Sat 25 Nov Members' Day Page 6

Number 64 SURREY Skipper Autumn/Winter 2017-18 Sat 25 Nov Members’ Day page 6

Contents click to go directly to page Contacts...... 2 Transects ...... 18 Purple Emperor ...... 29 Chairman ...... 3 Social Media ...... 19 New Members ...... 30 Annual Report ...... 5 Dates ...... 19 Branch Website ...... 31 AGM & Members' Day...... 6 London Matters ...... 20 UK Transects 2016 ...... 32 Stephen Jeffcoate ...... 8 Garden Moth Scheme ....21 Moths...... 33 Marsh Fritillary...... 11 Richmond Park ...... 22 Box-tree Moth ...... 34 Work Parties ...... 12 Old Malden ...... 24 Accounts...... 36 Egg Hunts ...... 13 Field Trips...... 25 Poem ...... 38 iRecord ...... 13 Large Tortoiseshell ...... 26 AGM Minutes ...... 39 Small Blue Project ..14-17 Weather Watch...... 28 Email Appeal ...... 40

Butterfly Surrey & SW London Conservation branch magazine Surrey Skipper 2 Autumn 2017

Branch Committee LINK Committee emails Chair: Simon Saville (first elected 2016) 07572 612722 Conservation Adviser: Ken Willmott (1995) 01372 375773 County Recorder, WCBS Coordinator: Harry Clarke (2013) 07773 428935, 01372 453338 Field Trips Organiser: Mike Weller (1997) 01306 882097 Membership Secretary: Ken Owen (2015) 01737 760811 Moth Officer: Paul Wheeler (2006) 01276 856183 Skipper Editor & Publicity Officer: Francis Kelly (2012) 07952 285661, 01483 278432 Transects Coordinator: Bill Downey (2015) 07917 243984, 020 8949 5498 Treasurer: Peter Camber (2011) 020 8224 2957 Oaken Wood: Harry Clarke & Bill Downey see above Social Media: Francis Kelly (& Mick Rock) see above Website: Francis Kelly & Ken Owen see above Clive Huggins (2014) 020 8942 7846 Other contacts County Moth Recorder: Graham Collins 020 8688 4539 Media [email protected] Websites butterfly-conservation.org/surrey butterfly-conservation.org/surreymoths Recording irecord.org.uk FACEBOOK Branch page ..Butterfly Conservation in Surrey Twitter @BC_Surrey Mick Rock’s group ...... Surrey Butterflies @surreymoths Branch group ...... Surrey Moths Surrey Skipper thank you to all contributors copy deadline published online Spring Feb 28 ...... mid-March ...... includes new season’s field trips Autumn Sep 30 ...... mid-October ...... previews AGM & Members’ Day I The full Surrey Skipper is published online only. A Small (essential) Skipper is posted to the 17% of members for whom we do not have an email address. I Front-page photo: Purple Emperor male, Chiddingfold, Jul 4. Mark Colvin Rob Hill’s Purple Emperor at Bookham on Jun 11 was the earliest record since 1893, when one was captured in West Woods, Wilts, on Jun 10. It beats Rob's previous record of Jun 13 in 2011, also at Bookham. I The Purple Empire: apaturairis.blogspot.co.uk

LINKS When reading on screen, click underlined link to visit webpage

©Surrey Skipper is published by Surrey & SW London branch of Butterfly Conservation, a charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and Scotland (SCO39268). Company limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468). Registered office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset BH20 5QP Tel 01929 400209 Surrey Skipper 3 Autumn 2017

Chairman Simon Saville

LOOKING back, it has been a Small Blue habitats and funny season weather-wise, populations along the North with many species appearing Downs east of Guildford. early and finishing early. For Gail Jeffcoate (see page 14) example, the first White-letter and others did important Hairstreak appeared on June preparatory work in the early 12 at Tooting Common and season, which has enabled Nunhead Cemetery, and the Fiona to hit the ground last on July 26. running. You can hear Gail When I took over as and Fiona talk about the Chairman, I said that I wanted project at Members’ Day to increase the focus of the in November. Branch on conservation, and I am pleased We have committed £3,000 from Branch with the progress that we have made. Early funds to a Wood White project in the in the year, we finalised the Butterfly and Chiddingfold area. This is likely to be a two- Moth Regional Action Plan (RAP) for the year project in partnership with the South East, and we are using this to drive Forestry Commission, RSPB, and Wildlife our priority actions. Trusts, with a tight geographical focus and One action was to identify champions for part-time paid staff. A funding application some of our most threatened species: is planned to be submitted in December, with the aim to start the project in 2018. I Wood White, Grayling, We have also committed £1,000 to the Silver-studded Blue ...... Harry Clarke I “Thames Basin Blue Blitz”, which aims to Adonis & Small Blue ...... Gail Jeffcoate help the Silver-studded Blues in the north- I White-letter Hairstreak ...... Bill Downey west of our Branch area. To support this, I Brown Hairstreak Harry Clarke has undertaken surveys of Harry Clarke & Bill Downey Surrey’s heathlands, completing the detailed mapping of the Thames Basin A Species Champion is the focal point for Heaths and a good proportion of the information and activity about the species Greensand Heaths in the south west. within the Branch. If you have an interest in Detailed research has also started into the becoming a champion for a particular habitat requirements for Silver-studded butterfly or moth, please get in touch. Blue and its host ants. Alongside this, two Conservation work parties have volunteers are helping to survey the heaths continued at Oaken Wood and Box Hill, for Grayling. doing important habitat maintenance for The various recording activities the Wood White and chalk downland undertaken by Branch members provide species. My thanks to Bill Downey, Harry valuable data to inform conservation Clarke and all the volunteers, especially the actions. This year, around 100 transects will hardy one who braved Storm Doris to work have been walked, up from 94 in 2016 (see on Box Hill! separate report from Bill Downey). The Small Blue “Stepping Stones” Project My thanks to all the diligent transect started in August, with Fiona Haynes walkers, and to those who have participated (see page 16) as Project Officer for two days in the Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey, per week. We donated £5,500 from Branch funds to this project, which aims to connect I continued next page Surrey Skipper 4 Autumn 2017

I CHAIRMAN from previous page Our popular field trip programme – 49 or who have submitted their sightings scheduled events this year – continues to be through iRecord. All these efforts are one of the most extensive of any branch. important, and greatly appreciated. As last Thanks to Mike Weller for his careful year, winter searches were undertaken for organisation, and to the many folks who led Brown Hairstreak eggs – this butterfly walks. This season I have focused my time seems to be spreading north. on exploring the green spaces in central The White-letter Hairstreak has been a London near where I live. Consequently, particular focus this year, thanks to the I have not been on as many of our field trips tireless efforts of Bill Downey, who has been as I would like. logging sites with elm trees across the I am pleased that we published the Branch area, and the many volunteers who Surrey & SW London Butterfly and Moth have spent hours looking at the tree tops. Report 2016 in spring. This is a review of In 2017 we again found the White-letter the status of species in our area that brings Hairstreak in many of the locations from together all the data for the year. It was well last year, but additionally in London received, and I extend my thanks to all who (e.g. Vauxhall, Nunhead, Dulwich, Forest contributed. A hard copy was sent to all Hill, Morden, Kew and Kingston) and at Branch members, and an electronic copy Lower Ashtead, Esher, Effingham, Polesden was posted on our website. See next page Lacey, Ripley, Epsom, Carshalton, Nork, for details of the 2017 report. Banstead, Purley and Coulsdon – plus Looking forward, I hope that many of you others besides. This elusive little butterfly is will come along to the Branch AGM and seemingly more widespread than we Members’ Day on November 25. We are realised. This work will continue next year. privileged that Matthew Oates has agreed to The Surrey Moths Group, coordinated by be our guest speaker. Many of you will Paul Wheeler, continues to thrive and we know Matthew as a passionate supporter of now have more people participating in the butterflies – especially the Purple Emperor. Garden Moth Scheme (GMS) programme. In his role with the National Trust, he is I can recommend this as a good way to get also an important partner for our into mothing. You can buy a basic moth conservation and recording work. He will trap for under £200, and after that it is a be signing copies of his new book: Beyond cheap pastime. Moths are changing their Spring: Wanderings Through Nature. distribution – some expanding north, Next year, 2018, is Butterfly others contracting – so your records will be Conservation’s 50th Anniversary. especially valuable. A programme of events and publicity is Overall, the Branch is in good health. being planned by Head Office through the Membership – now well over 1,200 – year. Along with other Branches, we will be continues to grow at around 9% per year. actively supporting this: look out for details New Members’ Day at Juniper Hall in July in Butterfly magazine and the next Skipper. was enjoyed by 21 participants, despite the I You can mark one date for your diary poor weather. Thanks to Geoff Eaton for now: Saturday, March 10 will be a organising this. As you can see from the “Conservation Day of Action” across the accounts, our finances are in good shape, country. We will be running an event in and we have funds to support more Surrey, the details of which are being conservation projects in the coming years. finalised – so watch this space. Surrey Skipper 5 Autumn 2017

Annual Report 2017 Simon Saville

In May we sent to all members a printed We estimate that this could save up to copy of our £1,000, depending on numbers, and we Butterfly and Moth Report 2016. would aim to direct these savings towards We also published it on our website’s conservation projects. Downloads page. I If you would like a printed copy The report was well received, and we of the 2017 report, thank all those who made a donation to please email: help offset the cost of printing and mailing. [email protected] The Committee has agreed to publish a similar report for 2017. If you are unable to use email, please write to: In terms of feedback, some people valued Simon Saville having a hard copy to study, while others 70 Vassall Road said they would be happy to browse it London online. Taking this on board, we will SW9 6HY produce a printed version, but we will send a copy only to members who specifically Or call Simon on: request one. 07572 612722

An alert will be emailed when the 2017 Report is available to download Surrey Skipper 6 Autumn 2017 Members’ Day Saturday 25 November, 2017 King George V Hall, Effingham

10.00 Doors open 10.30 Coffee 11.00 AGM 1 Apologies 5 Accounts: page 36 9 Field trips 2 Last year’s minutes: 6 Membership 10 Moths page 39 7 Oaken Wood 11 Committee election 3 Matters arising & Conservation 12 AOB 4 Chairman’s report 8 Recording I Standing for re-election: Peter Camber, Clive Huggins. Retiring: Malcolm Bridge, Janet Cheney, Geoff Eaton, Jenny Shalom.

12.00 Prize Digital Photo Show: see next page...... Francis Kelly

12.30 LUNCH: please contribute £10 if you wish to partake

14.00 A future for butterflies on National Trust land ...... Matthew Oates 15.00 Stepping Stones: Small Blue Project ..Gail Jeffcoate & Fiona Haynes 16.00 Results: Photo Show, Quiz, Raffle 16.30 End: doors close 17.00

PRIZE QUIZ Peter Brown, last year’s winner, is setting the questions. Please collect a quiz sheet on arrival; tackle the questions during the day.

