Number 63 Skipper Spring/Summer 2017 49 field trips for 2017

Contents click to go directly to page Contacts...... 2 Quiz & Photo Show ...... 11 Dates ...... 23 Chairman's welcome ...... 3 Egg hunts ...... 12 Swallowtail ...... 24 Simon Saville...... 4 White-letter Hairstreak 13 New members ...... 25 Digital Skipper ...... 5 Butterflies in the Transect data...... 25-29 David Gardner tribute ....6 Glasshouse 14 Butterfly surveys ...... 30 My camera ...... 7 Obituaries ...... 16 iRecord ...... 30 Steve Wheatley ...... 8 Moths...... 17 iRecorders ...... 31 Priority species ...... 9 Email appeal ...... 18 Website ...... 32 Transects ...... 10 Field trips ...... 19 Social media ...... 32 Conservation Group...... 11 Weather Watch...... 23

Butterfly Surrey & SW London Conservation branch magazine Surrey Skipper 2 Spring 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 Secretary: Janet Cheney (2016) 01932 863668 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 Other members: Malcolm Bridge (1999) 020 8289 3839 Geoff Eaton (2008) 07732 552411, 01483 723384 Clive Huggins (2014) 020 8942 7846 Jenny Shalom (2016) 07833 587279, 020 8392 9938 Other contacts County Moth Recorder: Graham Collins 020 8688 4539 BC Senior Regional Officer — South East: Steve Wheatley (2015) 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 Front-page photo: Wood White male on Greater Stitchwort at Oaken Wood, winner of the Digital Photo Show Competition at Members’ Day, Nov 2016. David Hasell

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 & 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 Spring 2017

Chairman’s welcome Simon Saville

I WOULD like to start by moths in Surrey & SW London. thanking David Gardner, who This report will draw on served as Chairman of the transect data, other records, Branch for eight years. With information from the Surrey his leadership and energy the Moth Group and the Garden Branch has thrived, and you Moth Scheme to highlight can read more about this in trends and changes in Malcolm Bridge’s Members’ abundance and distribution. Day tribute on page 6. Steve Wheatley, our The strength of the Branch Regional Officer from Head was apparent when I attended Office, is finalising the South an Induction Day for new East Regional Action Plan Branch Chairs. This was hosted at Butterfly (RAP). This has been on hold while he has Conservation Head Office in Lulworth by been on sabbatical in New Zealand to Jim Asher, Chair of Council. We had the support the threatened Forest Ringlet opportunity to spend time with Julie (see page 8 and the national magazine). Williams (CEO), Sam Ellis (Director of The RAP will establish conservation Conservation & Regions), Nigel Bourn priorities for the next 5-10 years and will be (Director of Conservation Science & Policy), publicly launched when plans for all regions and other key staff. It was a very useful day, are complete. and I now feel well-connected with the As a Branch, we have committed £5,500 central team and the priorities of the to support the Small Blue "Stepping Stones" national organisation. project. This is a multi-partner landscape- We are one of a handful of branches with scale initiative linking habitats across well over 1,000 members, and our Surrey’s chalk downlands. It will benefit programme of field trips continues to be many species, in addition to the Small Blue. one of the most extensive, thanks to Mike Head Office will appoint a Project Officer in Weller’s hard work. The programme of 49 April if their funding application is walks for the coming season, on pages successful. We have also earmarked a 19-22, includes many “old favourites”, but £3,000 Branch commitment to a potential also has several new locations, which I Wood White project — also multi-partner encourage you to come and explore. and landscape-scale — and we expect an Very few branches can match our 93 update in April. transects that were walked in 2016. This Conservation work at our Oaken Wood success is largely down to the unstinting reserve has restarted, thanks to the efforts of Bill Downey, Transect commitment of Harry Clarke and Bill Coordinator — supported of course by the Downey and the support of some hardy many volunteers who walk transects volunteers. Oaken Wood, in the through the season. The data collected on woodland complex is transects are of vital importance in important as a site for the Wood White – understanding how butterflies are faring in probably our Branch’s highest-priority our area. New volunteers are always species – and the rare Betony case-bearer welcome. moth, Coleophora wockeella. Look out for Work is underway to produce a separate work parties to join, starting again in the Annual Report of the state of butterflies and I continued next page Surrey Skipper 4 Spring 2017

I CHAIRMAN from previous page At this point, I would like to recognise autumn. Bill has also been coordinating Francis Kelly for his work on the Skipper searches for Brown Hairstreak eggs in the newsletter and Branch website (with northern part of the Branch area. See his Ken Owen). These are among the best of article on page 12 for some interesting and any branch, and you can always find out encouraging findings. what’s going on by visiting the website. Head Office is keen to stimulate more Finally, we sent a message on behalf of activity in London, and discussions are the Branch to Martin Warren, outgoing underway regarding potential projects to CEO, to congratulate him on his OBE in the engage communities and children in the New Year’s Honours. His reply ended with area and involving local branches. It is early the challenge: “Now you have to keep up the days, but this could be quite exciting, so good work!” I take that as a call to action for watch this space! us all and I will do all I can to assist. Introducing our new Chair

I HAVE had a long interest in butterflies keen to learn more. and moths, which started as I was growing I have now taken early retirement after 31 up in a Dorset village near the sea. I used to years with Shell, where I started as a play in wildflower meadows, woodlands research scientist. I have been lucky to live and chalk grasslands through the long in Japan and The Netherlands for work, summer holidays. Butterflies were eventually moving to the Surrey & SW everywhere. London Branch area in 2010. A key moment was when a retired RAF For the last 20 years, I have been officer and skilled lepidopterist, Phil Grey, involved in marketing, branding and settled in the village. We visited many communications. butterfly sites across Dorset, extending my Most recently, I led a 100-strong team knowledge and deepening my interest. that produced all the communications I still have the copy of E.B. Ford’s materials for the company across the world “Butterflies” that he gave me. – including websites, brochures, reports, He went on to co-found the Dorset videos, photography, events and Branch of Butterfly Conservation and was a exhibitions. I hope that my business friend of our own Branch expert, Ken experience will be of value as we address Wilmott. I then became a member of the challenges faced by butterflies and Butterfly Conservation in 1985. moths in our region. I am a relative newcomer to moth- I look forward to working together with trapping, though I do run a trap in my you all. Simon Saville garden near The Oval in London, and I am

Big Butterfly Count

People Butterflies UK top 10 2016 Red Admiral...... 26,568 46,000 ....830,000 2013 Large White ...... 62,890 Peacock ...... 18,508 44,000 ....560,000 2014 Small White ...... 61,955 Green-veined White 16,879 2015 52,000 ....600,000 Meadow Brown ...... 57,281 Small Tortoiseshell..12,335 2016 36,000 ....390,000 Gatekeeper ...... 47,597 Speckled Wood...... 10,271 LINK Big Butterfly Count 2017 July 14 – August 6 Ringlet ...... 26,968 Surrey Skipper 5 Spring 2017

