W h i t e A d m i r a l
Newsletter 86 Autumn 2013
Suffolk Naturalists’ Society C o n te n t s
Editorial & Snippets Ben Heather 1 Members’ Evening & 3 SNS Conference 2014 Dolichopus laticola ; the first recent Peter Vincent 4 record of this species outside
Update on the Purple Hairstreaks Richard Stewart 6 Grass Snakes at Sea John Baker and 7 Eve Simnett Juvenile Cuttlefish at Shingle Street G e n B r oa d 8 Response of Stag Beetle larvae to Colin Hawes 11 wa t e r - logged soils and flooding Vegetation Stripes at Knettishall Caroline Markham 13 Heath CGS 29th June 2013
The day an Emperor came knocking H a w k H on e y 16 Shanks’s Pony or the Bicycling Adam Stuart 20 B ot a n i s t
More on Newton and Wrigley Tom Langton 24 Percy the Macaw Joan Hardingham 26
Lon g - tailed Blue Lampides boeticus a t Tim Bagworth 27 Landguard Bird Observatory
ISSN 0959-8537 Published by the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society c/o Ipswich Museum, High Street, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 3QH Registered Charity No. 206084
Front Cover: Fly Agaric - Amanita Muscaria by Jonathan J Wright http://flic.kr/p/gCkn19 Newsletter 86 - Autumn 2013
In the last newsletter I started to introduce a technical theme to the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society and in this issue I would like to follow this up by introducing the title and theme for next year’s conference. The conference, which will take place on the 15th February 2014 at Wherstead Park, will be called ‘Nature’s New Scientists’ and aims to address, through presentations and talks, the ways in which technology is aiding the progression of natural history studies and biological recording into the future. Can I also draw your attention to the next members’ evening on the 21st November at the Cedars Hotel in Stowmarket, which is detailed on page 3. I hope you will join us to hear talks on a variety of subjects, including a summary of the two very successful ‘Recording Taster Days’ held, during the summer, at Knettishall Heath and Carlton Marshes. We hope to host more such events in the future but if you would like a sample of what happened please visit our website www.sns.org.uk where you can find a video of Toby Abrehart searching for aquatic inverts at Carlton Marshes. Despite taking a long time to get going, it has been an excellent summer for recording. If you have not yet visited the Suffolk Biological Records Centre online recording page, it is not too late to record your wildlife sightings from the summer. Over 700 records have been submitted directly from the SBRC site and many more through the host site www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/. Thank you to all those who have contributed to this edition of White Admiral, please keep it coming!
Editor: Ben Heather Suffolk Biological Records Centre , c/o Ipswich Museum, High Street, Ipswich, IP1 3 Q H [email protected]
White Admiral 86 1 Sn i p p ets
Garden wildlife: what species fared well in 2013? Telegraph In a year of climatic extremes, we look at the winners and losers among our garden wildlife. http://fw.to/mD6bCXS Invasion of the false widow spider media stories! Guardian Mark Riley Cardwell: Spider sightings may be up, but experts say it’s due to a reaction to the media frenzy, not an explosion in their population. http://gu.com/p/3jzb9/tf Slug Watch: A new website to discover just how far and wide the Spanish slug has spread in the UK. The website also features a slug version of top trumps, ‘Slug Trumps’. Players can learn the vital statistics of various slug species, whilst they try and out trump their competitor. http://www.slugwatch.co.uk Suffolk Biological Records Centre is now on Pinterest. Pinterest is a site that allows users to create and browse pin boards of information. The SBRC has a pin board that features photos of all the Suffolk biodiversity action plan (BAP) species & habitats. These boards can be found at the follow address http://www.pinterest.com/ biologicalrecor/ St Jude storm causes minimal tree loss. Guardian Naturalists assessing the ecological damage say woodland and ancient trees survived much better than expected http://t.co/puMbcsRXeb
2 Follow @SuffolkBRC on White Admiral 86 twitter for more snippets Members’ Evening
Date: 21st November Time: 7.00pm for 7.30pm start. Finish 9.30pm Place: Cedars Hotel, Needham Road, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 2AJ Drinks from the bar on arrival and half-time refreshment break (tea & coffee). Presentations: Rob Parker—Update on the Blaxhall Common Silver-studded Blue translocation Tony Prichard—Crypsis in moths Steve Piotrowski—Progress on the Foraging Farmland Bird Project Gen Broad—Recording Taster Days with Suffolk Wildlife Trust Colin Hawes—Response of stag beetle larvae to water-logged soils and flooding
SNS Conference 2014 — Save the date
Nature’s New Scientists
The Future of Wildlife Recording
15th February 2014 Wherstead Park
Talks and presentations focused on the expanding role of technology in natural history and wildlife recording. Including a presentation by Phil Atkinson (Head of BTO’s International Research Team) talking about BTO’s cuckoo tracking project.
