Commathe No.106 Spring 2020 Regional Magazine of West Midlands Butterfly Conservation Moth of the Year: the Clifden Nonpareil Value of Recording: your sightings matter NEW 4-PAGE EVENT ies and moths bac g butterfl k to Br PULLOUT ringin itain B • ww w.we stmid lands-butterflies.org.uk Branch News Chairman's Address Peter Seal Annual General Meeting years of service with Butterfly We held our Branch AGM on 29 Conservation. However, I’m pleased February. An important topic was to say Jenny wishes to remain actively changes in personnel. involved and will become a Branch Cover story Lucy Lewis stood down as Committee member. Mike Southall captures the camou- Treasurer, after almost five years of We have recently learned that flage of the Clifden Nonpareil, a excellent service. Some of you will Rhona Goddard has been moth that's becoming more common know that Lucy had a major appointed as Regional Conservation in our region (see page 6). operation last year and, while she Manager. As her post will cover the has recovered, her rehabilitation is whole of the Midlands, right across very slow. We wish her all the best to Lincolnshire, we’ll be exploring Contributions for the future. with Rhona the implications of this Please send articles and images to We also marked Jenny Joy’s wider role. We need to know in the Editor. Photographs should be departure from her post, after 17 particular how we maintain hands-on as high-resolution as possible and support and how we secure the next sent as separate files (not embed- phase of the Wood White project. ded in a document). Congratulations to Rhona for taking Our copy deadlines are on this challenging post. Spring - 28 February We heard from John Tilt as to Autumn - 31 August how species fared in 2019 (see Winter - 30 November page 11), based on the scientific (early submissions are welcome). evidence of transect and casual Contact the Editor for more records, including a new species on information. our patch. We’ll have to rewrite our Editor: Marian Newell, regional book! [email protected] As an aside, my personal highlight was a Humming-bird Hawk-moth, just around the corner from where Publisher I live. I was surprised to find Butterfly Conservation West Midlands it nectaring in a front garden on Branch. The opinions expressed in Places for the main road at 7.30am on 10 this magazine are not necessarily Pollinators update October 2019. A close second was those of the Branch or of Butterfly the Wood White which, although Conservation. A site we didn't mention in the slightly down on numbers, has last issue is Brinton Park in maintained its progress and rewarded BC West Midlands Butterflies Kidderminster. Volunteers and Moths all those who have worked to help it Butterfly Conservation planted a new bed in May prosper. West Midlands 2019 and Mike Williams @WestMidlands_BC sent this photo showing the Moths of the West Midlands new information board. Branch website address Last time, I wrote about the money www.westmidlands-butterflies.org.uk pledged by sponsors and the Branch 2 the Comma Branch News to enable this book to become a in five reserves in the West viable project. I’ve now signed the Midlands, it’s equally important to contract with Pisces Publications care for other sites. Sometimes one and the Committee will be or two work parties a year can organising a publicity drive to make all the difference. At maximise income from the sales. Knightwick, where a few years ago The editorial board is on course to Dingy Skippers colonised a publish in late Spring. Remember to roadside verge, we’re collaborating take advantage of the pre- with the County Council to improve publication offer before 31 May: the habitat – Trevor Bucknall’s article £15 (+ £4 p&p), a saving of in the Winter 2019/2020 Comma £7.50. described efforts to help the same species on a landfill site. Bike for Butterflies Challenge You can read about another initiative on page 26: Simon Saville’s Bike Fraud warning River of Flowers for Butterflies Challenge from Land’s Sadly, to end on a negative note, update End to John O’Groats. This will I need to say something about the The Whittington and start on 10 June and last four bombardment of bogus emails from Fisherwick environmental weeks. Simon plans to pass through fraudsters, particularly attempts at group has continued to work our area in mid- June and welcomes fraudulent bank transfer requests. on public spaces in the two our support, whether by holding We’ve experienced several villages over the winter. local events or joining him for part instances where email requests for Lynn Beal sent this photo of of the ride. phone calls appeared to come their latest project. from colleagues. The senders Conservation projects