Digital Skipper Francis Kelly

OUR decision to go digital with the Skipper contacts lists held by the branch and head last October received overwhelming office. That issue has now been resolved. approval, particularly for the money The A4 size of the redesigned Skipper it saved that can be redirected towards allows clear display and easy printing. conservation. Here are some reactions: An essential (22-page) edition of this Just read the Skipper online – brilliant! Skipper is being posted to the 20% of Ian Hardy, MVO members for whom we do not hold an email address. A superb issue of the Skipper Last autumn some members received Steve Wheatley, Regional Officer both an email alert and a posted version I was impressed by how much you pack in because of a discrepancy between the Clive Wood, Hants Branch Chair Surrey’s National Council member

Congratulations to Barnes member Has always had a strong personal Karen Goldie-Morrison, who was elected to interest in butterflies, and has been a BC’s Council in November. supporter of BC for many years. BC’s website states: Trustee of a number of other charities A working life involved in natural and brings to Butterfly Conservation a history, first in publishing then in wildlife wide range of leadership and management film and television, and recently in biology experience acquired in both the business education. and charitable sectors. Put a spring in your step

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 6 Spring 2017

Tribute to David Gardner Malcolm Bridge

After eight years as branch Chair, David Gardner retired at November’s AGM, where Malcolm Bridge paid tribute I first became aware of David when I attended a Kent branch AGM some 15 years ago. He chaired the meeting with his agreeable blend of gentle humour, boundless enthusiasm for Lepidoptera and their conservation, and a broad and deep knowledge of all our butterflies and moths – the smaller and more obscure, the better. Our shared passion for moths brought us into partnership with Dave Grundy, the inspiration David Gardner (left), receives a Brown Hairstreak behind the Garden Moth Scheme, print from Malcolm Bridge. FK and we found ourselves as county organisers: David looked after Kent and I For many of you the eight years of coordinated Surrey. David’s stewardship is well known and I did not realise then that David’s admired. For others, may I share with you involvement in BC and Surrey went back to some highlights of his work in Surrey, not the early years of the old London branch, forgetting his similar level of activity across which he served as a committee member the border in Kent. alongside such as Tony Hoare and Ken David continues to play a key role in the Willmott. highly successful, now nationwide, Garden When he left Leatherhead in 1990 and Moth Scheme. He was instrumental in 2010 bought his current place in Rochester, Kent in the introduction of New Members’ Day, BC became the fortunate beneficiary of his where he and Geoff Eaton welcome BC considerable energy and commitment to newcomers to this now annual event. butterflies and moths. His extensive knowledge of micro-moths David’s earlier work for Surrey CC was invaluable to the authors of the Countryside Service, during which time he outstanding Smaller Moths of Surrey, the wardened the Park estate, gave largest volume by a wide margin in that him a range of insights and skills in remarkable series and the fourth covering conservation management and a wide lepidoptera. knowledge of key sites for Lepidoptera. I have enjoyed running moth nights with He became a conservation officer for Kent him at Oaken Wood and elsewhere – branch and, not much later, Chair – perhaps most memorably at Garthorne a position he will relinquish in 2017. Road railway embankment in Forest Hill, Upon the retirement of Martin Ellis as where the Jersey Tiger first established our Chair in 2008, David was elected to our itself in London. David’s ID skills and fund committee which, four days later, invited of knowledge entertained a good turnout of him to become Surrey’s new Chair. south Londoners while trains rumbled by. Surrey Skipper 7 Spring 2017

In addition to mothing at Oaken Wood, check out some blackthorn hedges near the David has been a stalwart member of winter Kentish village of Nash. He was aware that work parties at our reserve. Though trained on the Surrey side of the adjacent border in the use of power tools, he is a keen was a butterfly unknown in Kent for some advocate of traditional equipment such as decades. His hunch was confirmed, the Austrian scythes, which he used on Brown Hairstreak eggs were photographed, bracken-bashing sessions in the summer. and Kent’s butterfly list had a welcome He has been one of Mike Weller’s trusty addition after an absence of 44 years. band of field-trip leaders to a variety of The eight years that David has served as sites. On each occasion the whole of our Chair matches Martin Ellis and beats lepidoptera and a good deal more has been Stephen Jeffcoate and Howard Whiting by celebrated, with micros getting top billing. several years. He leaves a talented and He wrote in one of his Skipper pieces that if hard-working committee and has placed a stunning micro, Alabonia geoffrella, was moths, large and small, at the top of our as big as a Small Copper, it would be highly agenda. esteemed. He wasn’t wrong! More importantly, he has enthused many Over recent years he has put in a huge branch members with his passion and effort across Kent to acquire records for the enthusiasm for the whole large family, Kent moth book, soon to be published. In all two and a half thousand, of our native the course of this he has discovered several Lepidoptera. species new to Kent, especially in the more David – may all your plans for the year challenging field of micros. ahead be blessed with joy and fulfilment. It would be perhaps appropriate to You leave a branch with so many happy conclude this tribute by sharing with you a memories and friendships and will, I know, highlight for David of not quite a year ago. do all that you can, wherever it might be, to Last November 24, while returning from an champion the cause of our moths and MOD annual conservation meeting, he butterflies. Please accept our grateful decided to take a detour via Biggin Hill and thanks and best wishes for the years ahead. My camera Francis Kelly

MY camera is the Panasonic Lumix G7. for my wife, Helen, hoping I would be able It is the 4/3 compact system camera to borrow it! (CSC, aka mirrorless), which allows a bigger They give a larger depth of field, making sensor than on compact or bridge cameras, it easier to have the whole butterfly in focus, although still smaller than a DSLR’s. although more difficult to produce a clear Like a DSLR, it has a changeable lens background. system – I use 14–140 & 100–300. Most cameras boast a zoom range, which Even some professionals are now is usually misleading. For example, my switching to the 4/3 system because it 100-300 lens is clearly a zoom range of allows smaller gear and the quality meets three, but it is a big lens and a more their needs. Not all mirrorless cameras have meaningful figure is its magnification – 17.1, an electronic viewfinder – a must for me – which takes into account sensor size. so the G7 was a straightforward choice. Canon’s Powershot SX50, with an For those who do not wish to change impressive 50 zoom (4.3–215), lenses (definitely an irritation), bridge magnifies 34.5. cameras continue to improve, notably the I Which camera do you recommend? Panasonic Lumix FZ1000, which I bought Let us know at [email protected] Surrey Skipper 8 Spring 2017