RAFFLE Raffle prizes will be gratefully received, e.g. books, bottles. Please hand them to Mike Weller on arrival.

VENUE King George V Hall, Browns Lane, Effingham KT24 5ND, TQ119535 I If you would like a lift from Effingham Junction station (3km), which is on the Guildford/Waterloo lines via either Surbiton or Epsom, please contact Francis Kelly 07952 28566. Return lifts are also offered. Surrey Skipper 7 Autumn 2017 Prize Digital Photo Show Please submit your best photos for our Members’ Day Show I Maximum 5 photos per member I Adult butterflies only I Must be taken in Surrey this year I Please send photos (full resolution), with your name, species, site & any notes, by November 19, to: [email protected] I The best photos will be selected for the Show I Attendees will be asked to vote for the winner I Prize to be determined on the day I Winning photo will be featured in the next Skipper I Entrants need not be present

Matthew Oates, Nature Specialist for the National Trust, is guest speaker at Members’ Day.

Matthew will be signing copies of his 2015 book:

In Pursuit of Butterflies: a 50-year Affair

AND his latest book, hot off the press in October:

Beyond Spring: Wanderings through Nature LINK www.nhbs.com/beyond-spring-book Surrey Skipper 8 Autumn 2017

Stephen Jeffcoate 1939-2017

Stephen Jeffcoate, launch Chair of Surrey Branch 1995–97 and National Chair 1999–03, died in March. David Hanson’s tribute was published on our website in April. ALL members of Butterfly Conservation were saddened to learn of Stephen’s death on 31 March at the age of 77 and the memories that immediately sprang to mind among those members drive the thought that he was, “The Complete Chairman”. I met Stephen when we were members of the London Branch, playing modest roles while both in full time work. However, Stephen was destined for greater things and in 1994, at a time when the National Charity was being driven forward by the ever enthusiastic Harold Hughes, he became Branch Chairman. Here we saw an early example of Stephen’s leadership skills when he recognised that the one branch was really two, north and south The memory then of those years is of of the river, and that local conservation driving enthusiasm across all aspects of priorities would be better served by a more Branch life and of a power of “gentle” local focus. He also judged, though it was a persuasion that took me first to be close call, that there were sufficient Membership Secretary and then volunteer committee members to support Newsletter Editor. two branches and on 1 January 1995 the Such wonderful skills justified a bigger Surrey and Herts & Middlesex branches theatre of operations and in 1998 Steve was were born. elected as a Trustee of the National Charity, Steve’s first editorial in the new Surrey becoming Chairman in 1999 in succession Skipper was, and is, an inspirational call to to Harold Hughes. Somehow that action worthy of Henry V’s supposed speech persuasive power remained and I found before Agincourt. Its range sets the scene, myself also standing as a Trustee and then covering conservation, membership, appointed National Treasurer. recording, partnership working, field trips, All the while moving through the London, exhibitions and sales stands and the then Surrey Branch and on to the National completion of the first management Council, Steve was engaged with five co- agreement for the Oaken Wood Reserve, authors, one his wife Gail, in preparing for, for which Steve had already worked for assembling, writing and publishing the several years. seminal work, The Millennium Atlas of Looking back I’m not sure whether Butterflies in Britain and Ireland , a truly Steve’s passion for the Wood White was colossal work of entomological scholarship. triggered at Oaken Wood, or whether he In one volume are brought together five was keen to acquire the reserve to better years of intensive data gathering and a pursue his passion! The Reserve was century or more of knowledge and study by officially opened by National President ranks of British experts both amateur and Gordon Beningfield later in 1995. professional from which powerful and Surrey Skipper 9 Autumn 2017 convincing messages are drawn to build a David Bridges as our first Chief Executive, foundation for better targeted conservation and later Fundraiser par excellence, and work. As the children of today might say, Julie Williams as head of finance and now it’s an awesome work! Chief Executive. To misquote Oscar Wilde, Its value has been reinforced by the five- “To recruit one good Chief Executive may yearly updates that have followed, in which be regarded as good fortune; to recruit two ever more urgent messages are revealed. is a miracle.” Steve had an “assist” with a This work has been key to the adoption of hat trick of such appointments as Martin butterflies as an indicator of the health of Warren had been recruited by Harold our environment, one which the charity can Hughes to be the charity’s first use to command at least a degree of Conservation Officer, becoming Chief attention by government. Sadly the message Executive in Steve’s final year as Chairman. may sometimes be ignored but its validity is Through these and other strong not questioned. Stephen Jeffcoate played a appointments and the continual major part in achieving this credibility. encouragement of staff, Stephen ensured From 1999 to 2003 Stephen really got to that the charity powered ahead. He work on the big stage, once again driving all continued his close interest in the scientific aspects. The Conservation activity received side of conservation, speaking at one BC all the attention it deserved via work on the Symposium on the pros and cons of Conservation Committee, Regional Action genetically modified crops and at another Plans and total support for Martin Warren on his research on the Wood White. and his expanding team in Dorset. All the Along the way the governance side of life while he continued his own research on the was not ignored and I recall discussing Wood White, becoming a national expert amendments to the charity’s Articles of and champion for this, his favourite species. Association round his dining room table For historic reasons the charity’s and his recognition that the financial administration team, which also needed to management of the charity would be made expand as the charity’s membership grew, easier by a change of its year end from June was based at Dedham in Essex. Stephen saw to March. that dual site working was inefficient and a Steve’s view was wide and strategic, constraint on growth, so he led Council to encouraging everyone with enthusiasm the decision to move to a single site, Manor towards our long term goals and making the Yard in Lulworth. Sadly no one from sometimes tricky moves necessary to keep Dedham chose to move to Lulworth so it the way ahead clear. He led, guided, was necessary to recruit afresh in Dorset encouraged and decided on so many aspects and also to recruit a Chief Executive to of this charity’s life – in short he was, manage the combined operation. “The Complete Chairman”. Here Stephen again excelled by recruiting I David Hanson is BC’s National Treasurer A pioneering professor of medicine

William Jeffcoate writes: my brother St Thomas’ hospital in London before Steve was the eldest of four sons born to a focusing his career on clinical biochemistry. Liverpool gynaecologist, Professor Sir He rapidly became an acknowledged Norman Jeffcoate, and Josephine Lindsay. expert in the principles and techniques of He obtained first class honours in hormone measurement and, in particular, medical sciences at Cambridge University on the use of the then new technique of and completed his medical studies at I continued next page Surrey Skipper 10 Autumn 2017

I STEPHEN JEFFCOATE: from previous page Institute of Biological Standards and radioimmunoassay. He moved to the Control in Hertfordshire. Chelsea Hospital for Women in 1975 and His horizon was never restricted, was appointed professor of biochemical however, to that of his professional endocrinology. training. He always read voraciously and at With funding from the Department of extraordinary speed and his interests Health, and later the World Health covered all the arts. Given the nature of his Organisation, he organised an international far-ranging mind, he opted to take early effort to standardise the methods used for retirement in 1993 and embarked on a new the measurement of reproductive hormones career in ecology and wildlife, with in medical laboratories both in UK and in particular reference to butterflies. many other countries. This work became Steve never lost his affection for his the basis for the WHO Special Programme mother’s homeland of the Isle of Man. for Research in Human Reproduction. His He joined the wildlife community there and unit became a WHO coordinating centre. served as chair of the Manx Wildlife Trust Steve was author and co-author of several from 2010 until 2013. specialist books, including The Endocrine Steve is survived by his wife, Gail, whom Hypothalamus (1978) and Efficiency and he married in 1991; two of his brothers; and Effectiveness in the Endocrine Laboratory three children, Cathy, Paul and Matthew, (1981), and almost 200 scientific papers. In from his first marriage. 1986 he was appointed head of the I This article was published in endocrinology division of the National The Guardian in May

While away the winter with . . .

An essential reference for anyone with any interest in Surrey’s wildlife. And at only £16 it is an absolute bargain. Steve Chastell, Chair Surrey Bird Club

£16 (+ £3 p&p) from Branch Treasurer, Peter Camber Surrey Skipper 11 Autumn 2017

Marsh Fritillary Reintroduction Hampshire Branch

The project to reintroduce the Marsh Fritillary to north-east Hants, two miles from the Surrey border, is firmly on track, reports Hants Branch Chair CLIVE WOOD

HAMPSHIRE Branch Action Group collected 300 Marsh Fritillary larvae under licence from the wild in September 2016. The larvae emerged from hibernation in the week commencing February 13 at all three of our breeding sites. Marsh Fritillary pupa in sunshine at the This was the trigger for a great deal of Romsey breeding site. Andy Barker hard work by our captive breeders and by Buckinghamshire, which offers specialised those involved with the care of some gardening activities to help those with 6,000+ Devil’s-bit Scabious plants, the mental health needs in their continuing main larval foodplant. recovery. The larvae grew quickly on a diet of After the larvae had emerged from scabious and sunshine. As they develop hibernation it became clear over time that through successive stages (instars) they stock from all six donor sites had been moult their skin and become larger and parasitised by the braconid wasp Cotesia darker. The adults emerged in May and bignelli prior to collection. This is a unique quickly mated, laying batches of 50-300+ parasite of Marsh Fritillary and is common eggs on the underside of the leaves. in colonies in southern England and The plants have been nurtured in rabbit- increasingly in more northerly colonies. proof (netted) enclosures at three (now Many larvae failed to develop due to four) horticultural sites in Hampshire and parasitism. Larval mortality rates were Buckinghamshire. The locations were highest at the final 5th and 6th instars and selected to be near to the breeders for ease parasitism was the largest cause. Parasitism of transfer of plants on demand. is invariably fatal to the host larvae. The plants require a great deal of care, However, despite the heavy parasite load from planning how many are needed we currently have c. 6,000 larvae (including pots and compost), ordering, distributed between four breeders, plus taking delivery, potting-on plug plants, several thousand scabious plants to tend. liaising with the storage site owners, and The habitat at the receptor sites is ultimately supplying the breeders with currently in ideal condition and was re- adequate numbers of the right size of plant surveyed in August to determine the precise at the right time. release locations. The new generation of At nurseries, watering has generally larvae should be parasite-free so we taken place via automated systems, having anticipate greatly reduced mortality rates first established that insecticides are not over the coming year. used. At other sites, watering has been All being well, we plan to release the undertaken by staff and volunteers as offspring of the first captive-bred butterflies necessary, again ensuring no insecticide into the wild next spring. A second, larger treatments. One of our sites is at release will take place in spring 2019. Lindengate, a mental health charity near Wendover in LINK www.hiwwt.org.uk/marsh-fritillary-reintroduction Surrey Skipper 12 Autumn 2017