Full details will be available soon on the SNS website
White Admiral 86 3 Dolichopus laticola (Verrall) (Diptera, Dolichopodidae) a UK BAP Priority Fly found at Walberswick NNR; the first recent record of this species outside Norfolk
Since the original description of with records only from Denmark Dolichopus laticola, (Verrall, 1904) and Belgium (Fauna Europea from specimens collected at 2011) where it is known only from Ormesby Broad, Norfolk in 1888 a single site, de l’étang de Virelles (Verrall 1904), all records of D. (Grootaert et al. 1988). It is likely, laticola have been confined to the therefore, that a significant Broads area of Norfolk, leading to proportion of the world population its English sobriquet of Broads is to be found in Britain. This Long-legged Fly. This association restricted distribution and compar- was anticipated by Verrall in his ative rarity and vulnerability lead selection of the specific name (from Falk and Crossley (2005) to regard latus = broad and -cola = dweller). D. laticola as endangered and an Following Verrall’s records, D. RDB1 species, and this resulted in laticola has been subsequently it being included on the list of UK recorded from Bure Nature BAP Priority Species (Natural Reserve by d’Assis-Fonseca (1978) England 2011). and from Woodbastwick, Mills In 2010 at Walberswick NNR, as Marsh in the Bure valley and part of a study of the habitat Catfield in the Ant valley preferences of Dolichopodidae, (Laurence 1995). These records are specimens of D. laticola were included in the English Nature collected from two habitat types, Research Report no. 477 (Lott et fen (NVC, M22a J u n c u s al. 2002). During 2010, Martin subnodulosus-Cirsium palustre fen Drake (pers. comm.) found D. meadow, typical sub-community) laticola at three sites in the Ant and wet woodland (NVC, W2a valley (Catfield, Sutton and Salix cinerea-Betula pubescens- Barton) and three in the Bure Phragmites australis woodland, valley (Woodbastwick, Ebb and Alnus glutinosa-Filipendula Flow and Horning Marsh Farm). ulmaria sub-community). No D. All the above named sites form laticola were collected from the part of the River Bure catchment adjacent reedbed or any of the of the Norfolk Broads National other habitats sampled. Between Park. In Europe D. laticola 22 May 2010 and 7 August 2010 a appears to be similarly uncommon total of 134 specimens (62 males
4 White Admiral 86 and 72 females) of D. laticola were Museum were examined; collected using water traps unfortunately they were in poor (Vincent 2011). condition and therefore the records The UK BAP species D. laticola could not be verified. River hitherto has only been recorded dredging and water abstraction at from the Bure catchment of the Tuddenham Fen has changed the Norfolk Broads. However, these ecology of the area and the fen records from Walberswick NNR on probably does not continue to the Suffolk coast during 2010 have support D. laticola at present. added a second area to the known However, these Suffolk records distribution of D. laticola. An may suggest that D. laticola was earlier Suffolk record of D. laticola once a more widespread wetland by Morley from Tuddenham Fen in species and further East Anglian 1904 is mentioned by Aston (1954). populations may yet be discovered. Two specimens labelled as D. laticola from Tuddenham Fen from Peter Vincent the Morley collection at Ipswich
References: Assis-Fonseca, E.C.M. d’. 1978. Diptera Orthorrhapha Brachycera. Dolichopodidae. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects 9, 1-90. Royal Entomological Society, London. Aston, A. 1954. The Diptera of Suffolk. The Transactions of the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society 9, 21-31. Falk, S.J. and Crossley, R. 2005. A review of the scarce and threatened flies of Great Britain. Part 3: Empidoidea. Species Status 3, 1-134. Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Fauna Europea. 2011. Dolichopus laticola distribution [online] http://www.faunaeur.org/ distribution [Accessed 22 August 2011]. Grootaert, P., Verlinden, L., Meuffels, H., Haghebaert, G., Pollet, M., Leclercq, M., De Meyer, M. and Magis, N. 1988. Diptères de la réserve naturelle de l’étang de Virelles en Belgique. Bulletin et Annales de la Société royale belge d’Entomologie 124, 320-324. Laurence, B.R. 1995. Abundance and rarity of Dolichopodidae (Diptera) in East Anglian wetlands, with an addition to the British list. Entomologist’s monthly Magazine 131, 95-105. Lott, D.A., Procter, D.A. and Foster, A.P. 2002. East Anglian Fen Invertebrate Survey English Nature Research Reports No 477. Peterborough, English Nature. Natural England. 2011. Priority habitats and species [online] http://www.ukbap.org.uk/ library/NewPriorityList / UK_list_of_Priority_habitats_and_ species_for_download_v1.3% 2020081022.xls [Accessed 22 March 2011]. Verrall, G.H. 1904. List of British Dolichopodidae, with tables and notes. Entomologist’s monthly Magazine 16, 167-172. Vincent, P.J. 2011. Some notes on Dolichopus laticola (Verrall) (Diptera, Dolichopodidae) a UK BAP Priority Fly; the first recent record of this species outside Norfolk. Dipterists Digest 18, 199- 203.