Steve Wheatley BC Senior Regional Officer — South East

I WAS fortunate to spend the so many wonderful butterflies winter enjoying a New Zealand on our doorstep. Great butterfly summer, volunteering with the sites are also conveniently close Moth & Butterfly NZ Trust. enough to visit in autumn and This once-in-a-lifetime winter, where we can get opportunity enabled me to carry involved in real habitat out research on the Forest management as a conservation Ringlet butterfly – an endemic work party volunteer. Should species to New Zealand. the weather deteriorate or Finding the butterfly would supplies of tea and cake run out, involve day-long tramps into the it is never more than a short Bush, searching sunny clearings. journey home and you will soon The Forest Ringlet is so elusive, and its be cosy-warm and feeling great about the habitat often so remote, that it is thought exercise and positive work you have that fewer than 100 people have ever been enjoyed. lucky enough to see it. That is a luxury New Zealander What a contrast with our fantastic volunteers cannot enjoy. Out in the butterflies in the south east of England: wilderness you are on your own and all you a short drive, train or bus journey or cycle have is what you can carry. For practical and walk can take us to places where work, all but the lightest tools and beautiful butterflies can be found easily. equipment need to be helicoptered in and dropped by winch. There is often nowhere Denbies Hillside is just 10 minutes from for a helicopter to land so the only way out the centre of Dorking, and the beautiful is via a long, exhausting tramp. Some days I Adonis Blues can be seen skimming over would walk all day without seeing a single the grassland; Silver-studded Blues can be butterfly. Not so in the UK. found on Common — just a short walk for residents. This summer I will be making the most of our sunny days by getting out to lots of At Barnes Common, Purple and White- great butterfly sites to help with the letter Hairstreaks can be spotted in the important, enjoyable, easy and rewarding canopy, while Marbled Whites occupy the task of surveying butterflies. grassland. Warren Farm, an easy walk from Maybe I will see you out there. four different railway stations, is a great place to visit in June to find our smallest Forest Ringlet hiding in butterfly, the Small Blue. a New Zealand canopy Even the relatively remote Chiddingfold Sara Smerdon Forest can be reached within an hour from just about anywhere in Surrey, and this is where the Wood White can be found (it is nowhere else in the South East). It is well worth a trip here in early June or late July to see this gentle, little white butterfly — so much more charismatic than the hardy “cabbage” whites. My experience in New Zealand has confirmed to me how lucky we are to have Surrey Skipper 9 Spring 2017

Priority species Francis Kelly

SURREY has four Highest Priority and Highest Priority (4) 10 High Priority species in Steve Wheatley’s Adonis & Silver-studded Blue Regional Action Plan, due to be published Grayling, Wood White later this year. The charts show the top single transect High Priority (10) counts, 2013-16. The two Hairstreaks and Chalkhill & Small Blue Purple Emperor, being largely arboreal and Brown & White-letter Hairstreak therefore unsuited to transect recording, Dark Green Fritillary are omitted. Added is Marbled White, White Admiral, Purple Emperor Surrey’s top-scorer in 2016. Dingy, Grizzled & Silver-spotted Skipper

Adonis Blue Silver-stud Blue Grayling Wood White 50 200 50 80

40 150 40 60 30 30 100 40 20 20 10 50 10 20 0 0 0 0 13 14 15 16 13 14 15 16 13 14 15 16 13 14 15 16

Chalkhill Blue Small Blue Dark Green Frit White Admiral 4,000 200 50 12 10 3,000 150 40 8 30 2,000 100 6 20 4 1,000 50 10 2 0 0 0 0 13 14 15 16 13 14 15 16 13 14 15 16 13 14 15 16

Dingy Skipper Grizzled Skip Silver-spot Skip Marbled White 60 12 80 400 50 10 60 300 40 8 30 6 40 200 20 4 20 100 10 2 0 0 0 0 13 14 15 16 13 14 15 16 13 14 15 16 13 14 15 16

Walk for Wildlife LINK www.walking4wildlife.com

Butterfly Conservation is one of the Butterfly Conservation as their charity. charities being supported by Events in 2017 include: Walk for Wildlife, now in its third year. May 19 mass walk by primary schools We invite you to encourage any primary school you may have a connection with to Sep 10 20 mile walk, & take part in the May 19 event and choose . Surrey Skipper 10 Spring 2017

Transects Bill Downey

SURREY Wildlife Trust’s centred on the Regional Action restructuring of their Plan and particularly the need Countryside Management to increase monitoring of Department, with 16 Ranger Surrey’s Highest Priority posts being reduced to 10, has species: Wood White, Grayling, implications for our work with Silver-studded Blue and them in the future. Adonis Blue. Many transects on SWT However grand the strategy, reserves are walked by their we still need walkers on the own volunteers and so my ground. I am always reluctant to immediate task has been to count chickens, but I am check that this network of routes will hold hopeful there will be new transects in 2017 in 2017. I am not aware of any routes we at the following sites: may lose, other than the three existing I Oxted Downs – Gangers Hill (NT): chalk transects that are walked by Rangers. grassland, which was walked until 2009. This may yet change. I Barossa and (SWT): Another blow was the departure of heathland, with Silver-studded Blue. Andrew Scott, Ecologist with the City of I Smithwood Common: area of the London Commons, who has been a great with little monitoring. supporter of butterfly monitoring. I Hurst Meadows, East Molesey: This leaves Riddlesdown Quarry, unimproved grassland on the south bank of Common and New Hill without walkers. the Thames, and a former racecourse. I am currently working with their I Clandon Wood Natural Burial Ground: management team to find replacements in possible site for Small Blue. time for the new season. I Polesden Lacy (NT): includes areas of Better news is a new National Trust chalk grassland strategy, “Land, Outdoors and Nature” I Rodborough Common (SWT): (LON), which places nature foremost heathland with Silver-studded Blue; among their duties. Butterfly monitoring is walked a few times in 2015. seen as a key indicator in progressing Transect tables: pages 25-29 towards this aspiration and the NT recognises that it needs to increase transect Surrey transects walking on its nature sites. Transects Section-level Matthew Oates, who advises the Trust, received Walkers Species Records Butterflies has been in touch and hopefully this means 2013 47 72 40 17,096 72,133 we will be able to increase our working with 2014 59 87 40 23,737 83,908 them – and reinstate some of the lapsed routes on NT land. 2015 82 103 42 29,633 103,297 Branch priorities however will remain 2016 93 115 42 31,287 102,923

REMEMBERING Butterfly Conservation in your will is one of the most effective ways to help ensure butterflies and moths thrive in years to come. Legacies represent over a third of our voluntary income and make a crucial contribution to our work. I Please contact Helen Corrigan 01273 453313 Surrey Skipper 11 Spring 2017