Work Parties Bill Downey

Conservation Group work parties at Oaken is also organising work parties. Dates will Wood have resumed with a clearance of the be emailed to registered volunteers and pond. published on our Branch website. The plan for this winter is to clear scrub To join the Conservation Group and from the opposite sides of the rides that receive information about forthcoming were cleared last year. This should open up work parties, please contact the wood considerably. A botanical survey [email protected] found the Wood White foodplants. Oaken Wood Thursday Work Parties Fiona Haynes, Small Blue Project Officer, Nov 2, Dec 7, Jan 4, Feb 1, Mar 1

Bill Downey, assisted by Phil Darley, clears out the Oaken Wood pond

Access: SU993338, via track (usually no Oaken Wood vehicular access) that runs west from OAKEN WOOD, our branch reserve Plaistow Rd at SU994338; GU8 4PG. since 1995, is 12ha (30 acres) of woodland Parking for only a few cars. & grassland in the south-west of the Western (Botany Bay) entrance to county, 2.6km south of Dunsfold. Chiddingfold Forest is off High Street It is part of the Forestry Commission’s Green at SU978348; GU8 4YA. Parking 324ha Chiddingfold Forest. here is slightly easier; beware roadside The licence for 2013-17, renewed in ditches! Oaken Wood is 2.5km to the east. I 2015, includes a 3ha extension west to Volunteers are invited to our winter Lagfold track. work parties. Please email Bill Downey Surrey Skipper 13 Autumn 2017

Egg Hunts Bill Downey I am organising three new Brown Hairstreak from local volunteer groups, who may have egg hunts this winter. The last two years no knowledge of the species. have seen us extend our knowledge of the These mornings are essentially training butterfly’s distribution. events to show people how to look for eggs This year’s task is to continue looking in and to give them some practice. My hope is monads where eggs have not been found that afterwards people will send records in before and fill more blank spaces in the map. from their own areas. We search for about All are welcome, and I also invite people two hours before a pub lunch (optional).

November: Tue 28, 10.30-12.30 Ancient field system with large expanses Gatwick RH6 0ND of Blackthorn: eggs found here last year. Details to be confirmed on Branch website We may be joined by local Downland group. This is not Gatwick Airport of course but Lunch: Whyteleafe Tavern, 208 Godstone the land adjacent through which the River Rd (A22), CR3 0EE Mole flows. Leader: Bill Downey The tract of land was actually transferred December: Tue 12, 10.30-12.30 to Sussex from Surrey in 1974 but remains Tolworth Court Farm part of VC17. There is abundant blackthorn KT4 7QD, TQ2044 6515 and it is an excellent butterfly site where Meet: bottom of Worcester Park Rd where I am hopeful of a new transect for 2018. it adjoins Kingston Rd (A240) We may be joined by Gatwick Greenspace Park: one side of Worcester Park Rd or in volunteers. adjacent side streets. Leaders: Bill Downey, Rachel Bicker Medieval field system: Brown Hairstreak December: Mon 4, 10.30-12.30 hotspot so I am hoping for a good haul of Sanderstead to Whyteleafe Countryside eggs. We may be joined by Lower Mole Area CR8 1DF, TQ32526050 Project volunteers. Meet: Riddlesdown Common car park, at Lunch: Toby Carvery, Old Malden Lane the end of Riddlesdown Road which leads KT4 7PY (easy walking distance). off A2022. Leader: Bill Downey

iRecord Recorders Records 2013 32 344 Thank you to the 300+ recorders who had submitted 2014 116 1,004 6,000+ Surrey butterfly sightings to iRecord by the 2015 159 3,182 end of September, using either computer or app. 2016 230 4,247 More details, including how to create filters, 2017 313 6,337 are on our website. LINK Using iRecord Surrey butterflies to Sep 30 Surrey Skipper 14 Autumn 2017

Small Blue Update Gail Jeffcoate

WHEN the first conservation work for Small three were dug inside the grazing area and Blues was carried out in Surrey, in 2005, three outside. Before grazing the grassland we had no idea how successful it would be, was tall and dense, and although it was or how long the effects would last. attractively flowery, it contained a relatively Kidney Vetch, the larval foodplant, needs small range of plants, such as knapweeds, bare or sparsely vegetated chalk to establish that could compete with the vigorous new young plants, so in February that year grasses. two scrapes were made at Epsom After a few years of winter grazing, the Racecourse, exposing chalk with the aid of sward inside the grazed area is shorter and an excavator and sowing seed from nearby. the flowering plants are more varied. The Twelve years later these still contain grazing has had a noticeable effect on the plenty of Kidney Vetch and Small Blues still distribution of Kidney Vetch. In the lay eggs in them. More scrapes have been ungrazed area it remains confined to the made on two occasions and now there are scrapes, while inside the grazing paddock it nine supporting the Small Blue here, with has spread out from the scrapes into the plenty of scope to increase this further. surrounding sward. In June this year, along with other Surrey At Box Hill, on the south-facing slope Branch members, I visited most of the sites below the Viewpoint, cattle have grazed for where chalk has been exposed in this way. the last four winters. No scrapes have been Scrapes are usually between three and five made here, but the amount of Kidney Vetch metres across, and all contained Kidney has increased considerably, from a few Vetch in flower this year, along with plants to several dense patches that flower seedlings that will flower next year. prolifically. Small Blues are seen regularly Most have been made at sites on the dip here now, and eggs can be found in the slope of the downs, where rabbits are scarce vetch. As part of the Small Blue Project, or absent. These are the most successful, as working with the National Trust, we hope to rabbits eat the flowers of the Kidney Vetch, extend the distribution of both the plant and sometimes whole plants. Rabbit and the butterfly along this slope to the populations are higher on the south-facing eastern edge of the Box Hill property. scarp slope of the downs, which is probably Several golf courses in Surrey support one reason why Small Blues have declined populations of Small Blue, but we have not more here. This will be a challenge for the yet found it on any of the vineyards in the Small Blue Project, which is focused on the county. Vineyards occupy sunny area between Guildford and Reigate, mainly south-facing slopes and contain areas of at sites on the scarp slope. bare chalk, and seem obvious places to Cattle graze more sites now than was the create habitat for the Small Blue. case when work for the Small Blue began in This year we have visited a vineyard not Surrey. Their effects on chalk scrapes vary. far from existing populations at Pewley and In some cases cattle have trampled quite Merrow, and hope to establish Kidney heavily in scrapes, and left dung in them. Vetch there, and we have made contact with At others, notably Roundshaw on the edge another that we hope to bring into the of Sutton, this has not been a problem. project next year. At Roundshaw, part of the site was fenced The Surrey Wildlife Trust reserve at a few years ago to create grazing paddocks. Priest Hill near Cheam was first colonised When scrapes were made here in 2013, by Small Blues two years ago, after Kidney Surrey Skipper 15 Autumn 2017

Bill Downey (left) & Simon Saville view the habitat at Brockham Limeworks. Fiona Haynes

Vetch was established here. This year seen. In some places the Kidney Vetch has numbers have risen to the point where grown from seed originally sown as part of a adults have been seen regularly on the seed mix. This will decline over time, and butterfly transect. At nearby Howell Hill, work will be needed at these sites to enable however, amounts of Kidney Vetch have the plant and therefore the butterfly to fallen as the vegetation has become denser, persist. A memorable sight was the road though the butterflies still appeared in good verge near Merrow Park and Ride, where numbers this year. Bill and I counted well over 30 Small Blues Bill Downey, Harry Clarke, Simon Saville flying in a stunning display of flowers. and I spent a day at Banstead Downs in Overall it was a good year for the Small June, searching for Kidney Vetch and eggs. Blue, with second brood adults being seen The day was overcast, but we saw a few at most sites. This is a good start for the adult Small Blues, including a roost where Surrey Small Blue Project, which is now up at least eight perched on tall grass in the and running. shelter of scrub. It is great to welcome Fiona Haynes to Sites in the Guildford area, where the the post of Project Officer. Fiona has settled previous Small Blue Project was focused, into the job with great enthusiasm and has include Pewley Down, The Mount, Merrow plenty of ideas for the months ahead. We Downs and Golf Course, the Park and Ride are working in a number of locations where at Merrow and Clandon Natural Burial not only Small Blues but a range of other Ground. All of these were visited this year insects and plants needing short, sparse and varying numbers of Small Blues were chalky “hotspots” should benefit.

Fiona Haynes, Small Blue Project Officer, describes her role: next page Surrey Skipper 16 Autumn 2017

Small Blue Project Fiona Haynes

Fiona Haynes is Butterfly possible. We are also Conservation’s Surrey working with land Small Blue “Stepping managers and owners Stones” Project Officer on across this section of the a part-time contract for North Downs, including two years from July 31 Guildford Borough THE aim of the “Stepping Council, Surrey Wildlife Stones” Project is to Trust and the National increase the amount of Trust as well as farmers, suitable habitat for the private landowners, golf Small Blue on the North clubs and estates such as Downs between Guildford the Albury Estate. I am and Dorking. pleased that there is Once far more widespread support for the widespread, the Small Blue project from the Branch has been reduced to 26 and am already benefitting known colonies in Surrey but has from a wealth of invaluable input and responded well to targeted habitat support from key individuals including management as detailed by Gail Jeffcoate, Harry Clarke, Bill Downey Gail Jeffcoate on the previous pages. and Simon Saville. Some sites in the project area, such as We have a good budget for contractor Box Hill and Pewley Down, already support work this winter on sites including the the Small Blue and the creation of plenty of Shere Woodlands, Hackhurst, Netley Park, suitable flower-rich habitat or “stepping Blatchford Downs, Denbies Hillside, Box stones” between and around these sites will Hill and Brockham Limeworks. Bare hopefully enable this species and many ground scrapes will be created on many of others to thrive. these sites by removing the top layers of soil I have been busy attending site meetings to get back to the underlying chalk. with land managers and key experts and Efforts will be made to make these areas getting to grips with this exciting project. look natural where possible as they are Funding has been provided by private within the AONB and often on SSSIs and individuals as well as the Lower Mole Trust, we would not want them to look like scars the Surrey Hills AONB and the Surrey on the landscape. They will naturally Community Foundation and we will be vegetate and become less visible over time. working in partnership with these We hope these scrapes will help provide organisations and individuals as much as suitable habitat for other vulnerable species

