Pipit.

- 7 - Ivy Wood and New Copse Inclosure Date: 22nd May. Time: 10:30 to 15:00. Leader: Phil Budd. Purpose: Pearl Bordered Fritillaries and other New Forest wildlife. Attendance: 7. Weather: Cloudy then mostly sunny but cool. Morning highlights at New Copse Inclosure: 6 Pearl- bordered Fritillary; rare longhorn Anoplodera sexguttata on Wood Spurge; Wood Warbler; Lesser Spotted Woodpecker; nesting Great Spotted Woodpecker. Afternoon highlights at Wootton Coppice Inclosure: 1 Pearl-bordered Fritillary; 5 Small PB Fritillary; Clouded Buff Moth; Rose Chafer; Bastard Balm; Smooth- leaved Iris Iris laevigata. , Test Valley Date: 29th May. Time: 10:00 to 14:00. Leader: Julian Moseley. Purpose: Nesting birds, butterflies and wildflowers.Attendance: 10 (joint with Hampshire Wildlife Trust). Weather: Cool, windy, sunny spells. Highlights: 18 common bird species; 9 butterfly species including Adonis Blue and Dingy Skipper; Garden Chafer; Cryptocephalus aureolus; 30 flowers including Pyramidal Orchid, Sainfoin, Dodder, Deadly Nightshade and Houndstongue. Blackwell Common Date: 4th June. Time: 21:15 to 23:00. Leader: Phil Budd. Purpose: Nightjars and other nocturnal wildlife. Attendance: 5. Weather: Mostly cloudy, warm, muggy, windy. Highlights: Due to windy conditions only one Nightjar heard briefly twice. Also a brood of Tawny Owl and one glow-worm—the latter in the north of the common. St. Catherine’s Hill Date: 12th June. Time: 11:00 to 13:15. Leader: David Hubble. Purpose: Insect galls and other wildlife. Attendance: 6. Weather: Continuous driving rain, cold and windy. Highlights: An interesting selection of galls and leaf mines including an unnamed rarity on drop-wort leaves. 22 species in total. Also despite weather a female Bullfinch, mullein moth larvae, a nymphPentatoma shield-bug and a male of the beetle Drilus flavescens. Low point: The appalling weather, just about the worst summers day ever known, but 6 hardy souls pressed on regardless. Southampton Common Date: 3rd July. Time: 14:00 to 15:15. Leader: Public event. Purpose: Insects and flowers. Attendance: 3. Weather: Sunny and very warm. Highlights: The small group walked around the Old Cemetery and saw some interesting flowers including the Orange Lily Lilium hollandicum. Also 10 species of butterfly including Marbled White, Holly Blue and Comma plus the hoverfly Cheilosia illustrata.

- 8 - Lord’s Wood Date: 9th July. Time: 10:30 to 14:00. Leader: Phil Budd and Graham Manchip. Purpose: Summer wildlife and butterfly identification. Attendance: 10. Weather: Sunny spells and a light shower. Butterfly highlights: A few Silver-washed Fritillary on Gypsy Mile, but no White Admiral as it was rather cloudy. Holly Blue and Comma among other species. Flora highlights: 5 species of fungi; flora such as Slender St John’s-wort, Betony and Yellow Loosestrife and Pale Sedge. Insect and fauna highlights: Numerous young Toads and Frogs. Gold-ringed Dragonfly, Woodland Grasshopper and insects on sweet chestnut blooms including Harlequin Longhorn . Hall Lands, Fair Date: 23rd July. Time: 21:00 to midnight. Leader: Phil Budd and Ginnie Copsey. Purpose: Moth lamp. Attendance: 5. Weather: Dry and mostly clear and cool. Highlights: 43 moth species. The most interesting were Black Arches, Buff Arches, Drinker, Rosy Footman, Small Rivulet, The Flame, and White Plume. Interesting but not good. Few other insects but two species of ichneumon and also 36 Hornets to the two lights!!!!! Three species were new to site—the Gelechid blandella, The Flame and White Plume Moth. Nursling and Lower Test Date: 30th July. Time: 14:00 to 17:00. Leader: Phil Budd. Purpose: Flora including Green-flowered Helleborine and Rampion Bellflower. Attendance: 8. Weather: Warm, cloudy then sunny. Flora highlights: One Green-flowered Helleborine at Lower Test and 13 Broad-leaved Helleborine at Nursling. Rampion Bellflower still in bloom at Nursling and Grey Field Speedwell at Station Road. Fauna highlights: 11 species of butterfly plus Brimstone Moth and Banded Demoiselle at Mill Lane, Nursling. At Lower Test moth aurana on hogweed and beetles Leptura quadrifasciata and Chrysolina herbacea. Hatchet Pond and Crockford Bog Date: 7th August. Time: 10:00 to mid-afternoon. Leader: Organised by Hampshire Conservation Volunteers. Purpose: Dragonflies and general interest. Attendance: 17. Weather: Sunny but cool and windy. Dragonflies: 6 damselfly species seen at Hatchet Pond and Crockford Medicinal Leech, including Southern Damselfly, Small Red Damselfly Hatchet Pond and Common Emerald. 5 species of dragonfly including Common Hawker. Flora highlights: Saw-wort and Strawberry Clover at Crockford. Lesser Bladderwort in bloom and 2 Bog Orchid (gone over) at Hatchet Pond. Other highlights at Hatchet Pond: Grayling and one Silver-studded Blue butterfly, Hornet Robberfly, Common Snipe and Dartford Warbler.

- 9 - Woodmill Date: 19th August. Time: 20:30 to 22:00. Leaders: Chris and Mike Pawling. Purpose: Bats and other nocturnal wildlife. Attendance: 7. Weather: Clear, dry, cool. Highlights: Several bats along River Itchen including Pipistrelle, Soprano Pipistrelle, Noctule, Daubenton’s and possibly Natterer’s Bats. Several species of spiders and one moth, probably Rosy Rustic, at lights under the new Man’s- bridge. Bishops Waltham area Date: 28th August. Time: 10:30 to 15:30. Leader: Phil Budd. Purpose: Birds and late summer wildlife. Attendance: 10 (joint with HOS). Weather: Sunny spells and cool. Bird highlights: 41 species of bird recorded. Highlights were 5+ Spotted Flycatcher at Park Lug and 2 Raven, Kingfisher and Yellow Wagtail (flying over) at Hamble valley and a late Swift east of Tangier Farm. Other highlights: Gold-ringed Dragonfly, both Demoiseselles Calopteryx sp; 2 Vapourer Moths; hoverflies including 2 Hornet Hoverflies Volucella zonaria; Red Underwing Moth; 2 Small-leaved Lime trees (on Park Lug) and several species of fungi. Calshot (colour plate 1) Date: 11th September. Time: 15:00 to 18:00. Leader: Andy Barker. Purpose: Seashore/low tide exploration. Attendance: 23. Weather: Partly sunny, fairly warm but very windy. Marine life highlights: Living Pacific Oysters Crassostrea gigas and American Hard Clam Mercenaria mercenaria, shells of Manila Clam Tapes phillipinarum, a Squat Lobster, Sea Slug Aeolidia papillosa laying eggs, Hairy Crab Pilumnus hirtellus, Hermit Crab Pagurus bernhardus and Korean Leathery Sea Squirt Styela clava. Flora highlights: 3 plants of the hybrid between Oxford Ragwort and Sticky Groundsel Senecio x subnebrodensis on shingle inside spit. Also on plant of Little Robin Geranium purpureum. Bishops Waltham Moors Date: 2nd October. Time: 10:00 to 12:20. Leader: Phil Budd. Purpose: Fungus foray. Attendance: 13 (Hampshire County Council event). Weather: Hot and sunny. Fungi highlights: Only 19 fungi in the very dry conditions, but Crab- scented Brittlegill Russula xerampelina, Livid Pinkgill Entoloma sinuatum, Slimy Waxcap Hygrocybe irrigata and Fibrous Waxcap Hygrocybe intermedia seen. Other highlights: A lot of broomrape Orobanche minor amongst red clover in one of the fields. 4 Buzzards over. Also Red admiral, small white and speckled wood butterflies and two of the striking yellow-and-brown spider Araneus marmoreus var. pyramidatus.

- 10 - Date: 9th October. Time: 10:00 to 15:00. Leader: Julian Moseley. Purpose: Migrants on the move. Departing summer visitors and arriving wildfowl. Attendance: 4. Weather: Dry and breezy with sunny spells. Highlights: 32 species of birds and mostly all of the expected species. Swallows were the only summer migrants seen. Winter duck such as Teal, Wigeon and Gadwall seen. Also Egyptian Goose seen. Butterflies included Red Admiral and Speckled Wood. Southampton Common (south) Date: 30th October. Time: 14:00 to 16:00. Leader: Phil Budd. Purpose: Fungus foray. Attendance: 18 including 4 SNHS members. Weather: Cloudy with drizzle then drier. Highlights: 24 species of fungi seen and many had appeared since the previous day. In the old cemetery a giant bracket on lime was Perenniporia fraxinea, also Yellowfoot Waxcap Hygrocybe flavipes, Common Cavalier Melanoleuca melaleuca and Redleg Toughshank Gymnopus erythropus in cemetery. Not much elsewhere on the Common. Lord’s Wood Date: 12th November. Time: 10:00 to 13:00. Leader: Phil Budd. Purpose: Birds and winter wildlife. Attendance: 6. Weather: Misty then sunny, very mild. Highlights: Only a few common birds, but Bank Vole seen in hedge at golf course. Very late Speckled Wood in Lord’s Wood and a few insects on ivy. Lots of fungi including several species of waxcap at the Sports Centre and Fenugreek Stiltball in Lord’s Wood. Eyeworth Pond, New Forest Date: 3rd December. Time: 10:30 to 15:30. Leader: Julian Moseley. Purpose: Winter raptors and Scandinavian thrushes. Attendance: 11 (joint with HOS). Weather: Mild and mostly sunny. Birds: 22 species recorded and nothing other than birds. Highlights included 6 Nuthatch (in one place), Redwing, Fieldfare, Dartford Warbler, 2 Raven, Siskin, Crossbill, Gadwall (Eyewoth Pond) and sub- adult male Hen Harrier. Christmas Birdwatch Date: 27th December. Time: 10:30 to 14:30. Leader: Phil Budd. Purpose: Christmas birdwatch. Attendance: 13 (joint with HOS). Weather: Overcast, dry and very mild. Birds: 36 species recorded; Riverside Park was the most interesting place with 2 Kingfishers, 2 Common Sandpipers and a singing Mistle Thrush. Very quiet in the ultra-mild conditions elsewhere, but Great Crested Grebe and 2 Great Black-backs at Windy Bay and 20+ Redshank on high tide roost below . Flora: Some Hazel catkins at Riverside Park and Stone Pine shown to the 8 people still left at the end. Sea Aster also in flower out of season at .

- 11 - Lord’s Wood Graham Manchip I want to share some thing that has been a passion of mine for the last sixty years—Lord’s Wood in Southampton. It has been a playground and a learning environment, and has nurtured a love of nature and all the wild things that roam in the woods. To the north of Southampton, with the arm of the M27 as its uppermost boundary, the Forestry Commission land spans this very busy motorway. In my very early years I would accompany my father to collect sticks for his runner beans and later would be one of the lads just hanging around looking for “stuff to do”. I was happy to explore its secrets evenings, weekends and school holidays. The 330 acres had areas of bombed craters and the odd house that had been damaged. The Gamekeeper’s cottage that stood to the left of the main gate of Gypsy Mile was a ruin, much loved by the boys. Indeed, when I was 8 years old we found an unexploded bomb here which we reported to the local Police Station after playing a game of catch with it! The woodlands consist largely of conifer species, but there are a percentage of broad-leafed trees, some mature, which were left by the Forestry Commission in the early plantings consisting of , Oak, Sweet Chestnut and Ash. There other species, but these are in a minority. In the early years, when fire was high risk, there were large water containers positioned at points throughout the wood. These were fantastic places to find dragonfly larvae. They were quite fearsome at first sight for a young boy, but I remember how fascinating I found them! For a brief period, five years to be exact, of my love affair with this wood, I was employed by the Forestry Commission to do the job of my dreams—to look after the wood, only on a part-time basis. I walked the wood by day and night (nothing new) and by night I found it more beneficial not to use light as I didn’t want to be seen by certain undesirables, i.e., poachers. This meant that I became very familiar with the tracks in the dark. However, I did carry a hunting lamp with a red filter so that I could see mammals without disturbing them. Of the many inhabitants of this wood, the roe deer are my favourite. Over the years I have seen many does, bucks and kids. So familiar with these has the relationship been that I have named every one of them. I have even seen a special relationship develop between a fox and a roe doe because I always saw them together, even at night, lying within feet of each other.

- 12 - Some of the badger setts are very old and I have taken particular care to ensure that they’re not disturbed, but what a treat if you are lucky enough to see one in early morning as he is making his way home from a night foraging!