Conservation Group Bill Downey Quiz THE Conservation Group was founded at the request of Jayne Chapman, BC Reserves Officer, to continue the work started at Oaken Wood in 2016 by the South Downs volunteer group. Knowing that the branch had volunteers who had cut their teeth with the , National Trust, Lower Mole Project etc, I managed to recruit enough people. Our first work party was at Oaken Wood on December 6, with 14 members. As of March 3, we have completed the winter schedule of four work parties. Work at Oaken Wood follows the Management Plan PETER BROWN (above) devised by John Davis, BC Head of Reserves. It is led by won the quiz at our Harry Clarke, with Jayne Chapman in attendance. annual Members’ Day This winter we focused on scrub clearance along the in November, scoring rides, around the pond and the grassland area. Work will 331/2 out of 40. recommence in the autumn and it is estimated that three The quiz was set by the years will be required to get the reserve back into shape. previous year’s winners, The group is also supporting the Small Blue “Stepping Graham Collins and Stones” Project on the . On February 23 we Jovita Kaunang. held our first work party with the National Trust on Box In keeping with that Hill Zig Zag – the same day as Storm Doris! We also plan tradition, Peter will work with Surrey Wildlife Trust at Brockham Quarry compile the questions for although how we work with the Trust in the future will this year’s Members’ Day depend on their new structure. on Nov 25. I Many thanks to all those who have participated in the The quiz and answers work parties. New volunteers are always welcome. are on our website. To join our mailing list please email Bill Downey LINK Quiz OAKEN WOOD, our branch reserve since 1995, is 12ha (30 acres) of woodland & grassland in the south-west of the county, 2.6km south of . It is part of the Forestry Commission’s 324ha . Photo Show Access: SU993338, via track (usually no vehicular DAVID HASELL’s Wood access) that runs west from Plaistow Rd at SU994338; White (front page) GU8 4PG. Parking for only a few cars. won our Members’ Day Digital Photo Show with seven of the 51 votes cast. Butterflies of London Martin Wills Helen Kelly’s Clouded Yellow helice, was 2nd Butterflies of London Project , initiated last year by with five votes. Leslie Williams on behalf of the London Natural History The show attracted 102 Society, will be extended into 2017. photos of 38 species from The project will produce maps covering the City of 25 photographers. London and the 32 boroughs, updating Butterflies of the London Area, 1980-86. Records will be collected from all LINK Photo Show sources, 2015-17, including iRecord. Surrey Skipper 12 Spring 2017

Brown Hairstreak egg hunts Bill Downey

I organised three more hunts this winter and was The hunts Success 2016 Site Eggs Hunters Mins Rate* pleased with the turnouts. Dec 9 Blindley Heath 47 16 100 1.8 As well as branch Nov 29 Downs 60 20 135 1.3 members, I also invite Nov 25 Hutchinson's Bank 35 22 110 0.9 volunteers from the local Jan 29 Little Mead, 56 9 75 5.0 land-managers, who often Jan 5 Horton CP, Epsom 83 16 90 3.5 have no knowledge of Jan 1 Bookham Common 15 8 77 1.5 Brown Hairstreak 2015 presence on their sites. Dec 17 92 15 100 3.7 This year’s events were: Dec 11 , Ewell 58 15 75 3.1 I Featherbed Lane Dec 1 Brickworks 114 11 90 6.9 *Eggs per hour success rate: eggs / (hunters x minutes) x 60 Golf Course (adjacent to Hutchinson’s Bank), with . wildlife in their hedgerows and encouraging I Roundshaw Down, with good management. Dave Warburton’s Sutton volunteers. As one who each winter walks mile after I Blindley Heath, with Surrey Wildlife mile of farmland hedges that have been Trust’s group. flailed to within an inch of their life, I increasingly appreciate any hedge where I chose sites towards the Kent border, rotational cutting or other more traditional where we know that the Brown Hairstreak’s techniques have been employed. distribution range peters out. Hunts are effectively training events for These searches are not transects, as we those who have never done any egg are not repeating them from year to year. searching before. Some subsequently catch There are also too many variables on the the bug and contribute to our Brown day – which usually involves me running Hairstreak distribution survey – now around like a headless chicken! completing its second year. The events also Some sites lend themselves well to group appeal to the more active members of the searches; others are more difficult to branch and are a good source of potential manoeuvre a group around. And transect walkers. conservationists tend not to form naturally And of course they give us a chance to into obedient teams. However, I am sold on catch up after the season is over when not the idea of these events because they serve a much else is happening. number of valuable purposes: I think that three hunts per year is about You get a much better picture at a large right, in November or early December after site with lots of blackthorn by calling out the leaves have come off the blackthorn but the troops. More hands allow you to search before the winter sets in. more habitat and I was pleased with the totals at Featherbed Lane – close to the I have three sessions in mind for 2017 Kent border – and to find eggs at Blindley I to Whyteleafe Heath in areas where I had least expected Countryside Area: ancient field system them. and extensive blackthorn hedges; Hunts are valuable tools for increasing I have already done a recce with the awareness among land-managers of the Downlands Ranger, Sarah Clifford. Surrey Skipper 13 Spring 2017

I Tolworth Court Farm, Nick Broomer writes with the Lower Mole Project In Nov/Dec I searched the fields at I Southern part of Horton Country Little Mead, Cranleigh (site of recent branch Park, with . field trips) for 13 hours, finding 319 eggs. We searched the northern part in 2015. By far the highest numbers were in sheltered locations, facing north-west, See Autumn Skipper and website for details. receiving little or no sun. Areas in full sun, with a good growth of Blackthorn, produced LINK Hedgerows for Hairstreaks surprisingly small numbers.

White-letter Hairstreak survey Bill Downey

LAST year I completed my first White-letter dead, plenty still survive. Hairstreak survey. It is possible to see With binoculars, scan the canopy WLHs on the rare occasions they come silhouetted against the sky — the butterfly is down to the ground, but only by chance. almost impossible to see against a dark To determine whether they are present, background. The WLH seems quite happy you need to search the elm canopy – and to as an urban butterfly. I found it on many do that, you must first find elm trees. occasions last year with cars whizzing past Identifying elms takes practice: there is just feet away. English Elm (Ulmus procera), which is the Below are 10 good elm locations in most susceptible to Dutch Elm Disease, different areas where I found WLH last Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra) and a host of year. If you are aware of large elm trees or other hybrids or disease-resistant cultivars. stands, please let me know. Contrary to the perception that all the elm is