Project Officer’s brief Conservation of the Small Blue and other populations. To establish, train and threatened Lepidoptera on 15 Surrey maintain a network of local volunteers sites. Managing a programme of habitat and develop and maintain good working improvements and increasing the relations with site owners, managers, capacity of the survey and monitoring conservation partners and the local programme of both habitat and butterfly community through publicity and events. Surrey Skipper 17 Autumn 2017

sites that are extremely important for a wide range of species. The Surrey Botanical Society is being consulted over scrape locations; reptile records are checked through the Surrey Amphibian and Reptile Group (SARG); and works on SSSIs are to be consented through Natural England. I am hopeful that some of the spoil could prove valuable to reptiles as potential hibernacula if sited in suitable locations, as well as provide nesting habitat for aculeate hymenoptera. At Blatchford Down, a rare Red Data Book 1 beetle, Cryptocephalus nitidulus, is dependent on small scrubby Small Blue female on Kidney Vetch, birch and hazel and we must therefore Merrow Park & Ride, Guildford. FK retain plenty of these foodplants in the chalk grassland without letting them by allowing other valuable foodplants to dominate. spread and thereby creating the ecological The spring and summer months should niches needed for the Adonis Blue, Silver- provide plenty of opportunity for setting up spotted Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Chalk long term survey and monitoring on key Carpet and even the Straw Belle. sites; many already have established We aim to restore some former quarries, transects but we will need to keep an eye on including a large one at Box Hill Farm, Small Blue numbers in the future too. which should provide plenty of bare chalk I aim to run monitoring workshops and but also sheltered conditions due to the surveying events and will hopefully be able varied topography. The budget for some to run events for local schools too. I will sites will be used to remove competitive also spend a significant amount of my time scrub, thereby restoring chalk grassland. planning works for the following winter. With the generous support of the Branch, I hope that at the end of the project we a regular Friday volunteer work party is will have created a wealth of suitable starting at the end of September and will habitat, but will have a sustainable long- continue through the autumn and winter. term plan for the maintenance of this early We will occasionally have work parties on successional habitat. Another of our other days too. We will be creating smaller ultimate aims is to determine best practice scrapes on these days using hand tools such in managing sites for the Small Blue so that as mattocks and spades, but will also be any lessons can be used elsewhere across removing scrub from many sites. the range of this fascinating butterfly. These practical work parties will take I Fiona is concurrently part-time place on Surrey Wildlife Trust sites Conservation Officer – Moths. Working including Newlands Corner and West from BC’s Winchester Office, she is Hanger; Guildford BC sites including responsible for the Barberry Carpet “Back Pewley Down and The Mount; and National from the Brink” project as well as delivering Trust sites including Box Hill, Netley Park, BC core work on priority moth species. Hackhurst and Denbies Hillside. I Work party details are on the branch Careful consideration is needed in website. If you would like to help, or for determining the best locations for our further information, please contact: management as we are often working on [email protected] Surrey Skipper 18 Autumn 2017

Transects Bill Downey

AS of mid-September, more heathland sites being records have been recorded than before. This returned from 90+ is reflected this year in the transects in VC17. increased number of Some walkers prefer to records for Silver-studded enter their records after Blue and Grayling. the season has ended. What has coloured this However my expectation is year however has been the that the final figure will be around 100. restructuring at Surrey Wildlife Trust. Walking a transect through the 26 weeks of Changes to the Countryside Management the season requires dedication and once Team mean that site knowledge no longer again my thanks go to all walkers for their sits with the rangers but with a hard work and enthusiasm. Surveyors/Liaison Group led by an Estate The hot weather in June and July this Manager. year brought butterflies out in greater Back in February I had feared that there numbers and, with two weeks of the season might be an exodus of volunteers who walk still to go, the numbers recorded on SWT sites: fortunately this has not transects in VC17 stands at 164,000. happened and the transects have continued. This compares to a final total last year of Clearly however we need to develop a 102,000, although it is not a true working relationship with this new comparison as more routes have been grouping as soon as possible. walked in 2017. The National Trust is beginning to Retiring at the end of this year will be implement its “Landscape, Outdoors and Janet Cheney at Box Hill Viewpoint Nature” policy, which involves improving (although she may still be available as a the habitat of large tracts of its land. The reserve) and Geoff Woodcock at Box Hill success is to be judged by increased Zig Zag. These changes will necessitate a monitoring of birds, butterflies, bats and new team in place for Box Hill in 2018 and I flora on its land and so Matthew Oates (NT will be working at this over the winter. Nature Specialist) has been in touch with With the additional route at Barossa and me about creating more routes on NT land new walkers on other sites, there are now – which he will talk about at the AGM. Transect changes in 2017 New routes Headley Warren Barossa & Poors Allotment Adrian Thompson & Gary Margetts Geoff Pierce & Robin Charlton New walkers Smithwood Common ...... Jacky Trinder Brentmoor Heath ..Natalie Kay & Paul Batham Hurst Meadows ...... Mick Rock Dawney’s Hill & Brookwood Cemetery Clandon Wood Natural Burial Ground Peter Cureton Matt Phelps & Gareth Hurd Leith Hill Place ...... Kama Cooper-Walden Oaken Wood West ...... Phil Darley Rodborough Common ...... Dave Thomson Reinstated Nonsuch Park ...... Peter Trew & Emma Brown Ashtead Common B Banstead Downs ...... Graham Cotten Keith Lelliott & Nikki Campana Sheepleas ...... Mike Gibson Oxted Downs — Gangers Hill New Hill, Coulsdon ...... Mike Pearce Richard Stephens & Trevor Sears Surrey Skipper 19 Autumn 2017

large numbers of Green Hairstreaks. The latter is another heathland site which is grazed by ponies and where there is a wish to reintroduce the Silver-studded Blue. Following the retirement of Andrew Scott, there were gaps in the walking of City of London Commons sites. These have been filled only partially this year and will require more work next. There is a tendency to forget that south west London is part of VC17 and, with the current drive to declare London a National Park City, there is an increased awareness of its importance for wildlife. Butterfly Conservation has also Strongly-marked Silver-studded Blue fem. FK recognised that there needs to be more At Polesden Lacey, the Ranger is activity in the capital and is in the process restoring areas of chalk grassland and of developing a London project. moving them from sheep to cattle grazing. It seems a good time to develop a Obviously this is something we wish to stronger relationship with London Wildlife support and two new routes have been Trust and its project on The Great North surveyed – a couple of walks have already Wood – which has adopted the Purple been conducted this season. Hairstreak as a symbol. New routes have also been surveyed at The branch has only one transect in Inner the Devil’s Punch Bowl and Hindhead London – at Sydenham Hill Woods – and Common and these will be started next so I am actively looking for more. spring. The former takes in the route of the At present I have my sights on One Tree old A3, where lawns of Bird’s-foot Trefoil Hill in Honour Oak, Dulwich Park, Stave now replace the tarmac and have attracted Hill Ecology Park and Nunhead Cemetery. Social Media Francis Kelly

OUR Twitter account saw plenty of Twitter Facebook activity during the summer and is Running Tweets & creeping towards 1,000 followers. totals Retweets Followers Likes Click the link below for our website’s 2015 Sep 360 131 guide to getting involved with Twitter 2016 Feb 463 192 and Facebook. Mick Rock’s Facebook Sep 532 637 248 group has 121 members. 2017 Mar 600 734 270 LINK Surrey branch on Social Media Sep 1,238 889 336

DATES Oct 28 Upper Thames Branch Members’ Day 2018 Oct 31 All Transect records to be online please Jan 13– Mar 4 Glasshouse Butterflies, Wisley Nov 11 National Members’ Day, Cheltenham Mar 1 Garden Moth Scheme starts Nov 18 Sussex Branch Members’ Day Mar 10 Conservation Day of Action Nov 19 Hampshire Branch Members’ Day Apr 1 Transect season starts Nov 25 Surrey Branch Members’ Day Apr 6–8 International Symposium, Southampton Surrey Skipper 20 Autumn 2017

London Matters Simon Saville

YOU might wonder why I am writing about London, when most of the Branch membership lives in Surrey where the “best” butterflies are to be found. Well, our Branch area includes eight London boroughs and, while these make up less than 1/5th of the Branch area, they are home to over two million people. Surrey, by contrast, has a population of just over one million. London is surprisingly rich in butterflies and moths. This year I have seen 22 species of butterfly in Inner London – including White- letter Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak and Marbled White – all within a couple of miles of the Thames. I was surprised that the Comma was the butterfly I saw most often in the early summer. And some moths are well- Jersey Tiger moth: now well established in London. established in London but elusive Mark Parsons elsewhere – Toadflax Brocade, The part of most interest to us is the Tree-lichen Beauty, Least Carpet, Gypsy section on green infrastructure. This is a Moth and Jersey Tiger for example have all term used to mean the whole network of visited my garden trap. green spaces including parks, green spaces, So I am firmly of the view that London trees, woodlands, hedges, rivers, wetlands “matters” for our Branch. This is why we and green roofs. are working with Head Office and the other The vision is to make London the London branches to develop a project for greenest global city, with more than half its Lepidoptera and green spaces in London. area “green” by 2050 (up from 47% today). It is timely, therefore, that the Mayor has To do that, the Mayor has supported the just published the draft campaign to make London a National Park London Environment Strategy, City (www.nationalparkcity.london), which is open for consultation until Nov 17. and has committed to increasing the This is an integrated strategy that covers amount of tree cover by 10%. More trees air quality, waste, noise, climate change could be good news for Lepidoptera, as long mitigation and energy, adapting to climate as we get the right types of tree. change, and “green infrastructure” to Green infrastructure will be promoted address the challenges that London faces – through the planning system – to protect with an anticipated population of 11 million and better manage what London has by 2050. The aim is to “make London already, and to incorporate new green greener, cleaner and ready for the future”. infrastructure into development plans. This Surrey Skipper 21 Autumn 2017 looks to be good news, because we know flow back to rivers and streams more that there is a shortage of larval food plants naturally. Habitats will be protected and and nectar sources in parts of London. enhanced to ensure green space The Mayor has already launched a new improvements serve to increase the £9 million Greener City Fund to create and diversity of London’s plant and animal improve green spaces and encourage more species. tree planting in London. Grants are Given the limits of the Mayor’s powers, available for Community Tree Planting and much of this will have to be achieved by for Community Green Spaces. These close influencing others and working with imminently, but presumably there will be partners – including Boroughs, developers, later rounds for applications as well. London Wildlife Trust, charitable The strategy also introduces the concept organisations (like Butterfly Conservation) of “natural capital accounting” in what it and communities. calls a radical new approach. We all know So, what does this mean for BC and its that green infrastructure can improve members? biodiversity and ecological resilience. But it 1 We need to understand the concepts of can also reduce the impacts of climate green infrastructure, ecosystem services change, store carbon, improve air quality, and natural capital, and to work with improve water quality, reduce flooding, these as we frame proposals and talk to promote healthier lives, reduce car land managers and funders. dependency, and encourage more walking 2 That there is an opportunity to comment and cycling. on the proposals, and maybe nudge them These benefits are called “ecosystem to be a bit more Lepidoptera-friendly. services”. Natural capital describes the For example, what types of trees to plant, economic value of these services that the and where? environment provides for free, and presents 3 To get behind the initiative to make them in a similar way to other capital London a National Park City – an assets, like buildings. Whether this opportunity to improve and increase approach will increase the amount of green spaces throughout the city. money available for green infrastructure 4 To encourage Lepidoptera-friendly remains to be seen, but it does at least applications for Greener City Fund grants re-frame the argument. as a way of doing something practical, The strategy says that parks will be made immediate and local. more accessible, and better connected via greener streets. Buildings will become LINK Full strategy document greener, with green roofs and walls, and drainage systems that allow rainwater to LINK Simon Saville’s blog