I have watched the various fox families for so many years. In the good years the cubs have been numerous and overseen by the wonderful dog fox that has been dominant in that area for so long. What a magnificent alpha male he has been and you can see his legacy in his offspring as they wait to take over his territory. I will miss seeing him sunbathe on a summer morning in the meadow. At Lord’s Wood now I rarely miss a day’s visit, whatever the weather. I look forward to seeing the familiar insects, the bees, the hoverflies and the magnificent White Admiral and Silver Washed Fritillary, the spectacular Golden-ringed, Emperor and Hawker Dragonflies that grace the rides in summer. The Glow- worms, with their eerie green light, on night walks are a recent discovery. I am always looking and learning and there are things I have missed and there are things that I have yet to see, but that’s Lords Wood. Cherish the expected and expect the unexpected.

Ivy Mining Bee habitat (see pages 42-43)

- 13 - When TinyToadstools Aren’t Toadstools At All ... David Hubble In January, I was pointed towards a log cut from a fallen tree in my in-laws’ garden. On it was a fairly dried-out growth of moss on which were what looked like tiny (1–2 mm) fungal caps. I’m no mycologist, despite Phil Budd’s efforts to teach me, but I do find micro-fungi intriguing and happen to have a copy of Ellis & Ellis (1998) which is the standard work covering British micro-fungi on substrates other than vascular plants—for those you need Ellis & Ellis (1997). So, I had a look down the microscope and this is what I saw. The ‘toadstool’ itself is white with a split cup-like cap of about 1mm in diameter and a wrinkled stem that widens towards the base. The cap is granular beneath and bears hairs in the upper/outer surface.

Some moss-epiphytic micro-fungi have clear fringes of hairs around the edge of the cap. This doesn’t appear to be the case here—instead there appears to be an irregular tufting of hairs on the top of the cap with a few at the edge (for a while I wondered if they were the hyphae of an even smaller fungus such as a mould). Lastly, spores are an important feature used in the identification of micro-fungi. I collected some of these on a slide and they are clearly almost spherical and reddish-brown in colour, and each is about 10µm in diameter.

- 14 - Having considered various micro-fungi without finding anything quite right, I consulted the Hampshire Fungus Recording Group who suggested that this was not a fungus at all, but instead a myxomycete or ‘slime mould’ where the globular sporangium had broken open to reveal the network of spore-bearing hairs known as the capillitium. Taxonomically, myxomycetes are protozoans but traditionally treated as Spores (magnification x 100) ‘honorary’ fungi. So, swapping books to look at Ing (1999), it soon became clear that this was indeed a ‘myxo’. It also happened to be one that was relatively easy to identify from the keys and descriptions. The pale colour, size, stalk, open split ‘cap’ with the hairs of the capillitium, and spores (shape, size, colour, texture) combined to indicate that this is Physarum nutans—a common and widespread species, though rarely found on mosses (it is usually on dead wood or the bark of live trees). It is very similar in appearance to Didymium squamulosum but they can be separated by features such as the spores (in D. squamulosum they are dark brown in transmitted light whereas in P. nutans, as here, they are pale brown). An interesting record derived from an everyday observation. References Ellis, M.B. & Ellis, J.P. (1997). Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook. Richmond, Slough. Ellis, M.B. & Ellis, J.P. (1998). Microfungi on Miscellaneous Substrates: An Identification Handbook.Richmond, Slough. Ing, B. (1999). The Myxomycetes of Britain and Ireland: An Identification Handbook. Richmond, Slough.

Mutate, Mate, Sporulate! David Hubble It was January 2nd with Christmas and New Year just out of the way, and I was putting some festive items back in the loft. While there I noticed something which struck me as a little strange—two flies in the typical Entomophthora–infected posture with proboscis stuck to the substrate, abdomen lifted, wings spread (Entomophthora is a parasitic fungus that kills its insect hosts after modifying their behaviour to maximise spore dispersal and infection of new hosts), but indoors, attached to a skylight frame.

- 15 - In the photograph, you can see the reddish fungal mass spreading out from between the abdominal segments, the proboscis tightly stuck to the frame and some powdery white spores on the legs and abdomen. The fly is one of the house-flies (Muscidae), and to separate the genera, a key feature is wing venation. The bend in the discal vein (indicated by the arrow) means this is either Orthellia or Musca, but as the fly was clearly not metallic green, it is Musca, in this case M. domestica, the common house-fly. See d’Assis Fonseca (1968) for more on muscid identification. Looking more closely at the fungus and its fly host:

Views of the abdomen showing fungal mass and spores

Outdoors, this would be the typical method of spore dispersal as the spores are actively released and blow away or attach to other nearby flies, especially if there is direct physical contact. However, being indoors there is no wind and the spores have simply attached to the flies’ own bristles, although it is of course possible that other house-flies have been infected (window-frames are a common place to find infected flies, though I have not previously noticed them). To consider the basic structure and life cycle of the fungus in a little more detail, it is worth investigating the fine structure. Several structures can be seen here as indicated by the numbered arrows: (1) These are the asexual spores (conidia, singular = conidium) covered in a gelatinous coating that allows them to stick to flies once released, and are then seen as white powder attached to hairs and bristles. (2) These small round structures are the spores themselves without the gelatinous coating. (3) This is a coated spore attached to one of the elongate conidiophores, stalked structures which produce spores by mitosis.

- 16 - 3

2

1 1

Microscope ‘squash’ preparation of the fungal mass (magnification x400) In Entomophthora muscae (which is almost certainly the species of fungus seen here), once the host fly dies, the conidiophores emerge from between the abdominal segments (forming the fungal mass seen in the photos above), and produce primary spores. If, once released, they encounter a suitable host, the spores germinate quickly (within a few hours), a germ tube penetrating the insect’s cuticle. Once the tube reaches the heamocoel (fluid-filled cavity around the insect’s organs), the cytoplasm grows through the tube and into the haemolymph (effectively the mixture of ‘blood’ and other fluids that fill the haemocoel). Fungal hyphae then grow into the nervous system (as well as the rest of the body) causing the change in behaviour that induces host flies that are near death to climb to high points and adopt the typical posture mentioned before. The fungus also digests the fly’s gut causing death after around five to seven days. New conidiophores develop around three hours later and the cycle of infection continues. However, if there is no suitable host, spores may develop into smaller secondary conidiophores which produce secondary spores. So, a jolly start to 2012 with a gut-eating parasitic fungus—and evidence that even indoors there is some fascinating natural history to be found. Reference d’Assis Fonseca, E.C.M. (1968). Muscidae. Royal Entomological Society Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects 10(4b): 1-119.

Follow Dave’s blog on: http://davehubbleecology.blogspot.com/

- 17 - Now I Know Where My Sparrows Go To Sleep Darren Naish I’ve long had a special interest in the sleeping habits of small birds. At least some passerines secrete themselves away in crevices or thick foliage. I first became really interested in this subject after making one of my greatest natural history ‘discoveries’: a sleeping Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus that I encountered while it was tucked deep beneath the broken bark of a tree, just the tip of its tail betraying its presence. I didn’t have a camera with me at the time. And, yes, I (and a colleague) were creeping around in the woods, at night. Other passerines form huddles inside tree holes and nest boxes: cases where Eurasian Wrens Troglodytes troglodytes pack tightly into nest boxes and hirundine mud nests during the winter are well known, with the record being 63 individuals found in the same box. Unsurprisingly, birds at the bottom of such deep piles sometimes suffocate to death. House Sparrows Passer domesticus have been reported to use streetlight interiors as winter roosting locations. Still other species roost on branches, but typically huddled close to friends or relatives and mostly hidden by surrounding foliage. There are also passerine species that roost in caves (Diamond 1983), and then there’s the fact that various tits, kinglets, buntings and others excavate and roost in snow burrows (e.g., Bagg 1943, Lagerström 1979, Helle 1980). Then there are species that sleep in nests. Some species sleep on their nests prior to the laying of their first egg (e.g., phoebes) but don’t use the nest as a roost at other times of the year. The Curved-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre, which builds its nest in thorny cacti, is apparently unique in sleeping on its open-topped nest outside of the nesting season (Skutch 1960a). Other passerines that sleep in their nests outside the nesting season use covered nests. The use of such nests year-round is particularly well known for various tyrant flycatchers (e.g., Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher Myiobius sulphureipygius) (Skutch 1989). In some areas, the use of covered nests as roost sites is probably opportunistic and not really a necessity, but in others it may be necessary if the birds are to survive through the cold night (Skutch 1960a, Merola-Zwartjes 1998). Some passerines (e.g., Eye-ringed Flatbill Rhynchocyclus brevirostris, House Sparrow, Bananaquit Coereba flaveola, various wrens) are known to construct special dormitory nests or roost nests (Skutch 1960a, b, Jansen 1983, Merola- Zwartjes 1998). The immediate surrounds of my house are home to a small colony of House Sparrows. It can’t be easy for such birds to persist in sub-urban habitats given the committed efforts of local humans to remove all and any foliage. Anyway, my

- 18 - interest in passerine sleeping habits got me wondering: where do my sparrows go at night? I became determined to find out. As I’ve spent the last year or so discovering, determining exactly where small birds go as the sun starts to go down is surprisingly difficult. On several occasions I stayed out, watching the birds and waiting to see exactly where they go during dusk. This didn’t work; they simply flew around the building and out of sight. Given that they nest in my neighbour’s roof (but not mine), could they roost in my roof?

I crept, as quietly as possible, hidden in darkness, deep into the darkest recesses of the loft one night, armed only with a torch and a camera. Small apertures around one of the gables allow birds to enter the roof in a particularly inaccessible region. Turning the torch on only when I’d reached said inaccessible region, I found a lot of grass and feathers that perhaps indicated a previous nesting effort. But, alas, no sleeping birds. Then, some months later, I began to notice that small birds would sometimes fly off into the darkness whenever I left the house (at night) via the front door. I never got to see them, only hear them. Associated droppings revealed that an area right above the front door was being used as a roost site, and apparently on a regular (probably nightly) basis. To cut a very long story short, I eventually learnt that some of the local sparrows were spending their nights under the porch roof over my front door, perched on dead jasmine branches and pressed right up under the slanting roof. At times, at least three sparrows (one male and two females) shared the roost. I became determined to photograph them while minimising disturbance; alas, photographing them without one, two or all of them flying away proved just about impossible. The photograph you see here is the result. Finding sparrows roosting under the roof of my front porch isn’t exactly a revelatory scientific discovery, but it’s a very satisfying personal little discovery.

- 19 - References Bagg, A. M. 1943. Snow buntings burrowing into snowdrifts. The Auk 60, 445. Diamond, J. 1983. Melampitta gigantea: possible relation between feather structure and underground roosting habits. Condor 85, 89–91. Helle, P. 1980. A great tit Parus major roosting in snow. Ornis Fennica 57, 175–176. Jansen, R. R. 1983. House Sparrows build roost nests. The Loon 55, 64–65. Lagerström, M. 1979. Goldcrests Regulus regulus roosting in the snow. Ornis Fennica 56, 170–172. Merola-Zwartjes, M. (1998). Metabolic rate, temperature regulation, and the energetic implications of roost nests in the Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola). The Auk, 115, 780–786 Skutch, A. F. 1960a. The nest as a dormitory. Ibis 103, 50–70. Skutch A. F. 1960b. Life Histories of Central American Birds II: Families Vireonidae, Sylviidae, Turdidae, Troglodytidae, Paridae, Corvidae, Hirundinidae and Tyrannidae. (Pacific Coast Avifauna No. 34). Cooper Ornithological Society: Berkeley. Skutch A. F. 1989. Birds Asleep. University of Texas Press, Austin.