White Admiral 86 5
Photo by: Allan King
Update On The Purple Hairstreaks
As a follow up to the article on oak and not exactly welcoming Purple Hairstreaks along someone close by, with binoculars. Westerfield Road in edition 84 Nevertheless, I found purple (Spring 2013), I surveyed the hairstreaks in a further seven northern part of Christchurch oaks, bringing the park total so far Park, Ipswich, roughly from Snow to nine. These are being marked on Hill upwards. I wasn’t aware how a large-scale map. many oaks there were, some In our garden at Westerfield Road, clumps of trees being almost the species was again noted high exclusively of this species, three up in a sycamore just beyond our other factors also came into play. garden. However, the flight period The first was that although the was unusually short. I suspect Purple Hairstreaks flight period magpies, nesting nearby, as two coincided with the heatwave, few were seen searching through the evenings were calm, with a top branches. Magpies have a noticeable breeze that from my catholic diet and I suspect this experience limits movement. I also included, in summer 2013, adult suspect honeydew was limited by purple hairstreaks. the weather conditions and Rob
Parker has received several reports of this species nectaring at Richard Stewart low levels. Courting couples were the third problem, often under an
6 White Admiral 86 sSak be wic ur o b a H ck i sw er lb a W t a ke Sna ss a r G
Grass Snakes at Sea
On 5th September this year one of us (Eve Simnett) saw a grass snake swimming in the sea about 2 metres off shore at Walberswick Harbour. The snake swam parallel to the shore for a short distance before climbing out of the water onto the sea defences and taking refuge among the gaps within
them. The snake was a large adult (estimated as approximately 1 m in length) and appeared to be in good Winterton. These could be either health. grass snakes or adders. A more Grass snakes swim well and often specific sighting, reported by the frequent freshwater in search of late Peter Stafford, relays a prey (primarily amphibians, but colleague’s account of a young also fish); there have been several grass snake moving across the observations of them in seawater. beach, towards (but not entering) Three early records (from 1897 to the sea, at Minsmere in the 1930) report grass snakes being summer of 2005. found some way out at sea, Suffolk seems to be the place to between one and 46 km from shore spot grass snakes on the beach. A (De Canto and Busack, 2011). description fitting that of a grass Postings on the online forum snake moving along the water’s Reptiles and Amphibians of the edge on a shingle beach, then UK (RAUK) swimming out to sea at Dunwich in (www.herpetofauna.co.uk) contain September 2007 was sent to New a more recent observation of a Scientist magazine’s The Last grass snake in the sea, Word question and answer column photographed off the coast of (Parker, 2008). This prompted an southwest Wales, possibly email of another observation of a swimming between offshore young grass snake also entering islands. The RAUK forum also the sea from Dunwich Beach in includes two observations of July 2008 www.newscientist.com/ unidentified snakes swimming off blog/lastword/2008/01/snakes- the coast of Norfolk, at Scratby and alive.html. Then, in June 2010,
White Admiral 86 7 Sue Thompson saw a grass snake kilometres during the course of an crossing the shingle at Sizewell active season. It is possible that and swimming out to sea (Oka crossing beaches and entering the Last, pers. comm.). sea is a consequence of their A notable aspect of the natural wandering behaviour. observations of the grass snakes Although it seems likely that not from Suffolk is that in three of the all of these marine ventures end five cases the snakes were seen well, they could also enable grass moving across the beach, and snakes to colonise islands and entering the water. This shows maintain population movements that grass snakes, sometimes at between these and the mainland. least, actively enter the sea rather We are grateful to Sarah Colnet than being transported by some and Oka Last (Suffolk Wildlife other means (for example stowing Trust) and Caroline Robinson (The away on a boat or being dropped by Wildlife Trusts) for relaying a bird during a failed predation information. attempt) or due to being washed out to sea by flooding. Grass John Baker and Eve Simnett snakes are relatively mobile reptiles, often moving several References: Del Canto, R. and Busack, S.D. (2011). Natrix maura (Viperine Snake). Non-accidental salt water activity. Herpetological Review 42(2): 295-296. Parker, D. (2008). Last Word: Snakes alive. New Scientist 2666.
Juvenile cuttlefish at Shingle Street
Titouan Hippolyte Sens-Hochart, a certainty and not all of the young Frenchman, spent most of identifying body parts are visible his May 2013 holiday in Shingle on the photo. However, after Street playing computer games. discussion with colleagues, I However, after two days he made a believe it to be either Common trip to the beach and made an Cuttlefish Sepia officinalis or Stout exciting discovery in a shallow pool Bobtail Rossia macrosoma. Both on a shingle bank – a juvenile species are found off the Suffolk cuttlefish. coastline as our sandy muddy The individual was too young for substrate is an ideal habitat for the species to be identified with them. Cuttlefish are sometimes even found in brackish water,
8 White Admiral 86 particularly juveniles, which are cuttlefish are descended from a more tolerant of a low salinity. belemnite-like ancestor and first Juveniles tend to remain in appeared in their current form in shallow water before the the Miocene Epoch about cuttlebone is fully formed and 21,000,000 years ago. Studies by when they are vulnerable to Prof Jean Boal, at Millersville predation. University, Pennsylvania, have The two species are quite different demonstrated that cuttlefish have when adult; R. macrosoma is a large and complex brains and have small cephalopod with a mantle highly developed problem solving length of only 4 to 6 cm, while S. abilities officinalis is much larger with a (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ mantle length of up to 45 cm and a nature/spineless-smarts.html). body weight of 2 kg. The smallest Cephalopods have the ability to cuttlefish known, Idiosepius change colour and pattern within pygmaeus, measures just 2.5 cm seconds, blending seamlessly with and the largest, Sepia apama, almost any background, natural or grows up to 90 cm. artificial. They use this ability not only as camouflage when escaping Cuttlefish belong to the Mollusca from predators such as dolphins, in the class Cephalopoda, which seals and sharks, but also for also includes nautilus, octopus and communication. For example, squid. Cuttlefish differ from other males often signal their desire to cephalopods in possessing a mate using a vivid zebra pattern. ‘cuttlebone’, a thick, internal, This is achieved using calcified shell used for buoyancy regulation. These are often found washed up onto beaches. Cuttlefish generally live for one or two years, breeding once a year and then dying after mating. They have eight arms and two tentacles with suckers which are used to capture prey such as crustaceans, small fish, snails, clams, and other cuttlefish. They lie buried in sand during the day and Cuttlefish Don Woolnough ambush their prey. Modern
White Admiral 86 9 chromatophores, small sacs of red, including the Mediterranean. One yellow or brown pigment made potential threat to cuttlefish is visible (or invisible) by muscles ocean acidification. Research has controlled by the motor centres of shown that increased levels of the brain. They can also change carbon dioxide in the atmosphere the texture of their skin using result in cuttlefish laying down a papillae. This can be useful for much denser cuttlebone which is posing as, for example, a barnacle- likely to affect buoyancy covered rock. Their colour- regulation. However, further changing abilities are also research is needed to understand enhanced by light reflecting plates the response of cuttlefish and other set underneath the calcifying marine invertebrates to chromatophores: leucophores this phenomenon. which reflect whatever light is Thank you to Don Woolnough who available and iridophores which was holidaying with the French produce iridescent reflections. family in Shingle Street and sent S. officinalis is fairly common and this photograph for identification. classified on the IUCN Red List of He reports that two years ago he Threatened Species as ‘of Least was concerned at the absence of Concern’. Less is known about R. Hermit crabs (Bernard l’Hermite macrosoma populations and the in French) at Shingle Street, but species is classified as ‘Data was pleased to find they were Deficient’. Both species are known present in large numbers this year. to have wide geographic distributions that range from Gen Broad Scandinavia to the north of Africa,
Barratt, I. & Allcock, L. 2012. Rossia macrosoma. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1.