Garden Moth Scheme Janet Cheney SURREY has 10 GMS recorders, up from a new species in your own garden. Even six last year. Records from the original six after 10 years I have added six new species increased by 50% for the first two quarters this summer, including Alder Kitten and of 2017 (excluding Diamond-backs). Small Emerald. Species such as Jersey Tiger and Tree- I am handing over coordination of the Lichen Beauty have increased and appear to Garden Moth Scheme to Alan Lobb. have become established. That is one of the Please contact Alan to take part in the 2018 joys of moth recording: the chance of seeing scheme, which begins on March 1. Surrey Skipper 22 Autumn 2017

Butterfly behaviour in Richmond Park Nigel Jackman

ON a hot June day in Richmond Park I had my first ever sighting of mud-puddling butterflies. Nectar lacks some important nutrients that butterflies need for reproduction. By sipping moisture from mud puddles with their proboscis, butterflies take in salts and minerals from the soil. This behaviour is called “mud- puddling”. It is mostly seen in males, who incorporate these extra salts and minerals, sometimes lacking in their diet as larvae, into their sperm. On mating, the nutrients are transferred to the female through the sperm, helping the eggs to survive. Females may lose up to 75% of their body salts from egg- laying, but males can provide an enhanced “nuptial gift” of nutrients after puddling. Another reason for the predominance of male puddling may be that they need the sodium Red Admiral and two Commas on “Feeder Tree” for neuromuscular activity, flying more frequently and actively than As soon as a Comma had settled on the trunk it females. It is also suggested that was joined by two others. It then made its way to join the salts may help in the a Lesser Stag Beetle which was feeding in the production of pheromones with company of several flies. which to attract the females. After 15 minutes, the Comma was displaced by a Another new experience for me Red Admiral, which remained in the close company was butterflies feeding from the of the beetle for the half hour that I remained to sap of a large, ailing hawthorn watch, twice swatting away an unwelcome tree on July 21. Speckled Wood.

Pond Diary Jun 26: Purple Hairstreak flew from an Jun 30: Holly Blue on dried mud; Oak, circled and settled on a log in the mud. Small Skipper on nearby pond. It repeated this action several times and Jul 5: Purple Hairstreak and Small was joined by a second specimen firmly on Skipper. the wet mud itself. Jul 7: Meadow Brown (also on there on Comma, Meadow Brown and Small Skipper 10th); Gatekeeper at Pen Ponds. all showed the same behaviour. Surrey Skipper 23 Autumn 2017

Above: Two Purple Hairstreaks enjoying the pond. Right: Small Skipper “mud-puddling”. The insects were clearly feeding on sap being exuded from the bark of the hawthorn tree. The term “feeder tree” is sometimes given to ageing, diseased or otherwise stressed trees with small bleeds of sap. This sap, sometimes appearing only sporadically, can be an important source of nutrition (consisting chiefly of water with dissolved sugars and mineral salts). Many butterflies adore the sweet taste of sap Hawthorn Tree Diary dripping from trees. This behaviour is more commonly found in the tropics, where high Comma Red Adm Speck Wood humidity and heat result in butterflies sucking up Jul 21 31 pretty much any liquid from anywhere convenient. 28 11 It was exceptional to find two UK butterfly species Aug 01 31 feeding together in this way. Alongside the beetle 04 31 and the flies, they created a memorable scene. 06 21 I made 11 further visits over the next 38 days 10 12 (see adjacent table) and each time one to four 11 1 butterflies came to the tree. Hornets, wasps and 15 12 flies were also occasionally present. 18 2 Comma and then Speckled Wood were the predominant species. This alluring hawthorn will 22 2 probably have been attracting butterflies long 25 1 before I found it – a fascinating discovery indeed. 29 1 Surrey Skipper 24 Autumn 2017

Golden Skippers at Old Malden Lawrie de Whalley

GRASSY meadows slope down to the River Hogsmill, with lines of Oak, Elm, Blackthorn and other trees giving shelter. Forty years ago we used to play cricket on the closely mown grass, with just a few butterflies to record. Now there are swathes of long grass and herbs, with just shorter mown dog-walking paths. My visit on June 30 was to look for Small and Essex Skippers, but sun was scarce and the temperature cool to start with. Suddenly a burst of sun and a flurry of skippers: they settled on Knapweeds at an angle just perfect for studying the antennae undersides. All the butterflies were pristine fresh with wings a vibrant gold and held open to catch the sun’s warmth. Over 20 settled in this way and the antennae undersides started orange at the tip underside and shaded to cream going towards the head with no abrupt changes. Definitely Small Skippers, but no Essex at all on the first patches of nectar flowers. One kilometre away I was rewarded with my first Essex Skipper, its antenna tip underside starting black and changing to white sharply. Just like the old Bryant & May matchstick ends! In among many more Small Skippers I found another three Essex Skippers, all posing to perfection. The emergence must have been that morning as they all were the most exciting tawny gold colour. Walking back to near where I started it was a pleasure to find four more Essex Skippers nectaring at the base of Knapweed flowers in the sun, then disappearing as the sun went in. In years of such searches I have never had such perfect conditions and results. I have records for 50 years on this site, so to see a new species here was another excitement: three Marbled Whites fresh and nectaring. They do fly at Tolworth three kilometres away so hopefully this is a natural colonisation. A big credit must go to the Royal Borough of Kingston Rangers for their work in managing this LNR to give variable height grass and herb areas as well as retaining so many species of trees. Purple Hairstreaks are to be seen in the evening on the Oaks. The Rangers’ work has established many good patches of Birds-foot Trefoil, which are occupied by Common Blue in Essex Skipper (top) numbers. & Small Skipper on As well as 22 species of butterflies this habitat now supports Creeping Thistle. FK many other invertebrates such as hoverflies in good quantities. I The site is at TQ206666 to TQ211661. Access from Manor Drive North, near Malden Manor Station, or the riverside path each side of the footbridge over the Hogsmill River. Surrey Skipper 25 Autumn 2017

Field Trips 1 Mike Weller

OF the 49 field trips planned this year, Jul 18, Broadstreet Common: again nearly 40% were adversely affected by the not well attended but 17 species, including weather, including some that had to be Purple Emperor at the end. rescheduled or cancelled. This compares Jul 25, Great Train Journey East: did with only 10% in 2016. not disappoint with 24 species incl. 2nd We were sometimes unlucky in the choice brood Dingy Skipper, 11 SS.Skipper, of cloudy days and this is one good reason 7 Comma, 6 Brown Argus, 4 each of SW & we duplicate the range of species on DG Fritillary, but only 1 Marbled White – different trips; the other is to offer a choice. brood nearly over. I led 11 of the 29 I attended, so thank you to Jul 29, Vale End: Daphne & John our volunteer leaders of the rest. Foulsham’s prodigious hospitality to the By the time of the first trip, the butterfly rescue on a gloomy day but, despite a season was well under way with a very drizzly start and cloudy morning, 19 species warm early spring. Summer continued like before the rain really got going. that until August’s cool and cloudy Aug 5, Great Train Journey West: conditions. despite the train being 30 minutes late, a The impression I have is that most glorious morning with 25 species before species recovered somewhat from the 12.30 when the first of two separate heavy previous few years’ declines and the better storms set in. After paddling the last mile, weather field trips reflected that. Thanks to some of us retired to Denbies Brewery in so many of you attending, we spotted plenty yes — the sun! Yet again this trip produced of butterflies again. the most species.

Highlights May 25, Norbury Park: as last year, Field Trips 2 Francis Kelly 11 species including lots of Brimstones and I led nine field their larvae in different instars; Common trips this year and Blue, Small Heath and Small Copper managed to attend making comebacks; but down on numbers only three others. of Brown Argus and Green Hairstreak; The 12 trips Dingy and Grizzled Skipper holding on. attracted 62 Jun 25, Norbury Park: a cloudy start different people, put off all but 4 of you. Quickly brightening notably the 22 skies revealed 13 species, including 7 SW at Pewley Down Fritillary, 2 White Admiral and loads of on May 23. Marbled White, Comma and Ringlet. We also saw Jul 9, Holmwood Common & 36 of Surrey’s 41 regular species, although Inholms Clay Pit: undeservedly not the full set was achieved by the field-trip popular with you but 20 woodland species programme as a whole. awaited the few. My annual Sweet FA (Faithful Attendee) Jul 14, Walton Downs: 15 species incl. award goes to Richard Stephens, with my first Chalkhill Blue of the season whom I crossed paths on seven trips. together with lots of Marbled White, My non-butterfly highlight was the Gatekeeper, Small Copper and SW Fritillary, Golden-ringed Dragonfly (pictured) but too late for DG Fritillary this year. at Holmwood Common. Surrey Skipper 26 Autumn 2017

Large Tortoiseshell Paul Cox

A Surrey member crosses the border into West Sussex in search of a rare butterfly ON April 9 I visited North Stoke in West Sussex. Encouraged by recent sightings of Large Tortoiseshells, I thought I would try my luck. If nothing else, the weather was nice for an afternoon walk and there should be plenty of other butterflies to see. The Butterfly Conservation Sussex website had helpfully given two grid coordinates located on a path than runs roughly east-west along the southern edge of a strip of woodland. I immediately headed for that area. Although I had arrived fairly late in the day, I was surprised to see only two other butterfly- spotters. They were pretty certain they had seen a Large Tortoiseshell a short time Large Tortoiseshell on telegraph pole. Paul Cox earlier along another strip of Note the cluster of four spots away from front margin; woodland running south from Small Tortoiseshell has only three. the main path. I followed their directions, but that area Tortoiseshell. It certainly looked like no seemed pretty quiet and so I returned to the Small Tortoiseshell I had ever seen, and no main path and walked east along it. other species fitted the bill. That said, I had Peacocks were the most obvious species, never seen a Large Tortoiseshell before, so with periodic appearances from single male there was an element of doubt. Orange-tips. I hastily switched on my camera and was Unfortunately there was no sign of my able to fire off a good number of shots of the target species, so I decided to call it a day butterfly, which was showing nicely in a and head back up the hill towards North wings-open pose. After a minute or so, it Stoke village. However, as I walked past a flew off east and I quickly lost it from view. pair of wooden telegraph poles towards the Talk about being in the right place at the western edge of the woodland strip, a large right moment! butterfly flew in and landed on the post I immediately headed east in the hope of closest to me. relocating the butterfly. I spotted two gents Looking at it through my binoculars, in the distance. One had a camera, so I I was pretty certain that it was a Large assumed that they might be looking for Surrey Skipper 27 Autumn 2017