TQ16645 73044 Ham Lands: circular stand of English Elm. TQ17001 73180 Ham Riverside: grove of six large disease-resistant trees next to car park — obviously planted. TQ21898 77669 Barnes: Leg of Mutton LNR; large mature tree and others in woodland; can view at side of lake at TQ21928 77619. TQ23570 73748 Putney Heath: two large hybrid elms at Tibbet’s Corner; best viewed from close to bus stop on Putney Hill. TQ22537 71387 Wimbledon Common: large stand of English Elms behind Springwell Cottage. TQ28660 77110 Battersea Park: two large trees on perimeter of SE corner of park; best viewed from Queenstown Road. TQ28465 68056 : English Elms east of Bidder Monument. TQ23609 63523 Nonsuch Park: large Wych Elm on west side of a circular copse. TQ17354 52728 Mickleham: Wych Elms on north side of Headley Lane; best viewed from Juniper Hall garden at TQ17354 52711. TQ15685 53350 : large Wych Elm on footpath close to Druids Grove viewpoint. Surrey Skipper 14 Spring 2017

Butterflies in the Glasshouse Nigel Jackman

EACH year Garden’s Glasshouse is transformed into a tropical paradise with free-flying, exotic butterflies. This stunning display is now an annual event from mid-January to early March, attracting huge numbers of visitors to see these beautiful insects at a time when our own butterflies have yet to stir. As a branch of Butterfly Conservation, we are fortunate that the Royal Horticultural Society Nigel Jackman (right) & Mike Weller in action on the (RHS) Garden, Wisley is in Surrey Branch table at Wisley. Robert Edmondson our midst in rural Surrey. The RHS, whose principal purpose is to split into separate zones, each representing promote gardening and horticulture, has a different stage in the life cycle of the approaching 500,000 members and Wisley butterfly from egg to adult, with inter-active received one million visits in 2015. With displays, games, information and child- that sort of profile, the show can engender friendly microscopes. an interest in our native species and raise The garden shop features butterfly awareness of Butterfly Conservation. decorations and images, and eye-catching On display this year were 6,000+ displays of butterfly books for children. butterflies of 50 species from the Americas, There is a sculpture trail by Surrey artist Asia and Africa. They sipped nectar from Alison Catchlove. There are also flowers or fed on rotting fruit. In the opportunities to visit the Glasshouse before puparium, visitors could watch new opening hours to photograph the butterflies butterflies emerge. The event highlights the on tutored and untutored butterfly relationship between insects and plants. photography mornings. Butterflies are bred especially for events February half-term was packed with free like this on a farm in Belize. The Glasshouse family events on the theme of “Whatever the team works with experts from Stratford- Weather for Butterflies”, when children were upon-Avon Butterfly Farm, where RHS staff invited to create butterfly-themed crafts. and volunteers gain the knowledge required The RHS has three other gardens: to manage the show. Rosemoor, Devon; Hyde Hall, Essex; and An understanding and appreciation of Harlow Carr, Yorkshire; a fifth is planned butterflies is central to everything. for Salford in 2019. Wisley is the flagship Information panels teach visitors about the and the RHS entomologists are based there. secret lives of butterflies, with details on life A new Centre for Horticulture & Learning is cycle, courtship, feeding and egg-laying. planned for about 2020 and will have a The interactive Butterfly Box is a marquee wildlife garden. Surrey Skipper 15 Spring 2017

One of the RHS experts is Anna Platoni, a scientist specialising in entomology, who has been part of the Plant Health team for three years. She is responsible for the butterfly event’s science content and works closely with the Education team. After studying Zoology, Anna volunteered at the National History Museum and took a Masters in Entomology. Hayley Jones is the moth expert. The Plant Health team are entomologists and pathologists who study garden wildlife and pests. In dealing with members’ queries, they put across the beneficial effects of insects where possible. Other RHS initiatives include its Teaching Garden (an interpretation area about pollinators, including bees and butterflies), and the Campaign for School Gardening (less about wildlife specifically, but encouraging children to be aware and to grow different things). Its “Plants for Bugs” initiative explores which native and exotic plants are best for butterflies. Native plants are not always best for pollinators, and exotics can be useful for extending the season. Every March the Education Team organises National Science Week, when children can meet scientists and enjoy an experience that is different from the classroom. Since 2013 the RHS has managed a similar event in the Butterfly Dome at Hampton Court Flower Show in July. The RHS also participates in National Insect Week, a biennial event next due in 2018. We at Butterfly Conservation acknowledge the powerful voice for butterflies that the RHS represents, and wish it success in continuing to champion them and their environment. I Clive Huggins and Geoff Eaton organised our branch’s attendance in the second week of February. Please get in touch if you would like to help next year. It is great fun, gives us plenty of publicity, and you gain free entrance Butterflies in the Glasshouse 2017 NJ to the gardens and butterflies. 1 The Butterfly Box 2 Children’s butterfly art LINK RHS: encouraging butterflies 3 Book display LINK Anna Platoni podcast 4 Blue Morpho (South & Central America) Surrey Skipper 16 Spring 2017

Alan Hunt 1953—2016

ALAN HUNT, Branch Secretary Alan’s obituary on 2002-06, died suddenly in Funeralzone reads: December aged 63. Alan was dedicated to his job Alan was less involved with the as a Biomedical Scientist and branch in recent years but led the worked for the NHS in that field annual Common field for 40 years. Alan was a trip and contributed the talented artist but mostly he Purple Hairstreak article to loved nature and the great Butterflies of Surrey Revisited. outdoors and since his We offer our condolences to retirement developed a great Alan’s wife Monika and the rest love for landscape photography. of his family. Malcolm Bridge

Bernard Skinner 1939-2017

BERNARD SKINNER, branch member and I purchased the book soon after its moth expert, died in February aged 77. publication, and it was used to the point of Bernard, who lived in , wrote the disintegration, being taken into the field at Colour Identification Guide to the Moths of every opportunity. In the end I needed to the British Isles, published in 1984, and replace it with the second edition. most recently revised in 2009. He also Today we are spoilt for choice with field designed the portable Skinner moth trap. guides for moths, but back in 1984 this We offer our condolences to Bernard’s book was simply revolutionary. It was also a wife Jackie and the rest of his family. time when the birding fraternity was Steve Gale writes: looking for other forms of natural history to I don’t think it is exaggerating to say that embrace, especially during the summer Bernard Skinner was responsible for months. Many took up the moth baton and inspiring more people to take up an interest most of these were inspired to do so in moths than any other person, thanks to because of Bernard’s book. his ground-breaking Identification Guide. I met Bernard on several occasions. Before this marvellous book came along, On the first meeting I was nervous about most of us were struggling to identify our talking to him, and will admit to being a moths using South’s two volumes, which tiny bit star-struck, but he put me at ease dated from 1907! and came across as a down-to-earth and With the publication of Bernard’s book, modest man. I never did thank him for we were able to pore over colour plates of helping me to move from the status of set specimens, all photographed to scale, complete novice to “passable lepidopterist”, showing upper and underwings. but I do owe him a debt of gratitude. Each species had a succinct write up, Without his book, I would still be informing us of similar species, floundering with Mr South. So, belatedly, identification pointers, variations, status, thank you Bernard. I range, flight times and larval food plants. Read Steve Gale’s award-winning blog: Where considered necessary, line drawings LINK North Downs & Beyond were supplied to aid identification. Surrey Skipper 17 Spring 2017