Stag Beetle larva
Response of Stag Beetle larvae (Lucanus cervus L .) (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) to water - logged soils and fl o o d i n g
Abstract and comment from the 4 th meeting of the European Stag Beetle Group: Alf (Germany) 14th a nd 1 5 th September 2013
Stag Beetle larvae live and feed water. underground, mainly on decaying It has been suggested that stag broad-leaved wood. Key physical beetle larvae drown in water- factors governing larval occupation logged soils after prolonged rainfall of this habitat are temperature, or as a result of flooding. As far as water availability, oxygen and soil we are aware, the response of structure. In soils with good Lucanus cervus larvae to these drainage, air penetrates easily and physical factors has not been oxygen concentrations are tested. normally relatively high. However, Response to water-logging and soil pore-space is lost along with flooding was investigated in 2012 air penetration when soils become and 2013 using third instar larvae. water-logged, and the only oxygen Larvae were collected from the available is that dissolved in soil
White Admiral 86 11 same site together with a suitable longer to recover (mean: 2 hours 20 amount of larval ‘habitat’ (decaying minutes). Control larvae showed wood-chip/compost and soil no change in behaviour. mixture). They were housed It is clear from these results that individually in lidded microwave L.cervus larvae have the ability to boxes, previously 2/3 filled with the withstand flooding for at least ten collected larval ‘habitat’ and kept days, recover fully from this at 20˚C. Rainwater was used to experience and continue increase the water content of the development to eclosure. Three larval ‘habitat’ until it became possible processes are suggested water-logged. Larvae were that might help explain this removed at 24 hour intervals, behaviour: (i) use of residual air blotted dry and their recovery time from the tracheal network, (ii) recorded. Controls were set up in slowing the metabolism, (iii) the same way but no water was switching from aerobic to added to the larval ‘habitat’. All anaerobic respiration. larvae subjected to experimental All experimental larvae were conditions became inert showing returned to boxes containing their no movement of the body or its untreated ‘habitat’. The larvae appendages, even when used in 2012 continued to develop, stimulated. However, they pupated, and eclosed this year. The recovered quickly from this larvae used in 2013 are continuing treatment (mean: 15 minutes). to develop. Flooded conditions were produced by adding more water to reach a Further work is needed to level three centimetres above the determine (i) the response of first larval ‘habitat’. Larvae were kept and second instar larvae to in the ‘habitat’ below the water flooding and (ii) the effect of surface for three days. These temperature on tolerance to larvae became similarly inert but flooding. took longer to recover (mean: 33 minutes). Larvae kept for ten days Colin Hawes in these conditions showed similar Royal Holloway University of London behaviour but took considerably
Erratum: Discovery of a mycangium and associated yeasts in the stag beetle Lucanus cervus (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) White Admiral 85, p23, the words 'but not glucose' should be deleted.
12 White Admiral 86 Vegetation Stripes at Knettishall Heath CGS 29th June 2013 The enclosure at the western end 2.7m long, extending from the of Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s centre of a ‘calcareous’ stripe to the Knettishall Heath Nature Reserve centre of an ‘acid’ stripe. It was displays classic vegetation stripes hand dug; the turf stripped off first developed on periglacial patterned and left on site and the talus ground. These are relic landforms removed by wheelbarrow. from the Devensian, the last cold Across the entire section, the top phase of the Ice Age, about 14- 45 cm of material was fine-grained, 18,000 years ago. wind blown ‘cover sand’, and hard The stripes are 2-4m wide and run brecciated chalk was encountered sub-parallel for about 500m in a immediately beneath this under north-easterly direction down the the ‘calcareous’ stripe. The (very gentle) slope of the River brecciated surface, indicating Ouse valley side. The ‘acid’ stripes intense frost action, sloped steeply are dominated by Silver Hair under the ‘acid’ stripe, forming a Grass, Aira caryophyllea, with channel 50+cm deep (we did not Heath Bedstraw, Galium saxatile. reach the base of this) filled with The ‘calcareous’ stripes have a coarser grained orange sand. This much greater variety of species, sand contained small rounded including a wide range of grasses, pebbles of white vein quartz, and Lady’s Bedstraw, Galium verum also larger brown quartzite and Dropwort, Filipendula pebbles. Both are characteristic of vulgaris. the ‘Ingham’ sand and gravel The British Geological Survey map deposits, which are shown on the (Sheet 174 Thetford) shows Chalk BGS map, a few hundred metres at the surface here, but it is clear away up the valley side to the that it alternates with a non- south. The orange sand also calcareous deposit in the area of contained broken, angular flints the vegetation stripes. On the SNS from the Chalk, indicating frost ‘Taster Day’, June 29th, with shattering under severe periglacial permission from Natural England conditions. and the SWT, GeoSuffolk dug a The origin of these shallow, sub- trench at TL 945804 to investigate parallel channels led to much the sub-strata. The trench was discussion - the nature of the frost-
White Admiral 86 13 14 White Admiral 86 White Admiral 86 15 shattered chalk needs further Post Script: When the site was investigation, possibly requiring a revisited on July 25th, rain had deeper excavation. However, the softened the ‘chalk’ and samples presence of reworked material revealed that it is actually a from the Ingham deposits further mélange of chalk, sand and small up the valley side would suggest pebbles – much altered from its solifluxion as one of the periglacial original state. This suggests the processes acting here in the possibility that frost heaving may Devensian. Under permafrost have played a part in the conditions drainage is poor because formation of the sub-surface ridge permanent freezing renders the and furrow topography. In the sub-strata impermeable. Thawing highly mobile layer above the of the top few metres in summer permafrost this acts more readily creates a highly mobile, super- on fine-grained deposits, thus saturated layer of (frost shattered) mounds of chalk rubble would be material. It is possible for heaved up leaving the soliflucted solifluxion to move material over ‘Ingham’ sand in the hollows. several hundreds of metres down quite gentle slopes as in the Little Caroline Markham Ouse valley.