Wych Elms (light green), foodplant of the Large Tortoiseshell, in fresh leaf at North Stoke. FK butterflies. I headed in their direction, in That evening, I posted one of my images the hope that they could confirm the on the Butterfly Conversation Sussex identification. My plan was to post the website. The identification was duly images online that evening and secure confirmed and it transpired that the confirmation from more experienced butterfly I had seen was a different observers, but an instant identification individual from those previously would be good! I also thought that, with photographed at the site. three pairs of eyes covering the area, we TIMELINE might see the butterfly again. Mar 28 Neil Hulme finds female I showed my photographs to one of the Apr 3 male photographed gents, who agreed that I had indeed found a Apr 9 Paul Cox finds different male Large Tortoiseshell. THE SITE The three of us then headed back towards Neil Hulme writes: this sheltered river bluff the pair of telegraph poles. As we hosts the largest population of healthy approached the poles, with me slightly Wych Elm I know of in West Sussex ahead of my companions, I was amazed to (TQ033106 – TQ036103). The slope faces see that the butterfly was back again, sat in south and south-west, but is sheltered by the same spot! I got a brief view of it the crescent-shaped topography – and it is through my binoculars, but it was rather in a river valley close to the coast. side-on to me from our angle of approach. THE BUTTERFLY Before we could get into a better viewing The Large Tortoiseshell virtually position, it flew off past us, heading east disappeared from England in the 1950s. back along the path. We were unable to keep track of its progress for more than a Butterflies of Surrey notes 7+ different few seconds, but it was evident that it was records, 1995-09. flying some distance down the path. 2014, Hants: two records. The two gents headed back along the LINK The Butterflies of Sussex path, while I remained by the telegraph by Michael Blencowe & Neil Hulme, poles. Alas, there were no further sightings. was published in May. Surrey Skipper 28 Autumn 2017

Weather Watch David Gradidge

WHEN gathering the data for England SE & Central South the last six months, I was Anomaly column shows comparison with reminded that memories are short. I refer to the fact that 30-year average, 1981-2010 last spring was one of the Temp C Sunshine Rainfall mildest on record. 2016 Mean Anom Hours Anom mm Anom Jan 5.7 +1.1 60 102% 132 165% It was also very dry, with Feb 5.4 +0.9 89 113% 57 103% April having just 10mm of Mar 6.1 -0.7 137 120% 87 151% rainfall averaged over South Apr 8.1 -0.6 176 104% 54 101% East England. The dryness May 13.0 +1.1 220 109% 65 119% was more pronounced in Jun 15.4 +0.6 128 63% 96 188% Kent and Sussex. Jul 17.5 +0.4 213 99% 21 41% March was the warmest on Aug 17.9 +0.9 227 111% 40 70% record going back to 1910. Sep 16.7 +2.2 138 92% 48 77% May was the 5th-warmest so Oct 11.2 +0.1 128 113% 33 36% making spring, alongside Nov 6.4 -1.0 84 117% 103 118% 2007, 2011 and 2014, among Dec 6.1 +1.1 64 125% 19 22% the warmest four on record. Annual 10.8 +0.5 1,664 102% 755 96% Before you get too excited, 2017 remember 2010 was the Jan 3.7 -0.9 78 132% 83 104% 3rd-coldest in this series. Feb 6.4 +1.9 54 68% 54 97% Oddly, no sunshine records Mar 9.2 +2.5 132 115% 44 76% were near to being broken. Apr 9.4 +0.7 205 121% 10 18% This, of course, made for a May 13.5 +1.5 199 99% 69 127% very early growing season Jun 16.9 +2.1 244 121% 58 114% with no doubt records being Jul 17.8 +0.7 207 97% 104 200% broken for early emergence. Aug 16.4 -0.5 201 99% 73 127% I think the signs are still Sep 14.0 -0.5 138 93% 72 115% there with, to me, the start of Region: Surrey, London, Berks, Hants, Kent, Sussex, Wilts a very early autumn leaf fall. What of summer? I think we will remember it for being wet. Not so in wet, but August started a cooling trend that June, but July had double the average in carried on into September. many places, making it 6th-wettest in the June was sunny at 244 hours and both series and just behind 2007 and 2012. July and August surprisingly were also over August was also rather wet and especially so 200 hours (remember June last year was to the west of Surrey and beyond. the dullest on record). June continued the warm theme with In closing, whenever the BBC or other notably high temperatures around the 21st. media reports Gravesend as being the This made it the 2nd-warmest in recent warmest/hottest part in the UK, please say: records but still a long way behind 1976 no it is NOT Gravesend, it is Broadness! (remember that?). Where is Broadness? Look it up as it might July was just above average despite the be a good butterfly site. Surrey Skipper 29 Autumn 2017

King of the Road Nick Ward

A MALE Purple Emperor was fluttering thunderstorm earlier). Of course I rushed in about in the road outside my house in and got my camera and even called out my Capel at 11.30 on June 22. neighbour to enjoy the spectacle. Eventually it alighted in the road and The butterfly remained for at least 15 seemed intent on sucking up some almost minutes and was still there when I had to go, dry detritus (we had had a brief but was gone on my return half an hour later. Surrey Skipper 30 Autumn 2017

New Members Ken Owen

A warm welcome to all new members. Sept total membership 1,240, up by 54 from Feb. ►We do NOT have an email address for names indicated by pointer. If you would like to be added to our branch contacts, please email [email protected] Jonathan Adams Bryony Davison Margaret Harwood John/Gundega Millers David Simpson Adam Asquith Juanette De Turris Edmund Haviland Clare Million Robert Skipper David Asquith Maggy Dean ►Neil Hayter Sharon Morgan Carol Slater Andre Atherton Sarah Dickson Sarah Henson Alan Muir Philip Sloper Sharon Aylward Elaine Dolton Sue Higgs Jessica Murray Robert Smith Charlotte Bain Calli Dracos Rob Hill Elliot Newton Sue Smith Russell Barnes Rebecca Dunne Anne Hindmarch Sally Ollett Charlotte Soares David Beldon Justine Elliott Emma Hockly Georgina Parker Michael Stead Patricia Berry Jason Enticknap David Holcombe William Pask ►Sally Strangeways Jane Blackall Michelle Ernoult Angela Holroyde Nick Perry Richard Taylor Deborah Booth Anna Fergusson Monika Hordos Alison Pitts Vanda Taylor Chris/Lydia Boxley Maria Fitzpatrick Merryn Johnson ►John Poole Gemma Thomas Mike Bromley Stuart/Stephanie Francesca Kirby-Rose Stephen Price Debz Thompson ►Dorothy Brookes Fleming ►Mary Knight Martin Rackstraw Neil Wallis Michelle Burns Tom Forster Maria Koszel Susan Ratcliffe Clare Walsh Rebecca Bush Anna Frasca Alexandra Learmont Diana Rattee Deanne Webb Sally Butler Andrea Fraser Jonathan Leek Meltem Raven Ben Webster Morag Carmichael Cecilia Frend Paul John Lewis Robb Reeves Gill Welsman Peter Carpenter Iona Gabriel Sally Lewis Elizabeth Antony Williams Pam Cheal Rosemary Galloway Rachel Lickiss Reynell-O’Brien Heidi Williams Jill Clarke Mary-Anne Geary Richard Lockyer Deborah Reynolds Trevor Wilson John Clifford Shonia Gibson Carey Lodge Maureen Rickman Felicity Woods Estelle Clinton Tom Godfrey Suelli Loures Petra Riley ►Jeff Worrell Emily Cole Rosalind Gray Kareemah Malik Helen Roberts Jo Wright Ann Connolly John Greenham Tracey Marchant John Roberts Elizabeth Young Jessica Cottis ►Jean Hamblin Aaron Marubbi ►Christa Rohde Paul Young Peter Cox Veronica Alison Matthews Mick Ross Philippa Young Malcolm Cragg Hammerstone John McDonnell Matt Ruiz Suzanne Davis Matthew Harrow Sally Mcelhayer Richard Sharp

New Members’ Day Geoff Eaton

SINCE we decided to run New Members’ without the “boring browns” on a dull day? Day in July, we have been blessed with Eventually we also found Dark Green and reasonable weather; however, Saturday, Silver-washed Fritillaries and Silver-spotted July 15, 2017 started dull and overcast. Skippers, and a worn female Common Blue Despite the weather, 21 new members tested our identification skills. attended at Juniper Hall for morning talks Paul was moving around the group to on butterflies and moths given by Geoff provide ever-increasingly complex Latin Eaton, Bill Downey and Paul Wheeler. names for the moths, and his antennae After lunch, a few umbrellas appeared as positively quivered with excitement when a we started our walk, but these had gone by Chalk Carpet was discovered. the time we approached Juniper Top. At last the sun did show itself, and on Butterflies were not easy to find, but our Juniper Top we completed the day by enthusiastic group were happy to hunt for searching for Purple Hairstreaks around the them, starting with Meadow Browns and oaks. All in all, it was a successful day after Marbled Whites. Where would we be a far from promising start. Surrey Skipper 31 Autumn 2017

Branch Website: Uunique weekly visitors Francis Kelly 2016 2017 500 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

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Our branch website attracted a summer The other spike, of 464 visitors during record of 407 unique visitors during the week beginning March 10, was when the week beginning July 14. This coincided Spring Skipper went on line. with the start of Big Butterfly Count and Thank you to Ken Owen for managing confirms the success of that promotion. the sightings page.