Moths Les Hill

Wimbledon resident and Musotima nitidalis on Oct 30, manager of BC’s National Moth a species first found in my old Recording Scheme database Dorset patch in 2009. This LAST year was my worst in 25 specimen was my 2nd site record. years of moth recording — A new species for me on the same because of birds and hornets night was Cypress Carpet. rather than the weather. This year has started slowly, It started well enough with the highlight being the ubiquitous Orthosia Small Brindled Beauty. species, e.g. Hebrew Character, With spring around the corner, Common Quaker and, the most two day-fliers to look out for are numerous for my location, Orange Underwing (birch) and Small Quaker. Next commonest was Light Orange Underwing (aspen). Both are Spring Usher, a cracking moth with forms present on Wimbledon Common. I varying from typical (illustrated) to sooty. The National Moth Recording Scheme is Recording stopped abruptly at the planning a new Larger Moths Atlas beginning of the birds’ breeding season. towards the end of 2018. Every morning I found Great Tits, Blue Tits It will be more robust than 2010’s and Wrens feasting on my catch. Provisional Atlas of the UK’s Larger Moths, I tried again after a couple of months and with almost twice as many records, instead of birds I was invaded by hornets in around 22 million, including data from such numbers that they constituted a health pre-1900 to the end of 2016. and safety threat Please submit your records before the I did some trapping later in the year but end of March to: this was more of a token effort. The only Graham Collins, Surrey Moth Recorder species of note was the micro-moth I Moth Night 2017: Oct 12-14

LINK butterfly-conservation.org/surreymoths Field events, and how to join Paul Wheeler’s Surrey Moths email group.

Spring Usher (left) & Musotima nitidalis (Aus/NZ species; 1st UK record: Dorset 2009) LH Surrey Skipper 18 Spring 2017

Email appeal Francis Kelly

The following members do NOT receive branch emails – either we do not hold a valid address or you have unsubscribed. If you would like to be added to our branch contacts, please email [email protected] Simon Acland ►Mark Cosgrove Michael Healy David Morris Susan Shore Peter Affleck Mark Court Richard Sheila Morris Robert Simpson Thelma Amer Neil Covey Hebblethwaite Maurice Moss Jason Sinclair June Anderson ►Tony Cowan John Henley David Murch Mrs D E Skillman Philip Ashton Barbara Crake Ian Herbert Brian Myring Colin Smith Richard Avis Brian Crawford ►John Heward Stephen Neal Dave L Smith ►Cherry Balchin Christine Crawley Pamela Hill Stella Newbery John A Smith Alexander Ballingal Alaina Creedy ►Philip Hills Ian Newlands Jennifer Thomas Bartlett ►Paul Crook Kathleen Hogg Michael Nightingale Spring-Smyth Douglas Barton Alan Crooks Derek Holdaway Janet Noe Henry Stapleton John Bates Ian Cunningham David Hollow Michael Oak John Steer Peter Beale Naima Curnock ►Margaret Holmes Vivien Oakes Jennifer Stiasny ►Sandra Bell Susan & Zoe Davies Daphne Howling ►R & R Osborne ►Sarah Stille Joan Bellevue Majorie Davis Simon Howorth Rick Ovenden David Stone Lulu Bennett Stephen Davis Elizabeth Hughes Sarah Panizzo Patrick Stone Sarah Bennett Mollie Martin Hughes Adrian Parker William Straker Caroline Berkeley Dewhurst Martin ►Digby Hulme ►Jean Parker Roger Swanborough Robert Bishop John Dingain Ian Hunter-Craig Nigel Parker Bill Swinglehurst Marciv & Maria Block Simon Donkersley Madeleine Hyde Muriel Parry David Sykes David Boothroyd Christopher Durrant Jonathan Iremonger Benjamin Pateman Judith Symons Richard Bosanquet Marc Duveen Conway Stephen Jackson Christopher Paul Helen Szczepanski Gillian Boshier Rosemary Eaton Monica Johnson Martin Peach Frederick Thatcher Mary Braddock Colin Ede Michael B Jones John Pendry Michael Thomas Mr R Bradley Alan Edwards Gregory Jordan Patricia Perkins Timothy Thursfield Christopher Brewer James Edwards Andrew Keeping Alexander Petrie Ian Tippetts Mary Bridge Peter Edwards ►David Kiddell David Pinder Ian Todd Juliet Brodie Vivien Egerton R & P Kilgour Austin Pontin ►Kim Tremearne Penelope Brooke Conrad Eilts David Knapp Margaret Potter Colin Turner Judith Browning Peter Fane Kathleen Knowles Hazel Pratt Harry Turner John Buckley Peter Farrant ►K & M Lawrence Peter Preece Diane Vowles Matthew Bullivant Clive Fisher Frances Leach Stephen Price Ian Wallace Joshua Burch Rex Francis Roger Leonard ►Linda Proctor Helen Ward Anne Burchell Janet Fraser Fiona Lorimer Steven Quaife Margaret Watkins Martin Burgess ►Andrew Fryer Sheila Lovell ►Nicki Ramsay Jane Webb Valerie Butt ►Tim Gabriel Joanna Lumley Hannah Rausa Julie Webb Martin Cale Karen Gargani Aeneaus MacDonell ►Jill Rigby Peter Webster ►Frank Cannings Julian Gibbs David Macklin Robert Robotham Patience Wedd Patrick Chapman Paul Gilbert Michele Malson Monica Rogers Paul Welling Kenneth Cheesman ►Ian Graham Trudy Mapstone John Rose Elizabeth Whiting Tim & Sue Cleminson Gina Gratton-Storey Harold Matthews Trudi-Anne Rosie Paul Whitlock Philip Clifford Benjamin Green Thomas McKay Patricia Ross Michael Wilkinson Judy Cobbett Jennifer Green Tim McKenzie Ransford Rowe Alistair Wilson Marina Coldwell Margaret Gunning Neil McMillan Paul Rowsell Mildred Wilson Tony Collyer Katherine Haire Andrew Mendelson Allen Russell-Smith Alan Wingrove Gwen Comerford Charles Hales-Hunt Maria Meredith Eric Ryan Janet Winn Rupert Connell Tim Hall Stephen Meredith Antony Sanderson Jean Winn Shirley Constable John Hammick Mike Metherall Susan Saxby Nigel Wynn Maureen Conway Roger Hanson ►Howard Moon Adam Seymour Tim Yorath Shane Cooper Richard Hardman Anthony Moore Edward Shaw Sheila Cooper Carolyn Harrison Clive Morgan Peter Shelley Peter Corry Seton Headley Hazel Morgan Joan Sherwood