The day an Emperor came knocking
I run a 125W Mercury Vapour it was, a female Emperor moth moth trap on most weekends, Saturnia pavonia. Wanting to get a weather permitting. My wife and I better look at the moth, I told my are always amazed at the quantity wife to place it in a tupperware and variety of moths that fly over container and then into the fridge our garden and are drawn into the to keep it calm till I got home. The trap. Yet, one morning in the working day, as expected, dragged middle of May whilst I was at on and when I eventually got work, I recieved a photo message home, I rushed to the fridge to see from my wife saying that the this wonderful specimen only to be neighbour just knocked saying that greeted with another surprise, she she found this moth (photo 1) on had laid eggs (photo 2). her patio door. She had laid about 100 in total, yet Even though I had never seen one there was a problem. I was about before, I knew straight away what to fly out to Kos for 2 weeks in a
16 White Admiral 86 couple of days time and the eggs would hatch in a week, what was I going to do? After a bit of phoning/emailing around, county moth recorder, Tony Prichard agreed to hatch them for me as long as he could keep P h o to 1 some, deal I said. So off I went to sunny climes happy in the knowledge that my new charges were in safe hands. Upon my return, I got in touch with Tony and we agreed to meet at the Suffolk Moth night at Purdis Heath. He gave me my small tub with some bramble in and P h oto 2 lots of little black caterpillars about 4mm in length (photo 3). They were not going to stay at this length for long though and leaves were being replaced everyday and the tub was cleaned out regularly P h oto 3 too as a lot of caterpillars munching produces a lot of frass. After a few days I moved them to a small 25 litre glass tank with a cracked lid, something my wife had tried to get me to throw away, but I knew I’d find a use for it eventually and that use had come. This P h oto 4
White Admiral 86 17 gave the little ones more room to them in a 100 gallon nylon move around and, with the flexarium. The flexarium was insertion of a couple of cheap oasis sprung out again for action. This bricks soaked in a bit of water, the stands nearly a metre high so I leaves remained fresher for much was able to put larger twigs/mini longer. On the second week, their branches in there allowing much colours began to change from just more movement of what were now plain black to having orange called my mini munchers. The stripes and they were definitely nylon mesh covered flexarium getting much bigger (photo 4). allowed me to hear every single It was about the end of the second bite of leaf and every single bit of week when I placed some apple frass land on the newspaper below leaves in the tank to see if they whilst I sat at my computer in the would take to them. They did evenings. I was only glad they thankfully, as I had a bushy apple were not in my bedroom, as we tree in the garden so I wouldn’t would have definitely got no sleep have to travel far for supplies. with all the noise. However, they were getting bigger By the end of June, they had gone by the day and they would need through several instars and had more room soon. Luckily, I used to put on a lot more weight, so were rehabilitate injured bats and kept looking quite chunky (photo 5).
P h oto 5
18 White Admiral 86 Towards the middle of the second week in July, I began to notice a couple of them were not interested in eating any more and were wandering around the flexarium. One had even started spinning its cocoon between a twig and the side of the flexarium. So it was then I introduced some heather at the bottom. This seemed to do the trick and by the start of the third week of July, cocoons were beginning to become visible amongst the heather (photo 6). However, there were still some runts that had catching up to do and they were more than happy to continue eating the heather as well as some pear leaves (after all, the apple tree wasn’t looking too bushy any P h oto 6 more). Thankfully, the runts were a decided they were full up and sat blessing as I was asked by the down to make their winter bed. teachers at my niece’s school So with all the emperors safely (Trimley St Mary Primary) to give snuggled up for winter, I got an old a talk on minibeasts (as they now rubber foot mat that had large call them). Along with a collection holes in it (through design, not of some my pinned insects and wear) and wrapped all the cocoons some from Ipswich Museum’s within it, tying it up with cable educational dept, I took the ties. I have now hung the rubber remaining caterpillars and some mat on the outside of my shed cocoons to show the children (all where it gets a little setting sun about 6-7 years old). They loved and is shrouded from rain by the seeing these creatures and finding cherry tree at the bottom of the out all about their lifecycle and garden. Now I just have to wait for why they look the way they do. spring next year, or maybe the About 3 days after their school year after that, as they are known trip, the last of my mini munchers to overwinter for 1-2 years.