Amazon Adventure Branch member Clive Huggins was a amazonadventurefilm.com says: consultant on Amazon Adventure, “Epic, true story of explorer Henry Bates’ a 45-minute “visually stunning” film fascinating 11 year journey through the for both children and adults. It is currently visually stunning and bio-diverse Amazon being shown in America and will hopefully rainforest. As a young man, Bates risks his arrive at Waterloo Imax in 2018. life for science in the 1850s.” I From the makers of 2012’s Flight of the Butterflies Natural History Museum THE Natural History Museum’s collection This has been added to the Links page of 181,545 UK & Irish butterflies is now of our branch website, which lists resources fully digitalised, with image & data. of both local and general interest. Surrey Skipper 32 Autumn 2017

UK Transects 2016 Francis Kelly

FOR four Surrey species, 2016 was the Professor Tom Brereton, BC’s Head of worst national year in the 41 years of the Monitoring, said: “Worryingly, not even the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, which pleasant summer weather of 2016 was began in 1976: Grayling, Grizzled Skipper, enough to help butterflies bounce back from White Admiral and White-letter Hairstreak. a run of poor years.” For only Ringlet and Red Admiral was Dr Marc Botham, Butterfly Ecologist at 2016 a top-10 year. That contrasts with the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, said: 2015, which was the best ever year for “The weather at critical times of species Marbled White and Brimstone, and a top-10 development can cause dramatic changes in year for five of other species. population numbers in the short term. Overall 2016 was the 4th-worst in the “What is of greatest concern is the 41-year sequence, caused by a mild winter regularity with which these short-term followed by a cold spring. However, the changes in recent years are negative, national 10-year trend was positive for 22 resulting in significant long-term declines of Surrey’s 41 species, but negative for the for many species.” other 19.

Abundance ranking of 2016 in 41 years of UK transects from 1976 41-year ranking of 2016, & 10-year trend 41-year ranking of 2016, & 10-year trend 7th Ringlet +44% 30 Wood White +5% 8 Red Admiral -2% 32 Brown Argus +28% 13 Marbled White +120% Purple Hairstreak -15% 15 Brimstone +59% 36 Small Skipper +94% Small Blue +2% Large Skipper +28% 16 Clouded Yellow +225% Peacock -4% 17 Silver-spotted Skipper +66% 37 Essex Skipper +45% Painted Lady -57% 38 Small Tortoiseshell +123% 18 Orange-tip +43% Common Blue +27% Silver-washed Fritillary +17% 39 Chalkhill Blue +56% Brown Hairstreak -9% Small Heath +13% Speckled Wood -9% Meadow Brown +11% 19 Silver-studded Blue +48% Green Hairstreak -11% 20 Dark Green Fritillary -2% Small Copper -43% 22 Dingy Skipper +51% 40 Gatekeeper -7% Holly Blue -25% 41 Grayling -29% 27 Green-veined White +4% Grizzled Skipper -38% Comma -23% White Admiral -52% Adonis Blue -32% White-letter Hairstreak -72% 28 Small White +6% Large White -21% Purple Emperor -24% Table features Surrey's 41 regular species only; data is drawn from all UK transects 1976-2016 Surrey Skipper 33 Autumn 2017

Moths Les Evans-Hill

Wimbledon resident and manager of BC’s National Moth Recording Scheme database BC’s Atlas of Britain & Ireland’s Larger Moths remains on course for publication in late 2018. To this end for the past six months I have been busy validating and importing macro-moth datasets from every vice-county in the UK, Northern Ireland and Channel Islands. This new atlas will also cover the Republic of Ireland, with acknowledgement to MothsIreland. Feathered Thorn. LH The National Moth Recording Scheme including a Leopard Moth to light and database now holds over 25 million records. Orange-tailed Clearwing to a pheromone From this point on, provisional maps and lure – the latter intriguing many of the flight charts will be produced to help the members of the public who saw the editorial team and external experts further clearwing appear from nowhere. I also validate the data and weed out any dodgy found a Hornet Moth which to the best of dots! The editorial team is also procuring my knowledge is new to Wimbledon hundreds of quality images and writing up Common. short descriptions of every featured species. The garden moth trap has produced little It is also planned to include trend analysis of note. I had few Oak Processionaries to along with updated national status. worry about. One species that appears not Moth Night this year ran from October yet to have reached Wimbledon Common is 12-14, the main theme being ivy and ivy Clifden Nonpareil. However, with anecdotal blossom, with additional focus on sugaring evidence of its continued spread north and and wine-roping. east from Dorset and Hampshire, I am Spring and summer mothing here at hoping it is only a matter of time, especially Wimbledon has again been mixed, with a for anyone with Aspen or other Poplar focus on quality rather than quantity. species nearby. In June’s annual Wimbledon Common I seem to have been spared the plague of Bioblitz, I managed a total of 89 species, Box-tree Moth, which is causing concern in Putney and Southfields, where hundreds are being seen. I have taken only a few. I To help raise funds for the new Autumn is my favourite time of the year atlas, Butterfly Conservation has held and the seasonal moths are now starting to moth auctions emerge, Feathered Thorn being a notable Remaining species will be offered for early arrival. The “Sallows” are also auction in November—December. appearing, along with Black Rustic and Deep-brown Dart. Surrey Skipper 34 Autumn 2017

Box-tree Moth Paul Wheeler

MY friend Sophie rows of black dots Hodgson was along the body. worried – a few more The pupae are branches of the Box concealed in a white hedge in Ottershaw silken web. The moths had been defoliated. are fairly large despite However many being in the smaller caterpillars she moths books. They are removed, there were about the size of a more every time she Box-tree Moth dark form. Martin Angel Gatekeeper butterfly. looked, and more of The scientific name, their webbing. Yet she perspectalis, refers to could not find them in her the translucent wings. gardening books. It was like Even in the dark form, an alien invasion. which is less common, the Even worse, Sophie was wings have that house-sitting for her mother translucence. The wings also and would be blamed for have a pearly lustre. neglecting the hedge. But As soon as you notice any Boxworm Surrey is more than a county infestation, remove the RHS Carol Sheppard of neatly trimmed garden caterpillars by hand. The hedges. It has the RHS at Wisley. webbing is not irritating to most people, in Andrew Halstead, the then chief contrast to the webs of Oak Processionary entomologist, identified the larvae as and Brown-tail Moths, which incorporate Cydalima perspectalis, their urticating hairs into their webs. the Box-tree or Boxworm moth. Boxworm larvae spin webs only of silk. You This first record of larvae in Surrey (2011) could remove infested branches and burn is in SWT’s Smaller Moths of Surrey, them. Regardless, do kill the caterpillars! along with the first British adult – to light at You should not consider spraying unless Weybridge in 2008. you cannot control the infestation by It really is an alien, though probably an removing caterpillars and foliage with accidental introduction. The moth is an webbing. The RHS suggests various readily adventive species that is native to China, available insecticides. Unfortunately they Japan and Korea. It feels like an invasion are not discriminating: they kill all types of now, given the numbers recorded in some insects. None of those selective against places. This year Bob Arnfield recorded 820 lepidoptera are available for general use. in a single night’s light-trapping in Putney! Thorough spraying of all affected areas is So what is to be done about it? Firstly, needed if control is to be achieved. identify the moth. Few insects eat Box. Particularly, note that the silk webbing The caterpillars produce a silken web that protecting the caterpillars must be they can retreat into. Newly hatched penetrated, so spray forcefully. caterpillars are greenish-yellow, with black Given the environmental damage heads. Fully grown caterpillars are up to insecticides can cause, and the 4cm long and have a greenish-yellow body thoroughness with which Boxworm control with black and white stripes edged with has to be done, precautions need to be Surrey Skipper 35 Autumn 2017

Box-tree Moth, black & white form. Andrew Mitchell taken not to ruin your garden’s wildlife. If you see signs of Boxworm on Box Hill, Thus the RHS advice is insistent that plants or any other sites, please let us know at in flower should not be sprayed due to the [email protected] danger to bees and other pollinating A grid ref to 10 metres (8 figures) or insects. closer would help land managers to deal Alarmingly, the Box-tree Moth has now with what could become a major problem. been recorded at Boxhurst, just over the LINK Butterfly-conservation PDF fence from Box Hill, where the Box LINK RHS Boxworm report form woodland is a scarce habitat in Britain. We are hoping these wild Box groves will LINK Boxwood & Topiary Society page prove more resistant than garden cultivars. LINK RHS page

Emperor Moth Richard Sergeant WE didn’t realise we had Emperor Moths at Tice’s Meadow until we put out a pheromone lure on April 8. Within one hour we attracted seven males. Pheromones are available from LINK www.angleps.com/pheromones.php Tice’s Meadow nature reserve is on the site of the former Farnham Quarry, between Badshot Lea and Tongham. Access from SU 86759 49018 LINK www.ticesmeadow.org Surrey Skipper 36 Autumn 2017

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31st MARCH 2017

31.3.17 31.3.16 ASSETS Cash at Bank...... 8,358 10,874 Stock of Sales Goods...... 316 798 Sundry Debtors & prepayments...... 242 161 Less Sundry Creditors...... -43 -129 - adjustment re actual creditors versus forecast...... 129 8,872 11,833

REPRESENTED BY:- General Funds:- As at 1st April 2016...... 11,833 8,373 Plus excess of income over expenditure for the year...... -2,961 3,460 (adjusted)

As at 31st March 2017...... 8,872 11,833

INCOME 12 Months to 12 Months to 31.3.17 31.3.16 SALE OF GOODS Stock valuation 1st April 2016...... 798 495 Add Purchases...... 01,187 Less Sales (net of VAT)...... 373 1,163 Stock valuation 31st March 2017...... 316 798 Profit on Sale of Goods ...... -109 280 GENERAL INCOME Subscriptions...... 5,958 5,673 Donations...... 132 1,179 Interest on fixed deposit...... 41 22 Other Income (net of VAT)...... 50 412 6,181 7,286

TOTAL INCOME...... 6,071 7,566

EXPENDITURE Printing, postage & stationery...... 1,025 3,282 Support For Events (attendance costs)...... 0179 Branch AGM/Members' Day, net of receipts...... 334 304 New Members' Day...... 359 273 Conservation (Surrey Small Blue project)...... 5,500 0 Equipment Purchases & Repairs...... 1,706 2 Insurance...... 123 165 Refund of VAT...... -114 -35 Other Support Costs (meeting room hire, etc)...... 101 64

TOTAL EXPENDITURE...... 9,032 4,235

Excess of income over expenditure for the year...... -2,961 3,331 (transferred to General Fund) TOTAL...... 6,071 7,566 Surrey Skipper 37 Autumn 2017