This article was adapted with Darren’s permission from his blog. Read more on: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/tetrapod-zoology/ (Tet Zoo ver 3) http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/ (Tet Zoo ver 2) http://svpow.wordpress.com/

- 20 - Weather Records 2011 Records made at 488 Bitterne Road East (SU454129) Phil Budd 2011 was a particularly warm year, about 1.5°C warmer than average. It was also a dry year (rainfall only about 85% average), but the sunshine totals were close to average. A generally mild but rather wet late winter period led on to an exceptionally hot and dry spring. Summer was again cool, damp and disappointing, especially June. Late September and October saw another spell of particularly dry, warm and sunny weather. Dry and mild conditions continued through November as well, but December, although again very mild, was rather wet and stormy. January saw a continuation of the icy weather of Christmas 2010 for the first six days and this ended with a spell of sleety rain at lunchtime on the 6th. However, the coldest day of the year was the 29th (maximum 2.8°C) and the coldest night of 2011 was the 30th/31st (-4.0°C). In between, the weather was mild and wet, with westerly winds up to 18th and cooler with dry easterlies thereafter. From 19th January to 4th February there was only 1mm rain—an exceptionally dry spell of winter weather. February was mild and mostly rather uneventful. A particular feature was the mildness of the night-time temperatures due to the prevailing southerly or westerly winds; only one slight air frost was recorded and that occurred on the 1st. The main event was the depression that passed over from the 13th to the 15th and which produced 29mm of rain in three days. The cloudiest period of the year also occurred in February as there was only 3 hours sunshine in the six days from the 18th to the 23rd. March was very much a case of spring come early, with temperatures averaging 2°C above normal and rainfall only 20% of normal. The first 12 days were completely dry and temperatures climbed above 18°C on four dates between the 15th and the 28th inclusive. From the 19th onwards the maximum temperature exceeded 10°C every day from then on (until 2nd December). However, there were several sharp frosts, the last of which occurred on the 19th in Bitterne and on the 20th in more rural locations. April turned out to be the most summer-like month of the year—even better than April 2010 in fact. Temperatures averaged 5–6°C above normal, with 16 days from the 6th exceeding 21°C (70°F) in Bitterne and no frosts recorded. 26.8°C (about 80°F) was reached on St George’s Day (23rd)! The longest spell of completely dry weather in 2011 was the 15 days from 15th to 29th April. Within this period were 10 consecutive days of over 10 hours’ sunshine from the 19th to

- 21 - the 28th. From the 6th to the 29th there were 24 days with no significant rain and the total for the month was only 3mm—it was probably the driest single month since August 1940 in Southampton! May started very dry and the tinder-like conditions resulted in a massive forest fire near Bracknell in Berkshire that took four days to control. Most of the 41mm rain in May fell on the 7th and 8th, particularly during the night-time thunderstorms in between these two days. May was also a sunny month, but not exceptionally warm as westerly winds dominated from the 8th onward. The most extreme temperatures occurred in the first week. In the early morning of the 4th a minimum of 2.2°C in Bitterne suggested the possibility of an air frost in some rural areas and the temperature in May never exceeded the 22.8°C maximum recorded on the 6th. June seemed somewhat disappointing with Atlantic westerlies dominating and about a third more rain than normal. However, the month started well, with the 3rd turning out to be both the warmest and the sunniest day of the year, with 29°C maximum temperatures and 15 hours of sunshine. After the thunderstorm on the evening of the 4th the middle of the month was cool and dull before continental south-eastely winds brought a brief heat wave on the 26th to the 28th. There was 17mm rain and maximum temperatures of 13.3°C on the coldest June day for nine years —the 13th, followed by 35mm rain from 16th to 18th. July was as ‘average’ month in every way, with typical anticyclonic westerlies prevailing. There were also very few features of interest. Two of the three hottest days—the 4th and the 28th coincided with rare wind shifts to a Continental south- easterly direction. The only other day, of note, was Saturday 16th when 12mm rain fell through the middle of the day to spoil many public events and weddings. August continued in the same vein after three days of hot south-easterly winds to start the month. However, it was a wetter month than July, with more frequent light or showery rain and three very wet days. On both the 4th and the 26th about 20mm of heavy, often thundery, rain fell from the middle of the night to late morning. But the 18th proved to be the wettest day of 2011, when 29.5mm rain fell up to early afternoon and the temperatures, confined to 14.4°C, were the coldest day maxima for August since 1986. There were also no very sunny days in August and only two days, the 1st and the 22nd, saw over 10 hours of sunshine. September was warmer than average as the prevailing westerlies that continued to dominate gradually turned more southerly. When south-easterly winds arrived on the 28th they brought the warmest weather of the month, with the mercury reaching 26.3°C on the 30th. However, there were two major storms in the first half of the month. On the 6th winds reached over 50 mph in Southampton and 14mm

- 22 - rain fell in one three-hour period. Then on the 11th the remnants of Hurricane Katia hit southern Scotland and another 15mm rain plus 50mph winds arrived in southern . Another downpour on the afternoon of the 18th brought 13mm rain in two hours and some bad flooding in Bitterne. October finally saw a return of summer, with temperatures around 2°C above normal and only half the usual rainfall. 2011 saw the driest autumn weather for 26 years as only 5mm rain fell from 22nd September to 24th October. There was no rain at all in the first half of that period up to 5th October. There were also six consecutive days with over 10 hours’ sunshine from 28th September to 3rd October and temperatures reaching close to an October record—27.0°C on the 1st. Dry, warm anticyclonic north-westerly winds dominated the middle of the month before easterlies arrived on the 23rd. Following this change there was finally some rain to encourage the fungi, with 33mm rain falling from the 25th to the 27th . November saw the only prolonged spell of easterly winds in the second half of 2011. They lasted from 23rd October to 20th November. However, when the westerly winds arrived subsequently, the weather stayed the same, generally very mild, dry and rather cloudy. Overall November saw half the normal rainfall and night-time minimum temperature 4°C above average and also no air frosts in Bitterne. Some rural areas did eventually see a frost on the 28th. Just to emphasise the night-time warmth, there were seven nights from the 8th to the 14th when temperatures remained above 10°C all night. The only other noteworthy event was the 19mm of rain that fell on Bitterne between 1am and 5am on the 4th, even heavier rain fell further north, with over 50mm in parts of Hampshire that morning. December was utterly dominated by west or south-westerly winds apart from a brief spell of northerlies from the 16th to the 18th. As a consequence, it was a very mild December, but rainfall and sunshine totals were about average. The first frost of the winter finally occurred on the 10th. But later in the month, the maximum temperatures reached 14°C twice—on the 21st and again on the 31st. The main feature of the month though, was the stormy second week. On the 8th Scotland suffered its worst storm for thirteen years. Although there were south-westerly gales in Southampton, the worst conditions for us occurred on the night of the 12th–13th when winds reached 65mph and 20mm rain fell. Phil Budd

- 23 - Month Maximum temperature Highest temperature Minimum temperature Lowest temperature No. of air frosts No. of wet days Total rainfall Sunshine

ºC ºF ºC ºC ºF ºC mm in hrs

Jan 7.1 44.8 11.9 2.7 36.9 -4.0 9 10 93.8 3.7 66.7 Feb 10.0 50.0 14.1 5.0 41.0 -0.1 1 14 80.3 3.1 53.6

Mar 13.6 56.5 18.7 3.7 38.7 -3.0 6 4 13.4 0.5 178.3 Apr 20.6 69.1 26.8 7.9 46.2 3.0 0 2 3.2 0.1 256.9 May 19.0 66.2 22.8 8.6 47.5 2.2 0 5 41.2 1.6 225.3 Jun 20.7 69.3 28.9 10.8 51.4 4.3 0 17 86.4 3.4 199.2 Jul 22.7 72.9 27.7 11.7 53.1 8.4 0 10 40.7 1.6 178.4 Aug 21.5 70.7 27.0 12.6 54.7 8.1 0 10 94.6 3.7 174.5 Sep 21.0 69.8 26.3 12.7 54.9 6.3 0 9 64.2 2.5 170.9 Oct 17.5 63.5 27.0 10.4 50.7 1.3 0 8 42.2 1.7 139.0 Nov 14.0 57.2 18.0 9.1 48.4 0.2 0 10 45.9 1.7 75.4 Dec 10.1 50.2 14.1 5.0 41.0 -1.2 3 17 85.2 3.4 73.6 Means/ 16.5 61.7 28.9 8.4 47.1 -4.0 19 116 691.1 27.2 1791.8 Totals

Note: A ‘wet day’ is one on which more than 1mm rain fell.

Tawny Owl at Mark Ash Wood - 24 - MEMBERS’ RECORDS FOR 2011

Contributors AJB Andy Barker ARC Andy Collins BD Bernard Dempsey BR Barrie Roberts CC Catherine Corney DA Debbie Allen DH David Hubble DS David Shute DT Dennis Trunecka EJC Eric Clement EW Ted Wills GC Ginnie Copsey GH-W Graham Harrison-Watts GM Graham Manchip GP Gary Palmer JM Julian Moseley JMH Joan & Mike Harrison JP John Poland JS Jan Schubert JV John Vetterlein KE Kathy Emmott KP Keith Plumridge LB Linda Barker MA Mauri Askell PBO Paul Brock PBU Peter Burford PW Paul Winter RN Rose Nichol SC Simon Currie TP Therasa Paul TR Tara Dempsey fm Field meeting mo Many observers Anon Anonymous non-member

Note: Any records that are not credited were those of Phil Budd (PB). Numbers after a date are the number recorded or maximum (max.) count. Road names without a town are in the City of Southampton. NF is New Forest. MV is Mercury Vapour lamp. CP refers to a colour plate.

Appeal for Help from your Committee We need new blood for the committee. In particular, we need a new Membership Secretary and a new Treasurer. We also need help with Publicity. These tasks need not involve a lot of time or even attendance at a committee meeting. If you are interested, talk to one of the current committe members listed on the back cover.

- 25 - 1, 4. Geastrum fimbriatum 1 (Sessile Earthstar) p28 2. Field Meeting at Calshot p10

3. Australian Flatworm, pp 27, 34

5. Bombus hypnorum defence posture p42

6. Burnished Brass, 3 Purewell Meadows

7. Blossom Underwing larva, being killed by 2 Wood Ants p39

8. Osmia rufa 5 Barton-on -Sea 4

Thanks to our photographers: Paul Brock, Phil Budd, 6 Ginnie Copsey, Simon Currie, Tara Dempsey, Dave Hubble, Gary Palmer, Keith Plumridge, Gordon Small, 7 8 John Vetterlein, Leah Whitty 1

2 3 1. Crocosmia paniculata Nursling 2. Silver-ground Carpet 5 7 near Swanmore 3. Droxford Church 4. Araneus quadratus 5. Bird’s Nest Orchid Little Wootton p32 6. Brussels Lace p39 7. Candle Snuff Fungus Lord’s Wood 8. Trichia decipiens 8 9. Nomada lathburiana female, Beckton Bunny 10. Fly Agaric 6 11. Rhingia rostrata Barton Common p45

4 9 10

11 1. White-letter Hairstreak p36 1 2. Rhodocollybia butyracea (atypical) Mark Ash Wood 5 3. Garden Tiger 4. Jersey Tiger p36 2 5. Alabonia geoffrella p37 6 6. Suillus variegatus Mark Ash Wood

7. Odonteus armiger 3 p44

8. Rhyssa persuasoria 7 Wootton

9. Conops versicularis p41 4 8

9 Our traditional method of compiling records for the Annual Report is to collate paper records at the end of the year and then embark on a very long-winded process of manually extracting these so as to obtain the report that you see. In the past this role has been taken on by one individual over countless cups of coffee whilst peering out at the normally leaden mid-winter skies. More than once past Recording Officers have surrendered after two or three annual doses of this effort. However, life is much easier now. Firstly, all of the records are entered into the Mapmate system, where they can easily be changed if later found to be erroneous. Also they can be manipulated into an Excel spreadsheet for the purposes of this report and also passed on easily to relevant county and national recorders. Secondly, most members report sightings as they see them or update the reports sections of our web-site. This has many advantages. It saves all the bother of collating a year’s worth of records at one go and it is easier for me as I don’t have to enter a huge number of records on Mapmate at one point of time. Thirdly, interesting or unusual records can be checked out at the time and not several months later. This latter point is very important, especially with regard to the more critical and difficult to identify groups of insects. Over 10,000 records from 2011 were entered on the society Mapmate system. This database now exceeds 80,000 records. All of the records except for those of birds are ultimately passed on to HBIC (Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre) and for some insect groups the records are being passed on to national databases. Recently all the Diptera (two-winged fly) records have been submitted to the Hampshire recorder and the Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, etc.) records have been submitted to the National scheme. Ladybird records submitted by members in the past have now been mapped in the new atlas (Roy H.E. et al., 2011). In addition, one of our members, Dave Hubble, collects records for Chrysomelidae (leaf beetles) and I am county recorder for Syrphidae (hoverflies). For birds the Hampshire Ornithological Society imposes complex rules which make it inappropriate for me to submit bird reports from other members to them However, most of the bird recorders within the society pass on records direct to HOS anyway. 2011 was a strange year for wildlife in the Southampton area. The main features were the incredibly hot and dry spring; another poor summer dominated by Atlantic winds (surely there must be a hot summer again soon) and then more real summer conditions in the autumn extending into an incredibly mild start to the winter. This all had profound effects, especially on the phenological aspect of the records. The fungus season of 2011 was particularly strange—there were two peaks corresponding with the wetter weather in early September and then another in

- 26 - November, when there was a particularly good flush of wax caps Hygrocybe species. There was an outstanding amount of fungi about as late as mid-December, but October was awful for most of the pre-arranged forays. The rapid spread of the alien stinkhorn Devil’s Fingers Clathrus archeri in the New Forest is a subject worthy of further investigation. There were many lichen records, but relatively few Bryophyte reports. I have shortened the lichen list to include the immediate area around Southampton, but there were several interesting trips to the New Forest with Neil Sanderson. I carried out a number of professional botanical surveys in 2011 and was also fortunate to be presented with opportunities to visit several private estates. Nevertheless, there were relatively few noteworthy records of native vascular plants. There were some good new records of non-native species, however, including the self-sowing Southern Nettle Tree Celtis australis at Shirley and presumably bird-sown Mountain Currant Ribes alpinum in private woodlands near Swanmore. There were a particularly high number of insect records this year, with probably a record number of records received. I would like to particularly thank Dave Hubble, Gary Palmer and a new member, Dennis Trunecka, for their efforts—as a result many under-recorded species of insects could be represented in the report this year. As indicated in the introductory section, it was a strange year for dates—for example a Speckled Wood out in Shirley on 4th March and a Common Darter still flying at Emer Bog on 7th December. There were rarities as well: for example a Vagrant Emperor Dragonfly in the New Forest seen by Paul Winter and a new moth for Hampshire—the southern European Pyralid Hymenia recurvalis in Keith Plumridge’s garden at Holbury. Of other invertebrates there were few Mollusc records, perhaps due to the dryness of 2011, but a good selection of spiders and gall mites. A particular item of interest was the Australian Flatworm (see colour plate 1) recorded at a garden near Otterbourne—an interesting but unwelcome predator of earthworms. I received the usual large number of bird records, including several from the influx of Waxwings early in the year and some other rarities then too—such as White-tailed Eagle and Red-breasted Goose. At the other end of the year there was no snow, but a ‘snowbird’ aka Dark-eyed Junco appeared in the New Forest. The continued success of certain species, such as Buzzard, Raven, Crossbill and Firecrest, was widely reported. Reference Roy, H.E. et al. (2011) The Ladybirds (Coccinellidae) of Britain and Ireland— An Atlas of the Ladybirds of Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. FSC Publications; Shrewsbury.