White Admiral 86 19 It’s been a great experience for me tree above the moth trap. (and Trousers, the cat, who would It’s been a good year for me moth- sit for ages just watching and wise and I look forward to next never touching) watching these year when I can see these develop from little 4mm long, black wonderful creatures continue their wriggling caterpillars to 5cm long, lifecycle and change in to their noisy munching leaf disposal final instar. machines and, although they were Don’t forget, you can read more of safely out the way, the munching my experiences on my blog still went on. www.suffolknaturalist.com or At the start of July, a Poplar follow me on Twitter: Hawkmoth Lathoe populi laid @SuffolkNature Thanks for eight eggs in my moth trap, only 4 reading. of these went on to pupate along with a Privet Hawkmoth Sphinx ligustri which I found on the lilac Hawk Honey
Shanks’s Pony or the Bicycling Botanist
This article is a plea for an history observation in which all too increased use of leg muscle in readily, though understandably, natural history excursions and for they tend to bomb off up the A12 or anybody interested in the subject A14. This however has a cost both to get to know our lovely county to pocket and environment. I, of better. It deals mainly with things course, am sometimes guilty of it botanical, but could apply to any as a passenger in friends’ cars. other field of study. Little is likely to change unless the Living in Ipswich during these cost of petrol becomes prohibitively economically straitened times I expensive, something which may must say I have noticed no happen eventually but has not as appreciable diminution in traffic yet, despite cries of woe from flow. Whatever the state of their motorists. A further cost is also pockets, people still seem to use important and this is unevenness their cars to the maximum and not of say botanical or ornithological all of this traffic is work-related by recording. True, much of our any means. This phenomenon is county is something of a dead zone also seen in the world of natural in terms of biodiversity, but there
20 White Admiral 86
Adam Stuart and his bike
is still stuff there to see and record. orpine. The plant appears to have Martin Sanford tells me that the gone though I have found, in excellent roadside nature reserves recent years, that Shotley (henceforth RNRs) although peninsula speciality, common wardened for the most part are not calamint there. Thus it has proved covered every year in terms of its value, but surely such sites recording. This seems to me to be a need fairly regular re-evaluation. ridiculous state of affairs, if you Could not the regrettably few wish to conserve things. To botanical observers, of the sort who conserve plants, or whatever, you regularly submit records, organise must know if they are still there themselves to make sure that and unfortunately species are still every RNR is covered each year? probably being lost, for example And ideally visit on foot or bicycle? possibly spotted cat’s-ear at Risby Perhaps not a very practicable Black Ditches (M. Sanford pers. idea, alas car fumes, as is well comm.). This is not an RNR, but known, are not good for our more the point still stands. Such places delicate plants and encourage the need regular visits. Another case growth of coarse grasses and in point is the Woolverstone RNR suchlike, devaluing the site. which was originally established Having settled in Ipswich in 2001 for the presence of the sedum
White Admiral 86 21 after a previous existence to the me, one that there was great scope south, friends gifted me with an for further exploration and two, excellent touring bicycle, though that I had developed a great yen to getting on in years, as myself. I see the whole of my adopted rode it from 2003 till 2007 when its county, that is to visit every parish frame broke and it gave up the in it and of course every town. ghost. I used it initially for There are 421 parishes and town exploring the countryside of south- councils in the modern county of east Suffolk in a search mainly for Suffolk. I have now seen them all. plants, but also for ornithological Visiting on and off since the early scarcities such as turtle dove, 1970s, I had seen perhaps as much spotted flycatcher, hobby and as 40% by 2011 though mostly by common buzzard (now not so car. In 2012, I resolved to go for scarce). broke and during that summer In 2007, I purchased a brand new made 11 bike and train trips with beast and it soon occurred to me destinations ranging from Kennett that I could set my sights further railway station to Thurston (twice), afield through a judicious use of Brampton, Saxmundham, Beccles the train service. Bicycles on trains and Sudbury and also Elmswell. I are carried free, rather believe I recorded some 110 new surprisingly. The main problem, parishes on these trips and covered when availing yourself of the about 300 miles in three months. service, is to discover which Despite past prolific experience, I carriage is the destined recipient of only suffered one puncture, out in your machine, as the train pulls in. the wilds of Thorpe Morieux and This can entail a frantic dash up not having a repair kit was the platform towards a gesturing constrained to a long, slow ride guard. The carriage may be fore, back to Elmswell station, passing mid or aft, to mix a metaphor. en route the beautiful Gedding Beware of this. Hall, residence of the ex- Rolling My first few trips were to the Stone Bill Wyman. I omitted to pay Devil’s Dyke which is strictly a visit. speaking extralimital, being in My style of cycling is perforce a Cambridgeshire of course; I went relatively sedate one but there is there to see the astonishing no need to be a Wiggins! You can Pasque flower and the weird lizard pick and choose your route, explore orchid. Having made this happy any byway you please. On several beginning, two things occurred to occasions I have accidentally come