Treasurer’s Report Peter Camber

Branch accounts to March 31, 2017 1 Income (main items) I Overall income for 2016/17 (“this year”) was £6,071 versus £7,566 for 2015/16 (“last year”). I Subscriptions at £5,958 were 5% higher than last year, reflecting both an increase in our membership and a healthy rate of renewals. I Donations totalled £132, considerably down on last year’s exceptional figure of £1,179. I A significant reduction in sales activity, coupled with discounted sale prices and a write down in the value of old stock items resulted in a loss of £109 on the sale of goods. I Other income of just £50 was also down our new team of conservation volunteers, on last year’s exceptional figure of £412. who have since been putting them to good 2 Expenditure (main items) use on multiple projects. We also purchased I Overall expenditure for the year was a new moth trap that is now being used for £9,032 versus only £4,235 last year. our field trips. All of these items have been I Our largest regular operating expense, added to the inventory of equipment being i.e. printing and postage, was greatly held and managed by the Branch. reduced by the introduction of the online 3 Excess of expenditure over income I Skipper magazine and totalled £1,025 Although our overall operating expenses versus £3,282 last year. reduced, the welcome donation to I The net costs of running our New conservation this year has resulted in our Members’ Day and the annual overall expenditure exceeding our income AGM/Members’ Day events totalled £693, by £2,961. the increase over last year’s figure of £577 4 Year-end Balance Sheet being mainly due to the unavoidable change I Our closing cash balance was £8,358, of venue for the AGM. versus £10,874 last year. I We were pleased to make a donation of I The overall value of our sales stock was £5,500 towards the Surrey Small Blue reduced to £316, following sales during the Stepping Stones project but our planned year and a more realistic assessment of the support for a Wood White conservation value of many of the old and slow-moving initiative around Chiddingfold had to be items. This compares with a value of £798 deferred once again. However, £3,000 has at the end of last year. been earmarked for such a project in I Debtors stood at £114, representing only 2017/18, together with a further £1,000 for the VAT recoverable from this year’s a Silver-studded Blue initiative in the purchases. We also made advance Thames Basin. Further donations towards payments of £128 to secure the venues for conservation projects might be possible in our April 2017 committee meeting and the the year ahead, subject to the actual funds New Members’ Day in July 2017. available and BC’s successful initiation of I Creditors stood at £43, representing the suitable projects. VAT payable on sales of goods. I Following several years of very limited I Overall, our general funds decreased to expenditure on equipment we spent £1,706, £8,872 from £11,833 last year. mostly on tools and protective equipment for I continued next page Surrey Skipper 38 Autumn 2017

I TREASURER from previous page 5 Conclusions six months’ operating costs, in line with I It was good to see our regular operating BC’s policy. costs reduce in spite of the exceptional, but I It is encouraging to see that our important, expenditure on equipment for subscription income of £5,958 once again practical conservation work. This ongoing exceeded our basic operating costs of reduction of our costs will enable the £3,532, leaving a surplus that can be used branch to commit more funds to support to support the conservation of butterflies BC’s future conservation initiatives. and moths. However, it was disappointing Unfortunately, such projects have that, following last year’s exceptional become increasingly difficult for BC to fund income from the Green Token schemes, and initiate, which has delayed our nothing was raised from them this year. opportunity to contribute to them. It is Similarly, income from EasyFundraising hoped that the Wood White and Silver- at just £23 was again disappointing, so do studded Blue projects mentioned above will please support these initiatives whenever proceed and be followed by others that will you can. As always, your suggestions for enable us to continue reducing our general other sources of income will be welcomed, funds towards a target figure equivalent to so please let us know if you have any ideas.

Magic Moments Ken Owen

eturning along a narrow forest ride, I disturbed a deer, a hind, then chanced upon an opening and, before me, as the sun broke through, RBecame aware of a mass of rampant blackberry blossom, With a Small Skipper resting on a purple head-high thistle right up close. And then, as if from nowhere, a swooping Silver-washed Fritillary Alighted momentarily beside it on another flower, And three more circled in a feverish dance, Pausing only briefly to investigate their nectar source. Meadow Browns, now chasing, now being chased in turn, Played tag around the blossoms. Two White Admirals, more sedate, Sat wings outstretched among the flowers. Suddenly a Purple Hairstreak entered diagonally stage right, A Large White fluttered purposefully across the scene, And Ringlets wove their way at knee height through the grass.

Forget-me-not WRITING a will is about protecting the things most precious to you. After you have taken care of your family and friends, please consider leaving a gift to Butterfly Conservation. It will be used to protect butterflies and moths and the places they live, making the environment a healthier place and allowing future generations to take delight in our natural world. I Please contact Sandra Muldoon 01929 406002, [email protected] Surrey Skipper 39 Autumn 2017

Minutes of last year’s 22nd AGM Helen Kelly

Sat 12 Nov, 2016, 11.00; King George V Hall, Effingham Attendance 65

Apologies: Harry Clarke, Graham Collins, 5 Membership: Ken Owen Jovita Kaunang, Dennis & Enid Newland, Approaching 1,200 households; about Ken Owen, Keith & Lorna Sandford 1,414 individual members, including joint and family members, a 6.9% increase. 1 Last year’s minutes New members received welcoming letter. Oaken Wood: Michael Friend noted that National membership: 30k. our reserve is managed under licence 6 Oaken Wood: a new management plan rather than leased. has been developed by Harry Clarke, Joan Lowe complained that she did not Bill Downey, Gail Jeffcoate and BC staff. have a printed Skipper. Winter work parties will resume. Minutes then formally approved. 7 Recorder: David Gardner read out 2 Matters arising: none. Harry Clarke’s provisional report. 3 Chairman’s report: David Gardner Steve Wheatley’s new Regional Action David is stepping down after eight years Plan is almost complete. and plans to move north. David has been The branch formally objected to the impressed with the number of events for Woodland Trust’s application to plant both butterflies and moths. trees at Langley Vale. The new Chair will find a vibrant team. Forestry Commission approved the 4 Accounts: Peter Camber application, with conditions. Full details for year ending March 31, Surveys included Brown Hairstreak, 2016 are in Skipper 62. Wood White, Grizzled & Silver-spotted Income £7,566; expenditure £4,235; Skippers, Silver-studded & Small Blues. excess £3,331; assets £11,704. 8 Field Trips: Mike Weller Sale of goods, thanks to late Phil Boys, 49 trips were scheduled, including seven produced £280. new ones; only 10% were rained off. National AGM, Cobham, Nov 2015: Special thanks to Daphne & John raffle profit was £412; thank you to Foulsham for their hospitality at David Gardner for supplying prizes. Vale End in July. Skipper expenditure £3,282; this will be Thank you to current leaders; much reduced in future after the decision new leaders are always appreciated. to go digital. 9 Moths: Paul Wheeler Planned donations to the Wood White Successful events included evenings at and other conservation projects were Chilworth and Banstead Wood. deferred. We are keen to support these Email group has 95 members projects as Head Office does not want 10 AOB: Malcolm Bridge paid tribute to branches to hold a large cash surplus. David Gardner’s eight years as Chair. Thank you to Graham Revill for auditing David was presented with a the accounts Brown Hairstreak print, signed by Q Jenny Shalom: do we shop around for the Richard Lewington. best savings deal? 11 Committee Re-elected: Harry Clarke, Answer: HO has charge of this: £5k is Mike Weller, Ken Willmott. currently invested with Clydesdale Bank. Newly elected: Janet Cheney, Proposed: Tony Hoare Simon Saville, Jenny Shalom. Seconded: Malcolm Bridge Meeting closed: 11.55 Surrey Skipper 40 Autumn 2017

Email Appeal Francis Kelly

The following members do NOT receive branch emails – either we do not hold a valid address (some bounce) or you have unsubscribed. Simon Acland Shane Cooper John Hammick Mike Metherall Susan Shore Peter Affleck Sheila Cooper Roger Hanson Anthony Moore Robert Simpson Thelma Amer Peter Corry Richard Hardman Clive Morgan Jason Sinclair June Anderson Mark Cosgrove Trevor Harris Hazel Morgan Mrs D E Skillman Philip Ashton Neil Covey Neil Hayter Sheila Morris John A Smith Alexander Ballingal Barbara Crake Michael Healy Maurice Moss Jennifer Spring-Smyth Matthew Banner Brian Crawford John Henley Brian Myring Henry Stapleton Thomas Bartlett Christine Crawley Ian Herbert Stella Newbery John Steer Alec Baxter-Brown Alaina Creedy John Heward Ian Newlands Jennifer Stiasny Peter Beale Paul Crook Sue Higgs Michael Nightingale William Straker Sandra Bell Ian Cunningham Pamela Hill Michael Oak Sally Strangeways Joan Bellevue Naima Curnock Philip Hills Vivien Oakes Roger Swanborough Lulu Bennett Susan/Zoe Davies Kathleen Hogg Robin Oliphant Bill Swinglehurst Sarah Bennett Majorie Davis Derek Holdaway Rick Ovenden David Sykes Robert Bishop Stephen Davis David Hollow Sarah Panizzo Judith Symons David Boothroyd Mollie Dewhurst-Martin Daphne Howling Jean Parker Helen Szczepanski Richard Bosanquet John Dingain Simon Howorth Nigel Parker Frederick Thatcher Gillian Boshier Simon Donkersley Elizabeth Hughes Benjamin Pateman Michael Thomas Mr R Bradley Christopher Durrant Martin Hughes Christopher Paul Timothy Thursfield Christopher Brewer Marc Duveen Conway David Inman Martin Peach Ian Tippetts Mary Bridge Rosemary Eaton Stephen Jackson Patricia Perkins Ian Todd Juliet Brodie Colin Ede Laura Jennings Alexander Petrie Kim Tremearne Penelope Brooke Alan Edwards Michael B Jones David Pinder Colin Turner Dorothy Brookes James Edwards Andrew Keeping John Pontin Harry Turner Judith Browning Peter Edwards Margaret Kennedy John Poole Diane Vowles John Buckley Vivien Egerton Reston Kilgour Margaret Potter Margaret Watkins Matthew Bullivant Conrad Eilts Mary Knight Peter Preece Jane Webb Joshua Burch Peter Fane Kathleen Knowles Steven Quaife Julie Webb Anne Burchell Peter Farrant Keith/Mary Lawrence Jill Rigby Peter Webster Martin Burgess Clive Fisher Roger Leonard Monica Rogers Patience Wedd Valerie Butt Nicky Ford Fiona Lorimer Christa Rohde Paul Welling Martin Cale Paul Foulkes-Arellano Sheila Lovell John Rose Elizabeth Whiting Frank Cannings Rex Francis Joanna Lumley Trudi-Anne Rosie Paul Whitlock Patrick Chapman Janet Fraser Aeneaus MacDonell Patricia Ross Michael Wilkinson Kenneth Cheesman Andrew Fryer Michele Malson Ransford Rowe Alistair Wilson Victoria Chester Julian Gibbs Trudy Mapstone Paul Rowsell Mildred Wilson Tim/Sue Cleminson Paul Gilbert Harold Matthews Allen Russell-Smith Alan Wingrove Philip Clifford Benjamin Green Iain McClure Eric Ryan Jean Winn Judy Cobbett Margaret Gunning Thomas McKay Susan Saxby Jeff Worrell Tony Collyer Katherine Haire Tim McKenzie Adam Seymour Tim Yorath Gwen Comerford Charles Hales-Hunt Neil McMillan Edward Shaw Shirley Constable Tim Hall Maria Meredith Peter Shelley Maureen Conway Jean Hamblin Stephen Meredith Joan Sherwood

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