►We have an email address that BOUNCES Surrey Skipper 19 Spring 2017

Field trips Mike Weller

FIELD trips are open to branch members and their guests, who normally do not need to contact the leader in advance. Non-members are welcome but should contact MW in advance. I Postcode & grid reference indicate meeting place. I Unless stated otherwise, walks start at 11am, lasting until mid-afternoon. Lunch, drinks, walking boots, hat, sunscreen & close-focusing binoculars are advised. NO DOGS PLEASE I Cancelled/postponed dates will be emailed to our contacts list and posted on www.butterfly-conservation.org/surrey I To join our contacts, please email [email protected]

APRIL 20 Thu MORNING ONLY Ham Lands TW10 7RS, TQ169731: car park south of Thames at north end of Ham Street, Petersham. Early flyers, e.g. Brimstone, Peacock Leader: MB 27 Thu , KT24 6AN, TQ088525: car park behind St Mary’s church, south of A246 between East & West Horsley. Spring Skippers, Green Hairstreak, Vanessids CH MAY 2 Tue Woodlands GU5 9TE, TQ 070493: West Hanger car park, west side of Staple Lane, 1m N of A25. STEEP! Spring Skippers FK 9 Tue MORNING ONLY RH5 5DN, TQ20324260: SWT car park. Coming south along Hogspudding Lane (aka New Barn Lane), turn first left into Mulberry Place then keep left. Spring Skippers, Green Hs FK 10 Wed Hutchinson’s Bank CR0 9AD, TQ377619: Farleigh Dean Crescent, east of Featherbed Lane, 1.5km south of A2022. Spring Skippers, Green Hairstreak MB 13 Sat Denbies Hillside RH5 6SR, TQ141503: Ranmore NT car park east. STEEP! Spring Skippers & Blues, Green Hairstreak RE 14 Sun Botany Bay/Oaken Wood GU8 4YA, SU978348: south side of High Street Green, SE of Chiddingfold. 5km return walk to Triangle Meadow & Oaken Wood. Beware roadside ditches when parking! Wood White MB 16 Tue GU24 0JE, SU946560: Avenue de Cagny, Green. Grizzled Skipper, Green Hairstreak FK 23 Tue Chantries/Five Fields & Pewley Down GU4 8PZ, TQ02174842: St Martha’s car park, east side of Halfpenny Lane (via Blacksmith Lane if coming from Chilworth). Small Blue FK 24 Wed Hutchinson’s Bank, see May 10. Site specialities MB 25 Thu Norbury Park KT23 4BP, TQ146543: cul-de-sac end of Downs Way, Fetcham, south of A246 Leatherhead— road. Park considerately in residential road. Downland species MW Surrey Skipper 20 Spring 2017

28 Sun Merrow & Pewley Downs GU1 2QP, TQ022499: car park on right at top of High Path Rd or Grove Rd, off A246 Epsom Rd. Small Blue CH 30 Tue 10.30 MORNING ONLY Clandon Wood Burial Reserve GU4 7TT, TQ048512: north of A246, 300m east of A247. Small Blue FK JUNE 3 Sat Denbies Hillside, see May 13. Spring Skippers, Adonis Blue RE 4 Sun 10.30 MORNING ONLY SM2 7HS, TQ236622: St Paul’s church at roundabout junction of A232 & Northey Avenue, Cheam. Park considerately in residential roads. Donation please towards site upkeep. Small Blue PW 8 Thu 10.30 MORNING ONLY Heath RH2 8AB, TQ239503: Flanchford Road car park. Heathland species GS 13 Tue 10.30 MORNING ONLY Fairmile Common KT11 1BL, TQ117617: from Cobham, take A307 towards Esher; after 2km turn left at sign for Cobham International School; car park is 300m on right. Silver-studded Blue MW 15 Thu 10.30 MORNING ONLY Priest Hill, Epsom KT17 3BZ, TQ22686095: Priest Hill Close, east of A240 Reigate Rd; 1.2km south of A24; 200m south of Longdown Lane North (opposite side). Parking options flexible; if coming by car please contact leader in advance. Small Blue DR 18 Sun Box Hill KT20 7LB, TQ179513: NT car park opposite shop. Beware cyclists! Dark Green Fritillary, orchids DW 21 Wed 10.30 MORNING ONLY Roundshaw Downs CR8 3QL, TQ305628: Plough Lane, north of Foresters Drive, Wallington; park on street. grassland species DW 25 Sun Norbury Park RH5 6BQ, TQ158524: Crabtree Lane car park, 1.2km NW of Box Hill & Westhumble station; 1.6km west of 465 bus stop on A24. Down/woodland species MW 27 Tue St Martha’s & GU5 9BQ, TQ035485: car park east of St Martha’s Hill, Guildford Lane. Via Albury: north of A248; via Guildford: south of White Lane. Dark Green Fritillary, Marbled White RS 29 Thu GU3 3RN, SU987542: car park by Jolly Farmer pub. From A3 southbound, take Burpham/Merrow exit. From A320, north of Guildford, take Burdenshott Rd NW for 1km. Silver-studded Blue, Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral MW JULY 2 Sun Bookham Common KT23 3JG, TQ130557: NT Tunnel car park, north of Church Rd, 200m east of Bookham railway station. Purple Emperor, Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral TH 4 Tue Cucknells Wood GU5 0UD, TQ03314338: Christ Church car park, south of Shamley Green, west of B2128. Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral FK 6 Thu 10.30 MORNING ONLY Epsom Common KT18 7TR, TQ182611: Stew Ponds car park, south of Christ Church Rd. Purple Emperor, White Admiral AG Surrey Skipper 21 Spring 2017