22 White Admiral 86 across RNRs, e.g. those at savage her own inoffensive hound. Edwardstone, Bedfield and Quite rightly she beat it off with Shimpling. Which brings us to the her stick. question of what plants I have Or the American cyclist at Dalham actually found on outings. who helped me to try to fix my Notables include stone parsley and failing odometer. I put my foot in it pepper-saxifrage in the Saints, by taking him for a Canadian. that rather odd agricultural The friendly farmer at Hawkedon. district south of Beccles and Was I writing a book? Bungay, crown vetch in a lovely But I digress. To conclude, let me colony nestling perversely just repeat my plea for observers to outside the Shimpling RNR, spiny spread their efforts about a little in restharrow and chicory at whatever speciality they are Sotterley, orpine at Henham RNR, interested, to avoid excessive use of the gorgeous crested cow-wheat at the motor car and to get to know Dalham, grape hyacinth at their own county better. Culford, the sinister monkshood along the Hadleigh Railway Walk, On 20/07/2013, I visited, alas by man orchids at Little Blakenham car, Tuddenham St Mary a few and Flowton RNRs and many miles north-west of Bury St others. Edmunds and this constituted the last of seven remaining parishes on Little adventures await you along my hit-list, these all accomplished the way. There are various people I by the judicious twisting of car- encountered that I still recall: the driving friends’ arms, regrettably. I nice woman from a Brettenham would be quite interested to know bungalow who found me sheltering how many other people have done from an apocalyptic electrical this? Presumably the late Francis storm under the awning of her Simpson and also Simon Knott garden shed, the only decent cover who has an interesting website on for miles around. I suddenly Suffolk churches. Is there anyone noticed her peering rather else out there? Come on, beat that uncertainly out at me from her incipient cardiovascular disease glassed kitchen door, however she and ride, ride, ride! Or leg it! decided I was safe enough and made me a welcome cup of coffee. Or the village drunk whose dog Adam Stuart crept up on the lady I was talking to and promptly attempted to
White Admiral 86 23 More on Newton and Wrigley
The observations made by Steve 2011 in the pit base. In both cases Piotrowski and others during 2009 we thought it could be catching 5- and 2010 of a black headed gull 10 or more an hour with dozens of (BHG) taking hundreds of smooth attempts. This activity was seen at newt at the Minsmere pond (at the both sites on one or more occasions former car park) may be a BHG in 2011 and 2012 and we think one that we had watched feeding on is still around this year. The great crested newt (GCN) and impression was of one individual smooth newt at two locations in that was persisting in feeding on Thorington and Bramfield over the newts although the method seems last five years. A BHG, possibly to be reducing, with more pond the same one as reported plant vegetation cover in the pond. previously, was seen occasionally Such events may be a feature of visiting from 2010 at these two ponds early in the season and in other locations. The BHG was early successional stages after they feeding on newts in a range of five are built or restored making new ponds and ditches dug in 2008 visibility higher. Our clear-water at Bramfield, as a part of a project clay Suffolk ponds without fish are of arable reversion to grassland, clearly a feeding opportunity for woodland and wetlands at Dews this species. farm SSSI/SAC. This is about 6 km A few birds feed on GCN although away from Minsmere. The bird the alkaloids in the skin glands are would hover a bit like a kestrel for toxic and make them distasteful some time, sometimes shifting and hard to digest. Perhaps BHG position about 5-10 metres above can ‘stomach’ the toxins – perhaps the water and then dive down and they were feeding young. Have any often fly off with a newt in its BHG nest watchers seen newts beak. We also noticed in 2010 a being brought in? BHG feeding on newts in a At one landfill site I worked on in relatively bare pond on a field next the 1990s, rescuing newts from a to Thorington Pit, (built in 2009 as lorry wheel-wash trap, a heron a part of a habitat creation scheme took both smooth, palmate and associated with the gravel pit GCN. I used to see pyramidal piles restoration) and then at the large of vomit in the landfill floor pools ‘water table’ pond excavated in
24 White Admiral 86 8 dead late-stage GCN larvae
where a heron had been feeding on now think this may have been the smooth and palmate newts and action of digestive juice and that then taken a GCN and then the dent marks are handling by a regurgitated the lot. Examining six bird, possibly kingfisher or heron. piles in detail, the smaller newts This perhaps suggests the were in a state of digestion while glandular protection is present at the dead GCN was usually fresh, the GCN late larval stage. In the suggesting it had been the trigger past I have watched kingfishers for regurgitation. At Thorington in feeding on smooth newts in September 2005 I also found an rainwater trapped at the bottom of accumulation (see picture) of an abandoned swimming pool. around 8 dead late-stage GCN Amphibians are a vital food source larvae about 20 cm underwater at for some birds but there is clearly the edge of a pond next to an old more to it than we know! sticking up log. I first thought that some had been bitten in half and Tom Langton their skin had been removed but
White Admiral 86 25 Percy the Macaw
My grand daughter, Alice, aged 3, highlighting the importance brought Percy the Macaw home children attach to what they are from nursery, explaining that she told at school. I finally came up had to look after him for a week. A with the argument that if he didn’t diary was provided to record what have hard nuts to chew on, his he had done with the family over beak would grow and grow until he half-term. He was in a nicely could not open his mouth. This decorated shoebox, with “Percy” on seemed to clinch it and the nuts the lid and a nest of pink feathers were put in the box, but I haven’t inside. Alice proudly showed me checked if they are still there. the other contents of the box – a I felt this incident throws up the baby’s bottle and a plastic fish and interesting question about how to explained that this was to feed engage young children with Percy. natural history – of any kind – at Having started off thinking what a school. That is obviously a big nice idea this was, I became project, but we could at least start horrified at the thought that with our own grandchildren or nursery had sent Percy off with nieces and nephews. I am such inappropriate sustenance, preparing a card to go in the box apparently not having even tried with a splendid picture of two blue to establish what a macaw might macaws and on the back I thought eat. I then thought what a lost I would put the proper name, opportunity this was to get the where they really live, what they children to think about what a like to eat, the company they keep creature might need to live. and the dangers they might face. I I set about trying to put this right hope this might spark some and suggested that perhaps interest in the other parents and macaws don’t like fish, nor would children who have to look after they be able to drink easily from a Percy. The question I would like to bottle. I suggested some nuts put to you is could you suggest how (fruit, which he might have you could engage the young people preferred, would have been a bit in your family with your particular messy to keep). This was greeted natural history interest. I strongly with great scepticism by Alice, feel that this does not need to be dumbed down and a 3 year old can