- 27 - MYCOTA FUNGI Amanita ceciliae (Snakeskin Grisette) Swanmore (private land) 10/7 Amanita gemmata (Jewelled Amanita) Shirley Holms 20/12 (GP) Arrhenia griseopallida (a fungus) Janesmoor Plain 28/11 Arrhenia retiruga Upham (private land) 5/12 Boletus aestivalis (Summer Bolete) Chessel Bay 12/10 Boletus calopus (Bitter Bolete) Marlborough Deeps, NF 13/9. Holidays Hill reptilary 28/10 Boletus impolitus (Iodine Bolete) Botley Rd, Swanwick 23/10 (anon) Boletus satanoides (a rare bolete) Marlborough Deeps, Little Wootton 1/9 (4) (GP) Calvatia gigantea (Giant Puffball) R Hamble at Park Lug 28/8. West End Church 22/7 (GM) Clathrus archeri (Devil’s Fingers) Longslade, NF 25/9 (anon). Setley Plain 27/9 (SC). Crockford Bridge—south of Crockford Clump 4/10. Shirley Holms 15/11 (GP) Coltricia perennis (Tiger’s Eye Fungus) Burbush, NF—along old railway line 7/8 (SC). Ashley Heath 22/10 (anon) Coprinus picaceus (Magpie Inkcap) Penerley Wood 17/10 (anon)—uncommon in NF Cordyceps militaris (Scarlet Caterpillar Club) Knightwood Inclosure 23/1 (SC). Holidays Hill Inclosure, NF 28/10 Cortinarius bolaris (Dappled Webcap) Zionshill Copse 25/9—unusual away from NF Cortinarius delibutus (Yellow Webcap) Southampton Common 24/9 (fm) Cortinarius speciosissimus (Deadly Webcap) Kings Garn Inclosure 10/10, found under Sitka Spruce Cortinarius torvus (Stocking Webcap) Marlborough Deeps, NF 13/9 Crucibulum leave (Bird’s-nest Fungus) By A3024 between KFC and Carey Rd 1/11, on bark mulch Exobasidium japonicum St Mary’s Rd, Bishopstoke 22/5 (DH)—a fungus that forms galls on Azalea Geastrum fimbriatum (Sessile Earthstar) Hop Inn, Woodmill Lane 2/11, in a flower bed (BD). Longmeadow Wood, Barton-on-Sea 16/11 (GP) (CP1) Geastrum triplex (Giant Earthstar) Rosoman Rd, Sholing 10/11 (CC). Longmeadow Wood, Barton-on-Sea 30/11 (GP) Gymnopus fuscopurpureus Ogdens area, NF 20/11 Gyromitra esculenta (False Morel) Lord’s Wood 3/4 (80) (GM) Hericium erinaceum (Hedgehog Fungus) Eyeworth Wood, Fritham 17/9 (SC). James Hill, Emery Down 18/9 (SC)

- 28 - Hydnellum spongiosipes (Velvet Tooth) Marlborough Deeps, NF 13/9 Hygrocybe calyptriformis (Pink Waxcap) Swanmore (private land) 9/9 (1). Southampton Old Cemetery 19/9 (5). Albert Rd Cemetery, Hedge End 1/11 (2) Hygrocybe flavipes (a waxcap) Southampton Old Cemetery 30/10 Hygrocybe intermedia (Fibrous Waxcap) The Moors, Bishop’s Waltham 2/10 Hygrocybe splendidissima (Splendid Waxcap) Brownhill Inclosure near to Homesley Toll House 21/10 (JMH) Hygrophorus dichrous (=H.persoonii) (a woodwax) Upham (private land) 5/12, in beech wood Hypomyces tulasneanus (a parasitic fungus) Thornhill Park Rd, near Woodland Close 22/9, on specimens of Lactarius controversus (anon) Inocybe bongardii (Fruity Fibrecap) Hollands Wood Drive, New Milton 1/12 (GP). Swanmore (private land) 9/9 Inocybe fraudans ( Fibrecap) South-west of Cheesefoot Head 22/9 Inocybe lacera (Torn Fibrecap) Southampton Common 21/9 (fm) Ischnoderma benzoinum (Pine Mazegill) Little Wootton Inclosure 26/9 (SC). Kings Garn Inclosure 10/10, on Pseudotsuga Lactarius hysginus (a milkcap) Kings Garn Inclosure 28/11 Lactarius pyrogalus (Fiery Milkcap) Cullwood, New Milton 1/12 (GP). Testwood Lakes, Totton 3/12. Hatch Bottom, West End 7/12 Lactarius quieticolor (a milkcap) Little Wootton Inclosure 13/9 Lepiota josserandii (a dapperling) Jurd’s Lake, Weston 15/11. Shirley Holms 15/11 (GP) Lepiota ventriosospora (= L.Magnispora) (a dapperling) Longmeadow Wood, Barton-on-Sea 24/11 (GP) Lepista saeva (Field Blewit) A3024, The Target, Hightown 12/12 Leucoagaricus carneifolius (a dapperling) Jurd’s Lake, Weston 15/11— second Southampton record Macrocystidia cucumis (Cucumber Cap) Upham (private land) 5/12 Macrolepiota konradii (a parasol) Swanmore (private land) 14/11. Shirley Holms 15/11 (GP) Melanoleuca cognata (Spring Cavalier) Southampton Old Cemetery 27/6 Mitrula paludosa (Bog Beacon) Dymer’s Wood, Lord’s Wood 9/4 (GM)— unusual away from NF Mutinus caninus (Dog Stinkhorn) Yew Tree Hill, Busketts 26/9 (SC)— uncommon in NF Perenniporia fraxinea (a bracket fungus) Southampton Old Cemetery 30/10, on a mature lime tree Phragmidium tuberculatum (a rust fungus) St Catherine’s Hill, Winchester 12/6, found on Rosa rubiginosa (DH)

- 29 - Pleurotellus herbarum Ogdens area, NF 20/11 Pleurotus pulmonarius (Pale Oyster) Lord’s Wood 6/8 (GM) Pluteus umbrosus (Velvet Shield) Talbot Drive, Highcliff 28/11 (GP) Podoscypha multizonata (Zoned Rosette Fungus) Swanmore (private land) 9/9 Pseudocraterellus sinuosus (Sinuous Chanterelle) Bramshaw Wood 11/10 (anon) Ramaria ochraceovirens (a coral fungus) Southampton Old Cemetery 15/1, under Lawson’s Cypress Ramaria pallida (a coral fungus) Marlborough Deeps, NF 26/9 (SC) Russula luteotacta (a brittlegill) Swanmore (private land) 9/9 Russula risigallina (Golden Brittlegill) Holidays Hill 28/10 Sarcodon squamosus (Scaly Tooth Fungus) Town Common, Christchurch 27/11 (anon)—second record in current county of Dorset Taphrina carpini (a parasitic fungus) Freemantle Common, Bitterne 10/6, witches brooms on Hornbeam (DT) Tricholoma acerbum (a knight) Holywell Estate 9/9 Trichophaea hemisphaerioides (a disc fungus) Copythorne Common 27/8, with Funaria moss at old fire site Triphragmidium ulmariae (a rust fungus) Itchen Stoke Mill 29/5, on Filipendula ulmariae (DH) Xerocomus ferrugineus (a bolete) Marlborough Deeps, Little Wootton 1/9 (4) (GP)

LICHENS Cladonia incrassata Copythorne Common 27/8, seen on rotten stump (mo) Melanohalea elegantula Riverside Park 22/1, on poplar bark Melanohalea laciniatula —by Peartree Rd 4/2, on lime bark. Inner Ave—central strip 9/2, on lime bark. Park Lug near Tangier Farm 20/2, on Ash trunk—an increasing species Parmelina tiliacea Southampton Common 22/1—two new sites found Parmotrema reticulatum Southampton Common 22/1, on fallen oak—first record on Southampton Common Peltigera hymenina Nursling Industrial Estate 14/8. Upper Northam Drive, Hedge End 24/12 Porpidia cinereoatra Droxford Church 22/12, on iron-flushed flints on south side of church

Phil Budd and Eric Clements examining a gravestone - 30 - FLORA BRYOPHYTES Dicranum spurium (Rusty Fork-moss) Black Barrow, NF 13/7. Copythorne Common 27/8 Microbryum davallianum (Smallest Pottia) Ridge Copse 4/3, on bare clay Scleropodium cespitans (Tufted Feather-moss) Southampton Common 3/4, along tarmac path north of Cowherds Splachnum ampullaceum (Cruet Collar-moss) Mogshade Hill – north-west of Boldrewood 18/6, abundantly fruiting LIVERWORTS Riccia cavernosa (Cavernous Crystalwort) Breamore Marsh 9/8, abundant on dried mud VASCULAR PLANTS Native Species Anacamptis pyramidalis (Pyramidal Orchid) Meadows 6/6 (anon) Botrychium lunaria (Moonwort) Ocknell Pond area 4/6 (SC) Carex strigosa (Thin-spiked Wood-sedge) Swanmore (private land) 9/9 (GC) Clinopodium acinos (Basil Thyme) Copythorne Common 27/8 (mo)— a new site and probably new to NF Cochlearia danica (Danish Scurvygrass) Thornhill Park Rd, near Woodland Close 2/4 Cyperus longus (Galingale) Cutbush Hidden Pond 18/10 Dactylorhiza incarnata subsp. incarnata (Early Marsh-orchid) Swanmore (private land) 18/5 Dryopteris x complexa (D. affinis x filix-mas)Warsash Common 15/8 Dryopteris x deweveri (D. carthusiana x dilatata) Swanmore (private land) 18/5 Equisetum hyemale (Rough Horsetail) Aldermoor Copse 14/8—still present in quantity Erodium maritimum (Sea Stork’s-bill) Abbott’s Well car park NF 9/8— probably a new site Galeopsis angustifolia (Red Hemp-nettle) Morn Hill 30/8, 15 plants on bare chalk cutting Gentiana pneumonanthe (Marsh Gentian) Stephill Bottom, Pigbush 27/8 (135) (SC) Geranium purpureum (Little-Robin) Calshot—west side of spit south of castle 11/9, one plant on shingle (fm) Hieracium umbellatum (Umbellate Hawkweed) Weston Common 8/7— persistent on heathland remnant Koeleria macrantha (Crested Hair-grass) Southampton Old Cemetery 4/6— very unusual in Southampton Misopates orontium (Lesser Snapdragon) Highbridge Farm 2/7, 6 plants in flower (DH)

- 31 - Neottia nidus-avis (Bird’s-nest Orchid) Marlborough Deeps, Little Wootton 3/5, one plant at base of beech tree (CP3) Neottia ovata (Common Twayblade) Swanmore (private land) 18/5, one plant— unusual off chalk cataria (Cat-mint) Telegraph Hill, Chilcomb 22/9, 12 plants—a good year for it Ophrys apifera (Bee Orchid) Osmunds Bushes, Homesley 4/6 (SC), one plant near former Homesley colony. Bitterne—between A334 and A3024 26/5, 10 plants at a new site in Bitterne Orobanche hederae (Ivy Broomrape) Riverside Park—below Woodmill 25/7, 60 plants at a new site Orobanche minor (Common Broomrape) Bishops Waltham Moors 2/10, 50+ plants in flower and parasitising red clover Poa compressa (Flattened Meadow-grass) Calshot—inside of spit near to activities centre 13/9 Puccinellia distans (Reflexed Saltmarsh-grass) Windy Bay, Northam 14/8— new to this site Ranunculus parviflorus (Small-flowered Buttercup) Swanmore (private land) 11/4, 50 plants at inland site Rosa obtusifolia (Round-leaved Dog-rose) Warsash Common 19/7 Rosa stylosa (Short-styled Field-rose) Southampton Old Cemetery 18/7 Rosa x dumalis (R. caesia x canina) The Field, Freemantle 14/8, Tarmac area of former car park Ruscus aculeatus (Butcher’s-broom) Cutbush Lane cutting, West End 1/6 (DT). Hum Hole by Glenfield School 6/6 (DT). Archery Rd Recreation 23/11 (DT) Senecio x baxteri (S. squalidus x vulgaris) The Field, Freemantle 14/8 (EJC) Senecio x subnebrodensis (S. squalidus x viscosus) Calshot foreshore—inside of spit 11/9 Stachys x ambigua (S. palustris x sylvatica) Warsash Common 21/6, found at two sites Verbena officinalis (Vervain) Bishopstoke 26/5, one plant self-sown in garden (DH) Viola lactea (Pale Dog-violet) Southampton Common—Reservoir east 23/4— a strong colony surviving Non-native Species (aliens/naturalisations/escapes) Alnus cordata (Italian Alder) Hannay Rise 26/8, seedling about 4 ft high in an old drainage channel Amelanchier lamarckii (Juneberry) Warsash Common 21/4, two self-sown at different sites Celastrus orbiculatus (Staff-vine) Marlhill Copse—arboretum 30/5, still flourishing here and seen in bloom Celtis australis (Southern Nettle Tree) Grove Rd 14/8, 27 seedlings around church and possibly first for Britain. Confirmed by EJC Dianthus armeria (Deptford Pink) Hazeldene Burseldon 4/7, self-sown in garden