usually adopt someone’s name and The Branch’s financial situation write from a new account so, if an Despite these challenges, I can allows us to consider supporting email looks odd, it’s worth first assure you that the Branch keeps a some conservation projects. The checking the sender’s email close eye on your money. This takes Committee has agreed to put more address. me on to my final piece of news, into the Wood White project in Most of these emails can be my change of role from Chair to various locations. Two new sites in ignored and some internet service Treasurer, which will make good Herefordshire are also possible providers have a facility for use of experience I've gained candidates for projects: the reporting them. However, recently. Our new Chair is Mike Common next to our Ewyas Harold occasionally, the fraudster has Southall, with support from Mel Meadow Reserve and Bringsty managed to hack in and take over Mason as Vice Chair, and you'll Common. Bringsty used to hold the correct email address, which hear from Mike next time. High Brown Fritillaries and, requires action by the internet although these have long gone, the service provider. Peter Seal Branch Chair Manorial Court that manages the common is keen on a partnership Company limited by guarantee, registered in England with the Branch to enhance the (2206468) Registered office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, environment for butterflies and other Dorset BH20 5QP. Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) insects. and in Scotland (SCO39268) Indeed, while we have a stake Spring 2020 3 Branch launches NEW Order soon to Example of a macro-moth spread take advantage of the special pre-publication Moths of the West Midlands to get involved. offer on all orders This much-anticipated book is now with the publisher, This is a must have, received before 31 May 2020, saving £7.50 Pisces Publications, and publication is scheduled for late both for all those wishing on the publication Spring 2020. to begin moth recording and price. The book is intended to promote awareness and for the experienced recorder. interest in moths and to encourage more recording. It is packed with photos of over 600 macro-moths and 250 Wyre Forest Speciality Moths micro-moths, as shown in the example spreads. It As part of the book launch celebrations, Dave Grundy includes sections on notable moth species in our area, will be running a course from 10am to 4pm on Sunday the top places to look for 28 June at the Wyre Forest National Nature Reserve. moths, gardening for moths, Entitled ‘Wyre Forest Speciality Moths’, this course is recording techniques and how aimed at people who have beginner or intermediate Get prepared for the new season We still have copies of the Branch’s anniversary publication, Walking with Butterflies, a guide to 40 top butterfly sites in the West Midlands. It is £5.95 per copy, plus £1.50 p&p per order. Send a cheque made payable to Butterfly Conservation West Midlands Branch, to WMBC, Annesbrook, 2 Dewberry Close, Stourport-on-Severn, DY13 8TB. 4 the Comma book with a special event Example of a micro-moth spread moth identification skills and want to learn more advised – contact Mike Williams at wmbutterflies@gmail about the speciality species occurring at this .com. When your booking request has been exceptional ancient woodland site. The venue will be acknowledged, send a cheque for just £15, made the Wyre Forest Discovery Centre at Callow Hill, payable to Butterfly Conservation West Midlands near Bewdley, Worcestershire, DY14 9XQ (grid ref Branch, to WMBC, Annesbrook, 2 Dewberry Close, SO750740). Stourport-on-Severn, DY13 8TB. A free parking pass, We’ll be looking at Wyre Forest moths caught courtesy of Forestry England, will be sent to course the night before. If weather conditions are good, participants. species seen may include Satin Lutestring, Common Fan-foot, Bilberry Pug, Great Oak Beauty and the Article by Ian Duncan. stunning micro-moth Oecophora bractella. With a maximum of 15 participants, early booking is Finally, turn to page 28 for a review of the new Atlas of Britain & Ireland’s Larger Moths, advertised in the last Comma and available from www.naturebureau.co.uk/atlas-of-britain- irelands-larger-moths. Spring 2020 5 West Midlands Moth Clifton Nonpareil (Catocala fraxini ), also known as the Blue Underwing, comes out top in 2019. Description This huge, beautiful and spectacular moth has long been only a dream for many of us in the West Midlands. It was resident in the Norfolk Broads in the 1930s and in Kent from the 1930s to early 1960s. It then became only an irregular migrant, mostly in eastern and southern English counties, with scattered records elsewhere in the UK.