26 White Admiral 86 understand that all small a subject you do need all the creatures are not “bugs”. information – a ‘theoretical minimum’, which is the title of the I recently read a piece about Leonard Susskind, 75, a physicist book – the bare minimum you need and founder of String Theory, not to know in order to understand a subject. We need to start building the sort of person, you would think, this bare minimum of information to be interested in engaging the as early as we can – because there general public in physics. However he is running classes on the subject is so much. What a project for educators. for lay people at Stanford University. He has written a book So my second question to you is: on understanding physics, “what is the language of your influenced by his experience chosen interest and how could you explaining why he wanted to study convey this to youngsters – or physics to his plumber father. He adults for that matter?”. What is makes a couple of interesting the bare minimum you need to be points: one is that to engage in any able to study your subject and how subject you need to learn the could you work towards building language: English to read this vocabulary for children? So if literature and mathematics to you have youngsters in your family understand physics. We need to start now – remember the old start teaching children the adage – the best way to learn is to language of natural history, as teach. soon they can understand Joan Hardingham anything. Secondly, to understand
L o n g- tailed Blue Lampides boeticus at Landguard Bird Observatory
On 6th October 2013 at about noon underside of the hindwing was whilst sitting on the bench at the generally brownish-grey with an observatory, along with Eric obvious white line almost parallel Patrick, after the morning bird with the trailing edge. It also had ringing session, we noticed a small two obvious spots and a protruding butterfly, on the Viper’s Bugloss bit on the trailing edge. We both Echium vulgare, in front of us. The said Long-tailed Blue but before upperwing was blue and the we could get a net to catch it, it
White Admiral 86 27 flew off. The next day I was called These are the first records for the back to the observatory whilst recording area and, as far as I am closing the mist-nets, about the aware, the second to fourth most same time as the previous day, recent records for Suffolk. There only to find that another Long- has been an influx in the southern tailed Blue had been found in front counties of England this year with of the observatory. This time the the nearest being in North Kent, individual had a more orangey- where they have been noted brown underside to the hindwing mating. It is feasible that the and therefore indicated it was a records at Landguard may be female. Unbelievably, on the 8th dispersing individuals from these October I was heading along the North Kent colonies, or top path by a fenced off area that alternatively, progeny of one that still had a few Viper’s Bugloss in arrived earlier in the summer flower and found another unnoticed. individual, a male, and this time I managed to get several photos, two Tim Bagworth of which are reproduced in this article.
L on g-tailed Blue
28 White Admiral 86 All Suffolk records: 1 89 7 – A u g us t – Bath Hotel, Felixstowe 2 0 1 3 – 15th A u gu s t – m a l e - Dunwich Heath NT. 2 0 1 3 – 6 th O c tob e r – m a l e - L a nd g u a rd 2 0 1 3 – 7 th O c tob e r – fe m a l e - L a n dg u a rd 2 0 1 3 – 8 th O c tob e r – m a l e - L a nd g u a rd 2 0 1 3 – 8 th O c tob e r – fe m a l e – Bawdsey East Lane
L on g-tailed Blue
References: Mendel H. and Piotrowski S. H., 1986, The Butterflies of Suffolk, an Atlas & History. Suffolk Naturalist’s Society. www.suffolkbutterflies.org.uk/sightings.html
Contributions to White Admiral Deadlines for copy are 1st February (spring edition), 1st June (summer edition) and 1st October (autumn edition). The opinions expressed in White Admiral are not necessarily those of the Editor or of the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society. www.sns.org.uk
FOUNDED IN 1929 by Claude Morley (1874 -1951), The Suffolk Naturalists’ Society pioneered the study and recording of the County’s flora, fauna and geology, to promote a wider interest in natural history. Recording the natural history of Suffolk is still one of the Society’s primary objects, and members’ observations are fed to a network of specialist recorders for possible publication before being deposited in the Suffolk Biological Records Centre, which is based in Ipswich Museum. Suffolk Natural History, a review of the County’s wildlife, and Suffolk Birds, the County bird report, are two high quality annual publications issued free to members. The Society also publishes a newsletter, White Admiral, and organises two members’ evenings a year plus a conference every two years . Subscriptions: Individual members £15.00; Family membership £17.00; Corporate membership £17.00. Joint membership with the Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group: Individual members £28.00; Family membership £32.00. As defined by the Constitution of this Society its objects shall be: 2.1 To study and record the fauna, flora and geology of the County 2.2 To publish a Transactions and Proceedings and a Bird Report. These shall be free to members except those whose annual subscriptions are in arrears 2.3 To liaise with other natural history societies and conservation bodies in the County 2.4 To promote interest in natural history and the activities of the Society. For more details about the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society contact: Hon. Secretary, Suffolk Naturalists’ Society, c/o Ipswich Museum, High Street, IPSWICH, IP1 3QH. Telephone 01473 433547