- 32 - Duchesnea indica (Yellow-flowered Strawberry) Upham (private land) 15/10, colonies 3 x 3 metres in extent Euphorbia amygdaloides subsp. robbiae (Turkish Wood Spurge) Sports Centre—north-east of dry ski slope 9/11, escaped from gardens Galanthus nivalis (Snowdrop) R Hamble east of Park Lug 20/2, colony well away from gardens Gaudinia fragilis (French -grass) Thornhill Park Wood—above Masefield Green 31/5, seven distinct colonies on top of bank, first found in 2003 Gunnera manicata (Brazilian Giant-rhubarb) Allington Lane—by stream near A27 junction 28/7 (DT) Iris laevigata (Smooth-leaved Iris) Wootton Coppice Inclosure 22/5 (fm) Kalmia latifolia (Mountain-laurel) Marlhill Copse—arboretum 30/5 (JP) Lagurus ovatus (Hare’s-tail) Town Quay—south end 29/4 Lonicera tatarica (Tartarian Honeysuckle) Warsash Common 15/8, one bush in woodland Malcolmia maritima (Virginia Stock) Windy Bay, Northam 17/5, on disturbed ground by Horseshoe Bridge Myrica pensylvanica (Bayberry) Scrape Bottom, Homesley 13/7, survived controlled burn earlier in the year Narcissus bulbocodium (Hoop-petticoat Daffodil) Southampton Old Cemetery 12/3, one plant (JV) Phacelia tanacetifolia (Phacelia) North Pond, Bishop’s Waltham 28/8, in completely dried-up pond (GC) Photinia davidiana (Stranvaesia) Warsash Common 6/4, one probably bird-sown serotina (Rum Cherry) Red Lodge Woods, Sports Centre 9/11, two probably bird-sown Rapistrum rugosum (Bastard Cabbage) Nursling Industrial Estate near Tesco’s depot 14/8, abundant on bank Ribes alpinum (Mountain Currant) Swanmore (private land) 10/7, bird-sown at three sites—probably new to Hampshire Senecio inaequidens (Narrow-leaved Ragwort) Windy Bay, Northam 14/8, two at a new site near to Horseshoe Bridge Sequoia sempervirens (Coastal Redwood) Lord’s Wood—near Castle Hill 9/7, one self-sown tree Solidago gigantean (Early Goldenrod) Warsash Common 21/6, a large colony Spartium junceum (Spanish Broom) Manor House Ave, Millbrook 27/9, two plants on wasteground Symphoricarpos x chenaultii (Hybrid Coralberry) Millyford Bridge car park 30/12, two naturalised. ID confirmed by EJC

- 33 - Thalictrum aquilegiifolium (French Meadow-rue) Purewell Meadow, near Christchurch 11/5, naturalised platyphyllos (Large-leaved Lime) Warsash Common 15/8, two 12m tall trees of the Continental subspecies platyphyllos Verbena x hybrida Thornhill Roundabout 10/6, two plants (DT) Vicia tenuifolia (Fine-leaved Vetch) Gullycroft Mead, Hedge End 1/11, 10 plants by Turnpike Way FAUNA INVERTEBRATES PLANARIA (flat-worms and flukes) Australoplana sanguinea (Australian Flatworm) Boyatt Lane garden 16/4, found with transported plant (DH) (CP1) CRUSTACEA (Woodlice) Platyarthrus hoffmannseggi (Ant woodlouse) Manor Farm Allotments, Bishopstoke 21/3 (DH), 5 in nest of the ant Lasius flavus ARACHNIDA Acari (Gall Mites) Aceria eriobius St Catherine’s Hill,Winchester 12/6, gall (DH/fm) Aceria lateannulatus St Catherine’s Hill,Winchester 12/6, gall (DH/fm) Aceria pseudoplatani St Catherine’s Hill,Winchester 12/6, gall (DH/fm) Epitrimerus trilobus St Catherine’s Hill,Winchester 12/6, gall (DH/fm) Eriophyes convolvens St Catherine’s Hill,Winchester 12/6, gall (DH/fm) Eriophyes prunispinosae St Catherine’s Hill,Winchester 12/6, gall (DH/fm) Eriosoma lanuginosum (Fig Gall) Peartree Green—north of Peartree Close 4/2, 50+ galls abundant on five youngUlmus minor Aranae (Spiders) Araneus angulatus Lord’s Wood 9/4 Araneus marmoreus var. pyramidatus The Moors, Bishop’s Waltham 2/10, females with webs on brambles. Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 17/9, female in polytunnel frame (DH) Atypus affinis Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 2/4, colony at front of house, including 10 webs (DT) Cicurina cicur St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 6/3, 3 in shed (DH) Dysdera crocata St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 28/8 in woodpile— a predator of woodlice (DH) Herpyllus blackwalli Bitterne Rd East 6/4, female on garage Hypsosinga sanguinea St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 29/4 (DH)

- 34 - Marpissa muscosa Swanmore (private land) 10/7/, beaten off Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir) Nesticus cellulanus Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 24/7, under bin (DT) Philodromus albidus Southampton Old Cemetery 23/3, immature specimen off Viburnum tinus Philodromus collinus Swanmore (private land) 10/7, beaten off Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir) Segestria florentina St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 22/3 (DH). Maybush—private garden 31/3, 14/5 (2) (GM) Segestria senoculata Testwood Crescent, Totton 7/4. Bitterne Rd East 16/4, at night—in web on side fence Sitticus pubescens Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 15/3, 7/7 (DT) Tegenaria silvestris St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 10/9, in woodpile (DH) INSECTS Ephemeroptera (Mayflies) Ephemera vulgata (Drake Mackerel Mayfly) R Itchen at Bishopstoke 12/5 (DH) Heptagenia sulphurea (The Yellow Mayfly) Stockbridge Common 15/4, nymph in Court River Nigrobaetis niger aka Baetis niger (Southern Iron Blue) R Itchen at Bishopstoke 6/10, numerous (DH) Serratella ignita (Blue-winged Olive) Itchen Stoke Mill 29/5 (DH) ODONATA Dragonflies Black-tailed Skimmer Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 21/5 (4) (DH)—first of year Broad-bodied Chaser Cadnam Common 23/4 (13) (PW)—first of year Brown Hawker Dur Hill Pond, NF 20/8 (SC) Common Darter Lord’s Wood 13/5 (GM)—extremely early. Emer Bog NR 7/12 (anon)—very late Common Hawker Crockford Bridge 7/8 (DH, fm). Burbush, NF—along old railway line 7/8 (SC) Downy Emerald Ornamental Lake, Southampton Common 16/5 (PW). Pond at Little Hatchet Pond car park 16/5 (SC) Emperor Dragonfly Tom’s Down and Mopley Pond, Badminston Common 23/4, (PW)—a very early male Golden-ringed Dragonfly central NF 2/10 (TR)—a late date Hairy Dragonfly Crockford Bridge 20/4 (PW) Migrant Hawker Lower Test Reserve—South Hide 12/11 (PW)—latest date Red-veined Darter Boating Lake, Southampton Common 1/8 (PW). Badminston Gravel Pits 28/9 (PW)

- 35 - Ruddy Darter Swanmore (private land) 27/7, 13 at woodland lake; 9/9 (8). Central NF 2/10 (TR)—a late date Southern Hawker Ogdens area, NF 20/11, patrolling western edge of Hasley Inclosure. Tucker’s Bridge Pond, NF 27/11, copulating and ovipositing (PW) Vagrant Emperor Dragonfly Denny Lodge Inclosure—250m north of Tudor’s Bridge 8/5 (PW)—a rare, but increasingly sighted, vagrant Damselflies Azure Damselfly Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 30/4 (DH)—earliest date Banded Demoiselle Stockbridge Common 15/4, nymph in Court River. R Hamble east of Park Lug 28/8—latest date Beautiful Demoiselle Crockford Bridge 25/4 (SC)—earliest date. R Hamble east of Park Lug 28/8l—latest date Common Blue Damselfly Tom’s Down and Mopley Pond, Badminston Common 23/4 (PW)—earliest date Large Red Damselfly Soarley , NF 9/4 (TR)—earliest date Small Red Damselfly Shirley Holms 25/5 (PW)—earliest date Plecoptera (Stoneflies) Isoperla grammatica Itchen Stoke Mill 29/5 (DH) Leuctra geniculata near Holidays Hill Reptiliary 28/10 Nemoura cinerea Itchen Stoke Mill 29/5 (DH)

ORTHOPTERA (Grasshoppers and Crickets) Chorthippus vagans (Heath Grasshopper) Brown Loaf, near Durley, NF 24/7 (SC). Bisterne Common—sandy banks 20/8 Metrioptera roeselii (Roesel’s Bush Cricket) Cedar Ave, Shirley 6/8, Diluta form of female (GM) Myrmeleotettix maculatus (Mottled Grasshopper) Ogdens—west 20/11— a very late date DICTYOPTERA Ectobius panzeri (Lesser Cockroach) Black Barrow, NF 13/7, nymph. Beckton Bunny 24/7, nymph (GP). Highcliff undercliff 28/7, seen at night. Copythorne Common 27/8 Ectobius pallidus (Tawny cockroach) Lord’s Wood 16/5 (GM) HEMIPTERA (True bugs) Aphanus rolandri (a bug) Little Anglesey Rd, Alverstoke 16/5 (DA) Aradus depressus (a flatbug) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 1/11, in firewood store (DH) Canthophorus impressus (Down Shieldbug) Magdalen Hill Down 17/4 (5) (DS)—new to this site

- 36 - Cardiastethus fasciiventris (a bug) Stanpit Marsh 24/8 Chilacis typhae (Reedmace Bug) Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 23/7— several on Typha (DH) Coranus subapterus (Heath Assassin Bug) Black Barrow, NF 13/7. Brown Loaf, near Durley, NF 24/7 (SC) Corizus hyoscyamii (a Rhopalid bug) Longstock Park 5/8, on an unknown Labiate in gardens next to nursery. Near Knowle village (private land) 25/5, on Sinapis arvensis Gonocerus acuteangulatus (Box Bug) Newtown Rd, 20/4, actually on box unusually Micronecta minutissima (a bug) Stockbridge Common 15/4, in Court River Palomena prasina (Common Green Shieldbug) Mill Pond Rd, 17/2 (20) (DA)—a very early date Picromerus bidens (Spiked Shieldbug) Telegraph Hill, Chilcomb 22/9. Butser Hill 29/6, nymph (anon) Plinthisus brevipennis (a bug) Southampton Old Cemetery 18/7 Rhopalus maculatus (a bug) Wootton Coppice Inclosure 21/4 (GP) Sehirus luctuosus (Forget-me-not Shieldbug) Shirley Holms 26/5 (GP) Stictopleurus abutilon (a Rhopalid bug) Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 13/8, on Cirsium (DH) Syromastes rhombeus (Rhombic Leatherbug) Shirley Holms 19/4 (GP) Velia caprai (Water Cricket) Andrew’s (=East) Park 13/6, 4 on pond in rockery garden Xylocoris cursitans (a bug) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 28/10, in firewood store (DH) Zicrona caerulea (Blue Shieldbug) Hawkhill Inclosure, NF 28/6 (SC) Southampton Old Cemetery 4/6 (PBO). Near Knowle Village 19/8 Butterflies Brimstone Renda Rd, Holbury 24/2 (KP)—earliest date. Swanmore (private land) 13/10 (mo)—latest date Brown Argus Mill Pond Rd, Gosport 20/8 (DA)—an urban site. Barton Common 14/8 (GP)—a heathland site. Mansbridge Fen 26/6 (anon)—an urban site Clouded Yellow Southbourne 21/4 (KP)—the only report this year Comma Bitterne Allotments 2/3—earliest date Common Blue Hatch Grange Park, West End 14/10, a worn male (DT) —the latest date

- 37 - Dark Green Fritillary Wootton Coppice Inclosure, NF 26/6 (SC). Hawkhill Inclosure, NF 28/6 (SC). Ashurst Railway Station, NF 30/6. West of Crockford Bridge, NF 30/6 (5). Whiteley Pastures 14/7 (JV) Dingy Skipper Grange Fields, Netley 20/5 (ARC)—very rare in Southampton area Gatekeeper Swanmore (private land) 9/9—latest date Duke of Burgundy Swanmore (private land)18/5 (mo)—distant from any known colonies Green Hairstreak Crockford Bridge 25/4 (SC)—earliest date. Kathleen Rd, Sholing 13/5, new to garden (ARC) Green-veined White Warsash Common 6/4—earliest date Grizzled Skipper Wootton Coppice Inclosure 22/4 (SC). Crockford Bridge 25/4 (SC). West edge of Marlborough Deeps, Little Wootton 3–7/5 (SC). Sheepwash Pond area, East End 16/5 (SC) Holly Blue Cedar Ave, Shirley 27/3 (2) (GM)—earliest date. Swanmore (private land) 13/10 (JV)—latest date Large Skipper Botley Wood 24/5 (4)—an early date Meadow Brown Hall Lands Copse, Fair Oak 30/9 (GC)—latest date Orange-tip Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 6/4 (DT)—joint earliest date. Hazeldene Burseldon 6/4 (PBU)—joint earliest date. Warsash Common 6/4 (3)—joint earliest date Painted Lady Hannay Rise 31/5 on Rubus flowers. Swanmore (private land) 3/7 (JV). Magdalen Hill Down Extension 16/9. Renda Rd, Holbury 17/9, 28/9 (KP) Peacock Great Goswell Copse—clearing in wood 9/10—latest date Pearl-bordered Fritillary NF—seen at five localities 22/4 (mo). Latest date was 22/5 Red Admiral Poundhill Inclosure 12/2 (SC)—earliest date. Renda Rd, Holbury 22/12 (KP)—joint latest date. Cedar Ave, Shirley 22/12 (GM)—joint latest date Silver-washed Fritillary Southampton Old Cemetery 26/6. Hall Lands Copse, Fair Oak 1/7, garden record (GC). Swanmore (private land) 3/7 (70) (JV) Small Copper Magdalen Hill Down Extension 20/4 (6) (anon)—earliest date. Renda Rd, Holbury 13/10 (KP)—a late date. Southampton Sports Centre west 15/10—latest date Small Skipper Lord’s Wood 3/6 (GM)—earliest date Small Tortoiseshell Shirley Valley 4/3 (ARC)—earliest date. Fishery Lake, Sparsholt College 7/10—latest date Small White Shirley Valley 21/3 (ARC)—earliest date. Swanmore (private land) 13/10 (mo)—latest date

- 38 - Speckled Wood Shirley Valley 4/3 (ARC)—earliest date and probably the earliest ever in Hampshire. Swanmore (private land) 16/3 (anon)—second earliest date. Lord’s Wood 17/11 (GM)—latest date Wall Keyhaven 5/5 (2) (KP)—the only report this year White Admiral Lord’s Wood 19/6 (2) (GM)—earliest date White-letter Hairstreak Peartree Green 23/6 (10); 26/6 (7) (GP) (CP4) Macro-Moths Alder Moth Lord’s Wood 22/7 (GM) Blossom Underwing New Copse Inclosure 22/5, larava being killed by Formica ants (fm) (CP1) Barred Umber Swanmore (private land) 24/5 Bordered Grey Shirley Holms 1/8 Brussels Lace Shirley Holms 1/8, 4 at MV light (CP2-3) Campion St Mary’s Rd, Bishopstoke 19/6 (DH) Coronet Kathleen Rd, Sholing 15/4 (ARC)—exceptionally early Cream-bordered Green Pea Kathleen Rd, Sholing 15/6, 29/6, 2nd and 3rd garden records (ARC) Dark Crimson Underwing Burley Old Inclosure 28/8 (TR) Dark Sword-grass Bishops Waltham 28/1, at artificial light at library—very late December Eggar Renda Rd, Holbury 21/12, 15 seen at Actinic light (KP) Deep-brown Dart Renda Rd, Holbury 3/10, at MV light and new to garden (KP) Dentated Pug Purewell Meadows, Christchurch 9/7, 3 at MV light Dotted Border Wave Shirley Holms 1/8 Feathered Ranunculus Renda Rd, Holbury 3/10, 8 at MV light (KP) Green-brindled Crescent Renda Rd, Holbury 29/10, 10/11, at Actinic light and new to garden (KP) Humming-bird Hawk-moth Upham (private land) 1/7, at lavender. Kathleen Rd, Sholing 2/7, at Buddleia (ARC). B & Q Garden Centre, Nursling 24/9 (GM). Hall Lands Copse, Fair Oak 30/9 (GC). Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 10/10, 8.40am at Abelia in garden (DT) Jersey Tiger Highcliff undercliff 28/7. Shirley Holms 1/8 (CP4) L-album Wainscot Bitterne Rd East 9/9, new to garden. Renda Rd, Holbury 3/10, 5 at MV light Lesser Cream Wave Swanmore (private land), at western end of wayleave 10/7 Marbled Green Highcliff undercliff 28/7 March Moth Hall Lands, Fair Oak 2/4, 2 at lighted window Mullein Moth St Mary’s Rd, Bishopstoke 19/6, larvae on Buddleia (DH) Netted Pug Alresford Churchyard 21/5 Ni Moth Kathleen Rd, Sholing 1/7, 3rd garden record (ARC) Orange Sallow Swanmore (private land)—near lime trees 28/9

- 39 - Plain Pug Highcliff undercliff 28/7 Privet Hawk-moth Swanmore (private land) 14/7 Purple Clay Hazeldene Burseldon 26/6, new to site Purple-bordered Gold South of Ridley Wood/Vereley 4/7 (SC) Rannoch Looper Renda Rd, Holbury 13/6, at MV light and new to garden (KP) Rustic Shoulder-knot Hazeldene Burseldon 19/5 (2) Scallop Shell Renda Rd, Holbury 13/6, at MV light and new to garden (KP) Scarlet Tiger Testwood Centre 22/5 (MA)—an early date. St Mary’s Rd, Bishopstoke 27/6, mating pair in garden (DH) Silky Wainscot Renda Rd, Holbury 11/7, at MV light and new to garden (KP) Single-dotted Wave East Boldre 10/8 Six-belted Clearwing Swanwick HWT reserve: New Hill 4/7 (3) Six-spot Burnet Morn Hill, Winchester 19/6, vast numbers and mainly on knapweed heads Small Emerald Bitterne Rd East 25/7, new to garden Small Marbled Kathleen Rd, Sholing 2/7, garden record (ARC). Renda Rd, Holbury 11/7, 2 at MV light and new to garden (KP) Small Mottled Willow Kathleen Rd, Sholing 29/6, 2nd garden record (ARC) Southern Wainscot Shirley Holms 1/8 Vestal Sealark Rd, Gosport 8/10 Waved Black Kathleen Rd, Sholing 30/6 (ARC)—first for many years Webb’s Wainscot Highcliff undercliff 28/7 White Satin Purewell Meadows, Christchurch 9/7 Wormwood Shark Renda Rd, Holbury 22/4, at MV light and new to garden (KP) Micro-Moths Achroia grisella (Lesser Wax Moth) Kathleen Rd, Sholing 3/6 (ARC) bennetii (a plume moth) Shirley Holms 1/8, very unusual away from the coast Agonopterix kaekeritziana Peartree Green 19/6, on flower heads at night Alabonia geoffrella Manor Farm Allotments, Bishopstoke 1/5 (DH) (CP4) Amblyptilia acanthadactyla Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 6/6, on Geranium (DT). St Mary’s Rd, Bishopstoke 22/8, on Salvia (DH) achatana Hazeldene Burseldon 26/6, new to site Calamotropha paludella Shirley Holms 1/8 Choreutis pariana Renda Rd, Holbury 8/10, at flowers of Eupatorium ligustrum in the daytime (KP) Cochylis dubitana Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 27/7 scribaiella Kathleen Rd, Sholing 3/6 (ARC ). Hazeldene Burseldon 26/6 (2), new to site

- 40 - Crambus hamella (a pyralid moth) Renda Rd, Holbury 30/8, at MV light and new to garden (KP) amplana Shirley Holms 1/8. East Boldre 10/8 (2) Dolicharthria punctalis (a pyralid moth) Renda Rd, Holbury 11/7, at MV light and new to garden (KP) senticetella Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 27/7 Hymenia recurvalis (a pyralid moth) Renda Rd, Holbury 3/10, at MV light (KP)—a first for Hampshire Lobesia abscisana Near Knowle village (private land) 22/6 subbistrigella Bitterne Rd East 3/6, new to garden Monopis crocicapitella Bitterne Rd East 25/5, in garden shed Nemapogon cloacella (Cork Moth) Dumbleton’s Copse, Thornhill 19/5 (DT) taurella Southampton Old Cemetery 29/8 arcuella New Copse Inclosure, NF 16/5 (SC) Palpita vitrealis Kathleen Rd, Sholing 12/11 (ARC) Pammene albuginana Renda Rd, Holbury 3/6, a tortrix moth associated with insect galls on oak (KP) cinnamomeana St Mary’s Rd, Bishopstoke 22/8, on Buddleia (DH) Phlyctaenia perlucidalis (a pyralid moth) Renda Rd, Holbury 3/6, at MV light and new to garden (KP) gonodactyla Peartree Green 19/6, by torch light, on hogweed heads Platyptilia pallidactyla Peartree Green 4/7, on yarrow flowers Shirley Holms 1/8 lecheana Bitterne Rd East 3/6 (3), new to garden Schreckensteinia festaliella Renda Rd, Holbury 30/8, new to garden (KP) Stenoptilia bipunctidactyla Peartree Green 19/6, on flower heads at night fulvalis Highcliff undercliff 28/7 (4), an uncommon coastal species Ypsolopha dentella (Honeysuckle Moth) Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 27/7, a much declined species Pempelia genistella Kathleen Rd, Sholing LT— new to garden 16/7 (ARC) Psoricoptera gibbosella Zionshill Copse— heathland area LT 12/8 (identified by B. Elliott) nigrata Kathleen Rd, Sholing LT — new to garden 25/7 (ARC) pinicolana Hall Lands, Fair Oak LT 30/7 Stenoptilia bipunctidactyla Magdalen North Down/Original/Extension— plentiful 14/8 Synaphe punctalis Bitterne Rd East LT 29/6. Renda Rd, Holbury LT— first for site 13/7 (KP)

- 41 - Trichoptera (caddis flies) Agapetus fuscipes Stockbridge Common 15/4, in Court River Brachycentrus subnubilus Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 26/3(DH). Ibsley Bridge, Ringwood 7/4, huge numbers. Mystacides longicornis Bitterne Rd East 3/6, new to garden Oecetis ochracea Bitterne Rd East 3/6, new to garden Oecetis testacea Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 14/8/11 (DH) HYMENOPTERA Andrena bicolor (Gwynne’s Mining Bee) Boswell Close, Thornhill 14/3, colony on sandy banks. Lord’s Wood 23/3 (GM). Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 27/3, nest found on ground in sandy area on 2/4 (DT) Andrena cineraria (Grey Mining Bee) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 26/3 (DH)—earliest date; later at five other sites (mo) Andrena haemorrhoa (Early Mining Bee) Somerset Ave, Bitterne 8/4 (DT) — earliest date Anthidium manicatum (Wool-carder Bee )Barton-on-Sea garden 19/7 (GP). Longstock Park 6/8, 3 on Stachys (Lamb’s-ear) in garden Anthophora plumipes (Hairy Footed Flower Bee) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 13/3, at Pulmonaria (DH)—earliest date berberidis (Berberis ) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 9/7 (DH) Arge ustulata (a sawfly) Boyatt Lane garden 29/4 (DH) Astata boops (a digger wasp) Lord’s Wood 24/5 (GM) Athalia cordata (a sawfly) Manor Farm Allotments, Bishopstoke 20/5 (DH) Bombus hypnorum (a bumblebee) Lord’s Wood 19/3 (GM)—earliest date. Lord’s Wood 25/11, queen (GM)—latest date (CP1) Bombus jonellus (Heath Bumble Bee) Barton Common 14/8 (GP) Bombus lucorum (White-tailed Bumble Bee) Lord’s Wood 26/12, on Ulex flowers (GM)—latest date Bombus pascuorum (Common Carder Bee) Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 30/10 (DT), at Abelia (DT)—latest date Bombus pratorum (Early Bumble Bee) Bitterne Rd East 25/3—earliest date. Lord’s Wood 14/9, queen (GM)—latest date Bombus sylvestris (a bumblebee) Lord’s Wood 2/6 (GM) Bombus terrestris (Buff-tailed Bumble Bee) Southampton area—4 sites 19/12 (mo). Latest on 31/12 Cerceris arenaria (Sand-tailed Digger Wasp) Hinkler Green, Thornhill Estate 7/7 (DT) Colletes hederae (Ivy Mining Bee) Magdalen Hill Down—near Freemasons 22/9, on ivy—earliest date. Bitterne Bypass—north side by West End Road slip 12/10—largest colony recorded—200+ nests. Southampton Sports

- 42 - Centre west 15/10, two colonies on sandy banks—the only site in western Southampton (see page 13). Boswell Close, Thornhill 25/10 (20) (DT)— latest date Crossocerus dimidiatus (Blunt-tailed Digger Wasp) Upper Northam Close, Hedge End 19/6 (DT), ID confirmed by PB Ctenichneumon panzeri (an ichneumon) Bitterne Bypass 1/11 (DT), ID confirmed by Gavin Broad (Nat. Hist. Museum) Dolichovespula norwegica (Norwegian Wasp) Barton Common 14/8 (GP) Eurogaster mesomelas (a sawfly) Itchen Stoke Mill 29/5 (2) (DH) Hylaeus confuses (a solitary bee) Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 14/8, on Angelica (DH) Lasioglossum calceatum (Slender Mining Bee) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 22/4—dead specimen (DH) Macropis europaea (a mining bee) Purewell Meadows, Christchurch 24/8, at Gypsywort flowers (GP)—an uncommon species Megachile centuncularis (Patchwork Leaf-cutter Bee) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 22/4, several (DH). Bitterne Rd East 21/6, at honeysuckle. Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 14/8, on Cirsium (DH) Megachile willughbiella (Willughby’s Leaf-cutter Bee) Boyatt Lane garden 25/6 (DH). Northwest of Brooklands Farm, Bishop’s Waltham 17/8, on Cirsium vulgare Melecta albifrons (a solitary bee) Beckton Bunny 9/4 (GP) Melitta leporina (a mining bee) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 13/7, 8 roosting males and 1 foraging female (DH) Mellinus arvensis (Field Digger Wasp) Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 24/7, 22/9 (DT) Mutilla europaea (Large Velvet Ant) Stocker’s Mead, Christchurch 14/5, female and two males at Bombus pratorum nest. South of Ridley Wood/Vereley 4/7 (SC) Nomada baccata (a solitary bee) Burbush Hill, NF 22/8 (GP) Nomada fabriciana (Fabricius’ Nomad Bee) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 14/4 (DH). Barton Common 1/5 (GP) Nomada flava (a solitary bee) Somerset Ave, Bitterne 8/4, female (DT). Cedar Ave, Shirley 21/4 (GM) Nomada fucata (a solitary bee) Town Common south 23/4 (GP). Beckton Bunny 24/7 (GP) Nomada goodeniana (Gooden’s Nomad Bee) Barton Common 6/5 (GP) Nomada lathburiana (a solitary bee) Beckton Bunny 24/4 (GP) Nomada ruficornis (Red-horned Nomad Bee) Barton Common 1/5 (GP) Nomada rufipes (Golden-rod Nomad Bee) Burbush Hill, NF 22/8 (GP)

- 43 - Oxybelus mandibularis (Pale Jawed Spiny Digger Wasp) Beckton Bunny 25/8 (GP) Oxybelus uniglumis (Common Spiny Digger Wasp) Beckton Bunny 25/8 (GP) Symmorphus bifasciatus (a mason wasp) Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 27/6 (DT), confirmed by PB. Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 14/8, 2 on umbellifers (DH) scrophulariae (Figwort Sawfly) Boyatt Lane garden 2/9/10 (DH)— belated 2010 record. R Hamble east of Park Lug 17/8 (3) Vespa crabro (The Hornet) Cobbett Rd, Bitterne 20/4 (RN)—earliest date. Hall Lands, Fair Oak 23/7, 36 at one MV light—probably representing three nests vulgaris (Common Wasp) Droxford Church 22/12, queen—latest date Zaraea fasciata (Honeysuckle Sawfly) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 24/6, on Borago near Lonicera (DH) DIPTERA Amauromyza verbasci (a mining fly) Silverdale Rd 18/6, on Buddleia Asilus crabroniformis (Hornet Robberfly) North side of Hatchet Pond 7/8 (fm) Bombylius major (Common Bee Fly) Hall Lands, Fair Oak 16/3 (GC)— earliest date Boreoclytocerus ocellaris (a moth fly) Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 16/4 (DH) Brachypalpoides lentus (a hoverfly) Barton Common 6/5 (GP) Calobata petronella (a fly) Itchen Stoke Mill 29/5 (DH) Cheilosia scutellata (a hoverfly) Magdalen Hill Down 28/9 (TP) Cheilosia vulpina (a hoverfly) Magdalen Hill Down 27/4 (TP) Chorisops tibialis (a soldier fly) Southampton Old Cemetery 8/8 Chrysops caecutiens (a horse fly) Warsash Common 16/5—it had a nasty bite! Chrysotoxum cautum (a hoverfly) Lord’s Wood 21/4 (GM). Southampton Old Cemetery 4/5 Chrysotoxum festivum (a hoverfly) Hannay Rise 31/5, on Rubus flowers Conops ceriaeformis (a thick-headed fly) Purewell Meadows, Christchurch 24/8, on Succisa pratensis bloom Conops vesicularis (a thick-headed fly) Barton Common 5/5 (GP) (CP4) Criorhina asilica (a hoverfly) Barton Common 8/5, male (GP). Lee Ground Coppice, Whiteley 24/5, on flowers Criorhina berberina (a hoverfly) Barton Common 8/5, both typical form and var oxyacanthae (GP). Lee Ground Coppice, Whiteley 24/5, on Rosa blooms—var oxyacanthae Crumomyia nitida (a fly) Boyatt Lane garden 29/4 (DH) Dasineura fraxini (a gall fly) St Catherine’s Hill,Winchester 12/6, gall (DH/fm) Dasineura loewiana (a gall fly) Dairy Lane, Nursling—west of Tesco’s depot 14/8, galls abundant on Vicia hirsute (DH/fm) Didea fasciata (a hoverfly) Lee Ground Coppice, Whiteley 24/5, on Rosa blooms

- 44 - Dolichopus popularis (a fly) Boyatt Lane garden 7/5 (DH) Empis stercorea (a fly) Itchen Stoke Mill 29/5 (DH) Episyrphus balteatus (Marmalade Hoverfly) Napier Rd, Thornhill 12/12, on Mahonia—latest date Eristalinus aeneus (a hoverfly) Keyhaven 4/10, on Sea Aster Eupeodes luniger (a hoverfly) Napier Rd, Thornhill 12/12, on Mahonia—latest date Euthycera fumigata (a fly) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 5/4 (DH) Fannia manicata (a fly) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 20/3 (DH) Meiosimyza platycephala (a fly) Boyatt Lane garden 29/4 (DH) Micropeza lateralis (a stilt-legged fly) Southampton Old Cemetery 8/8 Muscina levida (a fly) Boyatt Lane garden 29/4 (DH) Nowickia ferox (a fly) Frog’s Copse Meadow, Southampton 17/7. Bitterne Rd East 9/9, on blooms Oxycera rara (a soldier fly) Barton Common 17/7 (GP) Phaonia serva (a fly) Boyatt Lane garden 29/4, on Ranunculus flowers (DH) Phytomyza minuscula (a leaf-mining fly) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 30/4, on Aquilegia (DH) Phytomyza vitalbae (a leaf-mining fly) St Catherine’s Hill,Winchester 5/7, on Clematis vitalba (DH) Platycheirus angustatus (a hoverfly) Magdalen Hill Down 13/7 (TP) Platycheirus granditarsus (a hoverfly) Near Knowle village (private land) 25/5, on Ranunculus repens flowers. Breamore Marsh 9/8 Rhingia rostrata (a hoverfly) Barton Common 7/5, 14/8 (GP). Swanmore (private land) 9/9, 3 on Succisa pratensis (CP3) Sargus iridatus (a soldier fly) Barton Common 26/5 (GP) Sciapus platypterus (a fly) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 13/8, male (DH) Sicus ferrugineus (a thick-headed fly) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 6/7 (DH) Sphenella marginata (a fly) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 26/7, on Senecio jacobaea (DH) Tephritis formosa (a fly) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 10/4 (DH) Thelaira nigrina (a fly) Boyatt Lane garden 25/6 (DH) Tropidia scita (a hoverfly) Barton Common 26/5 (GP) Volucella inanis (a hoverfly) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 3/8, on Buddleia (DH) Volucella inflata (a hoverfly) Denny Wood, NF 10/5 (PBO). Barton Common 15/5 (GP). Lee Ground Coppice, Whiteley 24/5, on Cornus flowers. Near Knowle village (private land) 25/5. Ashurst Railway Station 30/6, on Cirsium vulgare. Lord’s Wood 6/8 (GM) Volucella zonaria (Hornet Hoverfly) Morn Hill, Winchester 19/6, on bramble blooms—earliest date. Botany Bay, Sholing 7/10, on ivy (DT)—latest date

- 45 - COLEOPTERA Agapanthia villosoviridescens (a longhorn beetle) Warsash Common 16/5. Itchen Stoke Mill 29/5 (DH) Agrilus angustulus (a jewel beetle) Lee Ground Coppice, Whiteley 24/5, on birch leaf Agriotes obscurus (a click beetle) Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 16/4 (DH) Altica palustris (a leaf beetle) Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 11/6, 2 on (willowherb) (DH) Anaspis rufilabris (a beetle) Boyatt Lane garden 29/4 (DH) Anchomenus dorsalis (a beetle) Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 11/6 (DH) Anoplodera sexguttata (a longhorn beetle) New Copse Inclosure 22/5, on Wood Spurge Aphodius prodromus (a dung beetle) Bitterne Rd East, 18/4, beaten off Salix Cantharis nigricans (a soldier beetle) Itchen Stoke Mill 29/5 (DH) Cartodere nodifer (a beetle) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 1/11, on firewood store (DH) Chilocorus renipustulatus (Kidney-spot Ladybird) Peewit Hill 25/3, 140 counted mainly sitting on sallow trunks and branches Cionus scrophulariae (Figwort Weevil) Newtown Rd 1/6 (3) (CC) Clytra quadripunctata (a leaf beetle) New Copse Inclosure 22/5 (2) (fm) Clytus arietis (Wasp Beetle) Lord’s Wood 14/9 (GM)—a very late date Coccinella undecimpunctata (11-spot Ladybird) Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 11/6 (DH) Crepidodera aurata (a leaf beetle) Hinkler Green, Thornhill Estate 7/7 (3) (DT) Cryptolestes duplicatus (a beetle) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 1/11, on firewood store (DH)—an interesting species Dendroxena quadrimaculata (a beetle) Pondhead Inclosure, NF 14/5, on Rubus fruticosus (SC) taeniatus (a weevil) St Catherine’s Hill,Winchester 12/6, gall on Salix (DH/fm) Euophryum confine (a beetle) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 28/10, on firewood store (DH) Galerucella sagittariae (a leaf beetle) Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 16/4, 5 seen including two pairs in copula (DH) Gymnetron villosulum (a weevil) Swanmore (private land) 27/7, larvae on Veronica x lackschewitzii (Hybrid Water Speedwell) Gyrinus substriatus (a whirligig beetle) Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 26/3 (DH) Hippodamia variegata (Adonis’ Ladybird) Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 30/4 (DH). Kathleen Rd, Sholing 8/11, in moth trap—first garden record (ARC) Hister unicolor (a beetle) Purewell Meadows, Christchuch 24/8

- 46 - Hoplia philanthus (Welsh Chafer) Near Knowle village (private land) 25/5, off Glyceria notata grass. Lord’s Wood 29/5, 14/6 (GM). Southampton Common—north of Cemetery Lake 26/6 (3) (CC) Hydrothassa marginella (a beetle) Itchen Stoke Mill 29/5, on Ranunculus acris (DH) Hypera rumicis (a weevil) Near Knowle village (private land) 22/6, off Rumex Lampyris noctiluca (Glow-worm) Woodcrates, NF 22/5, larva (SC). Blackwell Common 4/6 (fm). Reserve Bishops Waltham 28/6 (5). Lord’s Wood 27/7, 5—larvae found in the same area earlier in the year (GM) Longitarsus luridus (a flea beetle) Woodland Close, Thornhill Park 4/9 (DT), confirmed by PB Longitarsus obliterates (a flea beetle) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 17/4, on Thymus (DH) Lucanus cervus (Stag Beetle) R Itchen at Bishopstoke 25/5, female (DH)— earliest date. St Anne’s Gardens, Woolston 19/7, female (CC)—latest date Margarinotus purpurascens (a beetle) Near Knowle village (private land) 25/5, confirmed by M. Salmon Mycetaea subterranea (Hairy Cellar Beetle) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 1/11, on firewood store (DH) Nephus redtenbacheri (a micro-ladybird) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 24/7 (DH) Nicrophorus vespillo (a carrion beetle) Homesley Bog 22/8, amongst unidentified species in Sarracenia pitchers (GP) Odontaeus armiger (a beetle) Ladycross Walk, NF 28/7 (PBO) (CP4) Olibrus aeneus (a beetle) Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 14/8 (DH) Ontholestes murinus (a rove beetle) Purewell Meadows 24/8, on cowpat and confirmed by M.Salmon cerasi (a beetle) Hazeldene Burseldon 14/4 (3) Pachytodes cerambyciformis (a longhorn beetle) Emer Bog NR 22/5, 3 on Oenanthe crocata flowers (BR) Paracorymbia fulva (a longhorn beetle) Holywell Estate 10/7. Greyladyes Park, Bursledon 22/8, on carrot flower (anon) Phyllotreta nigripes (a leaf beetle) Highbridge Farm, Allbrook 23/7, on Brassica rapa chinensis ‘pak choi’ (DH) Phytoecia cylindrica (Umbellifer Longhorn) Itchen Stoke Mill 29/5, on umbellifer (DH) Prasocuris phellandrii (a leaf beetle) Swanmore (private land) 11/4, on Caltha blooms by R Meon Prionus coriarius (Sawyer Beetle) Ashdown Rd, Chandler’s Ford 26/8 (anon, reported by LB)

- 47 - Pyrochroa serraticornis (Common Cardinal Beetle) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 26/11, larva under bark in firewood (DH) Saperda populnea (Small Poplar Borer) Lee Ground Coppice, Whiteley 24/5, on aspen leaf Silpha atrata (a beetle) Lord’s Wood 7/4 (GM) Silvanus unidentatus (a beetle) St Marys Rd, Bishopstoke garden 28/10, on firewood store (DH) Sinodendron cylindricum (Rhinoceros Beetle) Eyeworth Wood, Fritham 6/7 (SC) Stenagostus rhombeus (a click beetle)Shirley Holms 1/8, 3 seen at MV light Stenocorus meridianus (a longhorn beetle) Ivy Wood, Brockenhurst 16/5 (SC) Tachyporus hypnorum (a rove beetle) Boyatt Lane garden 7/5 (DH) Tasgius melanarius (a rove beetle) Wyvern School Grounds, Fair Oak 12/9 (DH) Trypocopris pyrenaeus (a dor beetle) South of Ridley Wood/Vereley 4/7 (SC) FAUNA:VERTEBRATES FISH Atlantic Salmon R Itchen at Bishopstoke 7/1, 13/1, spawning (DH) AMPHIBIANS Common Frog 24 Newtown Rd 14/2, spawn (CC). Mayfield Park, 14/2, spawn. Highbridge Farm 9/4, tadpoles (DH). Three school sites in western Southampton 28/6, large numbers of immatures. Cobbett Rd, Bitterne 4/6 (RN) Common Toad Lord’s Wood 9/7, immature REPTILES Grass Snake Shirley Holms 25/11, very late (GP) Red-eared Terrapin Keyhaven—at newly created pond 4/10 Slow-worm St Mary’s Rd, Bishopstoke 28/4, male of blue-spotted form (DH). 24 Newtown Rd 20/7 (CC) Viviparous Lizard Poundhill Inclosure 12/2, very early (SC). Southampton Old Cemetery, eastern side 24/3. Holly Hill Woodland Park 13/5. Station Rd, Nursling 30/7 (fm). BIRDS Bar-tailed Godwit Solent Breezes 26/1 (5) Black Stork Blackensford Bottom, NF 19/4, over—stayed for several days Black Swan Riverside Park 17/1, 23/10, 7/12 Blackcap Bitterne Rd East 29/1, 16/4, males. Cedar Ave, Shirley 3/2, male; 4/5 singing male (GM). Blackberry Terrace, Northam 31/12, male (JS) Black-tailed Godwit R Itchen between Woodmill and Weston 9/4 (103) (ARC). R Itchen at Centurion Industrial Park 9/4 (11) (JS). R Itchen below Northam Bridge 18/10 (8); 21/12 (5)

- 48 - Brambling Renda Rd, Holbury 22/1, new to garden (KP). Botany Bay, Sholing 14/2, with Chaffinches. Lord’s Wood—Gipsy Mile area 11/3 (GM). Highland Water Inclosure 8/4 (SC)—latest date reported in 2010/11 winter. Many NF records. Brinken Wood, NF 16/10 (SC)—earliest date reported in 2011/12 winter. Mark Ash Wood, NF 16/10 (SC)—earliest date reported in 2011/12 winter Cattle Egret near Warblington Church 18/12 (KE). Still there at the end of December Common Buzzard Bitterne Rd East 10/5, 2 seen over. Bacon Wood, West End 22/8 (DT). Cobbett Rd, Bitterne 20/4 (RN). Lord’s Wood 13/9, juvenile (GM). Southampton Common 24/9 Common Crane Moorcourt, Test Valley 10/11 (PW) Common Crossbill Lord’s Wood 1/2 (70) (GM), 14/11 (30), 23/11, singing. Poundhill Inclosure 17/4, juvenile (SC). Highland Water Inclosure 6/8, singing (SC). Wootton Coppice 7/8 (SC). Ogdens—west 20/11 (8) Common Sandpiper Mayfield Park—Jurd’s Lake Valley 24/1 (2). Riverside Park 17/1, 27/12 (2). Windy Bay, Northam 23/11 Common Shelduck Chessel Bay, 22/2 Common Swift Cedar Ave, Shirley 25/4/ (GM)—first report of year. Mallard Close, Newtown, Bishop’s Waltham 28/8 (fm)—last report of year Common Whitethroat near Silford Copse, Curdridge 22/4, 5 including 4 singing males Cuckoo Soarley Beeches, NF 9/4 (TR)—first of year Dartford Warbler Calshot Marsh 2/10 (TR). Leaden Hall, Ashley Walk 27/12, singing, 30/12 (SC) Firecrest Blackwater Car Park, NF 26/2, singing male (SC)—first of year. Bashley Hoburne Wood 20/3, singing (SC). Nine other sites within the NF 27/3–28/8, mostly singing males (SC). Warsash Common 21/4, singing male. Southampton Old Cemetery 4/5 and 27/6, singing male. Cawte’s Copse, Holly Hill—east edge of wood 26/6—singing in area recorded in 2010 Gadwall R Itchen at Ridding Meads, Winchester 17/9, male at unusual location Glossy Ibis Titchfield Haven18/10 (JM) Great Grey Shrike Homesley Passage 15/1 (SC). Frame Heath Inclosure, NF 19/2 (SC). Woodfidely Passage West 13/3 (SC)—last report of 2010/11 winter. Vales Moor, NF 12/11 (GP)—first report of 2011/12 winter. Shatterford, NF 31/12 (JS) Great Northern Loon in Southampton Water off Warsash 17/12 (KE) Great Spotted Woodpecker Telegraph Woods 11/5, female at nest (DT). Dumbleton’s Copse, Thornhill 19/5, 1 large chick (DT). Hum Hole, Bitterne 25/5, fledgling (DT). Lord’s Wood 31/12 (GM)—drumming very early

- 49 - Greenshank Chessel Bay 3/2, 18/10 Grey Partridge south-west of Cheesefoot Head 22/9, flushed Hawfinch 17 NF sites, through 2011, including singing males at 10 sites (SC). Holmhill Inclosure 12/2 (SC)—first singing males. Poundhill 12/2 (SC). Highland Water 12/2 (SC). Fritham 29/5, family with young (SC) Hen Harrier Leaden Hall, Ashley Walk 26/12/11 (4) (SC). At least 1 present 10–31/12 Hobby Itchen Stoke Mill 29/5, flying over water meadows (DH) House Martin Fritham Plain 10/4 (TR)—earliest reported date. Cedar Ave, Shirley 26/5/ (5) (GM). St Denys, Portswood 11/6 (3) Jack Snipe Shatterford, NF 6/11 (JS) Kingfisher Great Huntley Bank, Lyndhurst 27/2 (SC). Burbush Bridge, near Burley 20/8 (SC). Chessel Bay—by Kemp’s Quay 12/10, 23/11. Riverside Park 7/12, also 27/12 when there were possibly 2 birds. Woodfidely 24/12 (SC) at one of the drains—unusual in NF in winter Lapland Bunting Cut Bridge, Keyhaven 9/1 (5) Lesser Redpoll Southampton Common—Merritree 22/1 (6). 13 Ashdown Close, Chandlers Ford 29/1 (AJB)—feeding on sunflower hearts, first record here. North Oakley Inclosure 30/1 (4) (SC). Poundhill Heath 26/2 (SC). Botley Wood 4/3—latest date reported in 2010/11 winter Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Nine NF sites 2/2 (SC mostly). Seen up to 22/5. None recorded away from NF. Park Ground Inclosure, NF 16/10 (SC)— the only record late in the year Linnet Bitterne Rd East 15/9, 5 seen and heard passing over Little Egret R Itchen at Bishopstoke 22/1 (8) (DH)—high number for inland site Little Gull Weston Shore 26/2 (ARC) Nightingale Ashlett Creek 13/5, 3 heard/seen (JM). Itchen Stoke Mill 29/5 (DH). Blackwell Common 4/6 (fm). Peregrine Falcon Brinken Wood, NF 27/2 (SC). Near Knowle village 25/5 Raven Hursthill Inclosure 2/1 (SC). Tangier Farm, Bishops Waltham 12/3. Swanmore (private land) 11/4. West Denny Bog, NF 17/4. (SC). Penny Moor, Pigbush 30/4 (SC). Studley Head, NF 30/4. Park Lug, Bishops Waltham 28/8 (2). Holidays Hill, NF 11/9 (SC). Lord’s Wood 13/9, 17/10 (GM). Great Goswell Copse, Beaulieu—west 9/10. Upham (private land) 15/10. Ogdens area, NF 20/11 Red Kite Highbridge Farm 9/1 (anon, reported by DH) Red-breasted Goose Brownwich Shore—near stream outlet 26/1—with 650 Brent Goose Ring Ouzel Chessel Ave, Bitterne 15/10, in garden (BD) Rook Tickleford Pond Wood 17/4, 60 at rookery on edge of Southampton

- 50 - Scaup Titchfield Haven 24/2, males on river Sedge Warbler Highbridge Farm 26/3 (DH)—early date (3 males there on 22/4) Siskin Renda Rd, Holbury 13/3, new to garden (KP). Blackensford Bottom 19/4, pair drinking in stream—possible breeding nearby Smew Mill Lane, River Test, Romsey 11/1, female Spotted Flycatcher Wootton Coppice Inclosure 14/5 (SC)—earliest date reported. NF reports from four sites, Summer 2011 (mo). Hall Lands, Fair Oak 28/7 (GC). Longstock Park 6/8. Park Lug, Bishop’s Waltham 28/8 (5) Tawny Owl Woodland Close, Southampton Old Cemetery 23/3, heard calling at about 11am Thornhill Park 20/8, immature seen (DT). Lord’s Wood—east 15/9, heard (GM). Teal Chessel Bay, Southampton 23/11, male seen—unusual here Velvet Scoter Weston Shore, Southampton 19/1, 20/1 (ARC) Waxwing Oakwood Close, Romsey 11/1 (180). Twyford Rd, Eastleigh 15/1 (8) (DH). Southern Rd 17/1 (50). Fernyhurst or Rosebank Pond 26/2 (85) (PW). Abbotts Way, Portswood 12/3, 3 feeding on berries Wheatear Soarley Beeches, NF 9/4 (5) (TR)—earliest reported date. Pennington Marshes 4/10—latest reported date White-tailed Eagle west of Hordle Lane, Downton 11/1, immature that stayed for much of the month Wood Lark nine locations in the NF through 2011 (mo). Heard singing at most locations. Acres Down 12/2 (SC)—earliest date heard singing Wood Warbler Acres Down west 10/4, 2 seen/heard (JS)—the earliest reported date Woodcock Hall Lands Copse, Fair Oak 28/1/11 (GC) Yellow-legged Gull Northam Bridge west, Southampton 14/12 MAMMALS Bank Vole Southampton Municipal Golf Course 12/11 Field Vole Cranesmoor 5/11 (SC)—impaled by a Great Grey Shrike Fox Vespasian Rd, Bitterne Manor 6/1 (GH-W)—first heard screaming. Wynter Rd Recreation Ground, Bitterne 18/10—seen in broad daylight Stoat Longcross Plain 19/4. A35 at Bransgore 20/5— road kill Hedgehog Cedar Ave, Shirley 5/3, 2 seen in garden out of hibernation; 3 other records (GM) Yellow-necked Mouse Lord’s Wood 5/7 (GM)

- 51 - And finally ...

What is Phil Budd doing to that poor moth?

- 52 - SOUTHAMPTON NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

President: Mr C Packham Chairman: Ms J Kidd 12 Testwood Crescent, Totton SO40 3NJ Tel. 80663261 e-mail: [email protected] Secretary: Dr J E Schubert 24 Blackberry Terrace, Bevois Valley Southampton SO14 0ED Tel. 80229371 e-mail: [email protected] Treasurer: Ms J Kidd Membership Secretary: Mrs B Thomas 40 Mon Crescent, Bitterne Southampton SO18 5QU Tel. 80443853 Field Meetings Secretary: Mr J Moseley 35 Greenway Court, Seacole Gardens Southampton SO16 6PN Tel. 80779850 Recording Officer: Mr P Budd 488 Bitterne Road East, Bitterne Southampton SO18 5EP Tel. 80444172 e-mail: [email protected] Committee Members: Mr G Manchip, Mr J Poland, Ms V Russell Editor: Dr J Schubert

Registered Charity 264662

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