9 Sun Holmwood Common RH5 4DT, TQ182463: NT car park on brow of hill, west of Dorking—Newdigate road. Purple Emperor, White Admiral 14.00 Inholms Clay Pit RH5 4TU, TQ175474: park in Holmbury Drive. MW 11 Tue Sheepleas, West Horsley, see Apr 27. Purple Emperor CH 12 Wed 10.30 MORNING ONLY Nonsuch Park, Cheam SM3 8DP, TQ236634: The Avenue car park, west of A232 junction. White-letter Hairstreak KO 13 Thu Ashtead Common KT21 2DU, TQ179589: Ashtead Common estate office; go over level crossing at Ashtead railway station, then left 200m along Woodfield Rd. Park considerately before level crossing or at far end of Woodfield Rd. Purple Emperor, White Admiral MW 15 Sat 14.00 Walton Downs & Juniper Hill, Epsom KT18 5PP, TQ222578: large car park inside racecourse, SE corner. Cross the racecourse east of grandstand at junction of Rd & Old London Rd; follow the track round. Chalkhill Blue MW 16 Sun Hutchinson’s Bank, see May 10. Dark Green Fritillary MB 18 Tue Broadstreet Common GU2 8LW, SU968509: Hartshill, Park Barn, Guildford. From A323 Aldershot Rd turn west into Broad Street (heading towards ); after 250m, 2nd-left — Broadacres; 1st right — Wood Rise; keep right at roundabout into Barnwood Rd; turn right at T-junction into Cabell Rd; 1st right into Hartshill. Park in residential street. Wood/grassland species MW 20 Thu Headley Heath KT18 6NN, TQ204538: Main (not Brimmer) car park, west of B2033 Headley Common Rd, 200m south of Leech Lane. STEEP. Purple Emperor, Small Copper, Silver-spotted Skipper CH 22 Sat 10.30 KT16 0ED, SU973648: Staple Hill (NOT Roundabout) car park, south of M3, 1.3km NE of B383 Windsor Rd. Grayling, Dragonflies FK 23 Sun Wimbledon Common SW19 5NR, TQ229724: Windmill Rd car park. Purple Hairstreak, grassland species MB 25 Tue Great Train Journey East: VERY STEEP! dep Dorking DEEPDENE 9.14, arr Betchworth 9.19. 6km return walk via Betchworth & Brockham Chalk Pits and Box Hill Dukes, ending at Stepping Stones NT car park (RH5 6AE, TQ171513), which is 600m south of Burford Bridge roundabout, east of A24. We advise to park here and walk 1.4km (15min) south along A24, past Dorking Main, to Deepdene Station. 25 species in 2016, incl. Silver-spotted Skipper, Chalkhill Blue MW 29 Sat 10.30 ‘Vale End’, Tillingbourne Valley, St Martha’s Hill, Albury Downs GU5 9BE, TQ042478: we are invited to Vale End, John & Daphne Foulsham’s home, north side of Chilworth Rd (A248), 0.5km west of Albury. Park in field opposite on south side. After coffee & biscuits we wander along the Tillingbourne Valley then steeply up onto Albury Downs; return downhill for tea & cakes. End 4pm. Chalkhill Blue MW Surrey Skipper 22 Spring 2017

AUGUST 2 Wed Reigate & Colley Hills RH2 9RP, TQ263523: 400m SE of M25 J8; from A217 (no right turn) take 1st-left towards Gatton — NT car park is immediately signposted. Silver-spotted Skipper, Chalkhill Blue MW 5 Sat Great Train Journey West: VERY STEEP! dep Dorking DEEPDENE 9.45, arr 9.53 (you could join here). 10km return walk over some of the finest butterfly country on the Downs. Parking options: 1 Dorking Main station (RH4 1TF, TQ170503), 250m north of Deepdene, £3+. 2 Ashcombe Road, west end (RH4 1NB, TQ161500) is on return route, 1.3km (15 min) west of Deepdene: cross A24 via underpass, turn right. MB 8 Tue Dawney Heath & Brookwood Cemetery, see May 16. Grayling FK 13 Sun Box Hill, see Jun 19: STEEP walk to Lower Viewpoint & Dukes. Adonis Blue, Silver-spotted Skipper RE 16 Wed 10.30 MORNING ONLY Bookham Common, see Jul 2. Brown Hairstreak MW 20 Sun Denbies Hillside, see May 13: STEEP! Adonis Blue, Silver-spotted Skipper DW 23 Wed 10.30 MORNING ONLY Bookham Common, see Jul 2. repeat of previous week’s visit for Brown Hairstreak CH 29 Tue 10.30 MORNING ONLY Newdigate Brickworks, see May 9. Brown Hairstreak FK 31 Thu 10.30 MORNING ONLY Blindley Heath, RH7 6LL, TQ369452: 5m south of M25 J6; from A22 turn east into Ray Lane B2029; after 0.4m turn left into Tandridge Lane; park in Red Barn pub car park on right; reserve is on left. Several styles! Brown Hairstreak RS SEPTEMBER 2 Sat Merrow & Pewley Downs, see May 28. Brown Hairstreak NJ 5 Tue Little Mead, Cranleigh GU6 8LT, TQ04603985: Notcutts Garden Centre, B2128 Guildford Rd, 1.2km NW of village. Brown Hairstreak FK

Leaders Malcolm Bridge..07806 253331, 020 8289 3839 Ken Owen...... 07715 350368 Robert Edmondson ...... 01306 885085 David Robinson ...... 07944 602992 Alison Gilry ...... 07736 962466 Graham Saxby ...... 07818 433079 Tony Hoare ...... 01372 379807 Richard Stephens 07815 444166, 01342 892022 Clive Huggins ....07952 964253, 020 8942 7846 Peter Wakeham...... 020 8642 3002 Nigel Jackman ..07792 407963, 020 8391 4437 Dave Warburton ...... 07736 338366 Francis Kelly...... 07952 285661, 01483 278432 Mike Weller ...... 07918 171179, 01306 882097

EMERGENCY: call 112; wait 1 min. If no reception, turn round and retry. I If still no contact, text 112. Surrey Skipper 23 Spring 2017

Weather Watch David Gradidge

WINTER in the south-east England SE & Central South looks like being one of the Anomaly column shows comparison with sunnier and drier ones on 30-year average, 1981-2010 record. Good for work parties. Looking at the records, it Temp C Sunshine Rainfall Mean Anom Hours Anom mm Anom has been on the dry side for 2016 Jan 5.7 +1.1 60 102% 132 165% sometime, so expect the water Feb 5.4 +0.9 89 113% 57 103% companies to start issuing Mar 6.1 -0.7 137 120% 87 151% warnings if they have not Apr 8.1 -0.6 176 104% 54 101% already done so. December May 13.0 +1.1 220 109% 65 119% was the 4th-driest on record Jun 15.4 +0.6 128 63% 96 188% going back to 1911, with not Jul 17.5 +0.4 213 99% 21 41% even 20mm. October was Aug 17.9 +0.9 227 111% 40 70% almost as dry and I suspect Sep 16.7 +2.2 138 92% 48 77% February won’t be far behind. Oct 11.2 +0.1 128 113% 33 36% Nothing of great note with Nov 6.4 -1.0 84 117% 103 118% temperatures, although both Dec 6.1 +1.1 64 125% 19 22% November and January were Annual 10.8 +0.5 1,664 102% 755 96% the coldest since 2010. Region: Surrey, London, Berks, Hants, Kent, Sussex, Wilts Overall, 2016 was yet another rather warm year – in the top 20 reports the highest UK temperature for the and very similar to 2015. However I do day. To the media it is Gravesend, but only think caution should be used with this data. a little digging shows that it is nowhere At the head of the Met Office records is the near. It is in fact the automatic station at statement “allowances have been made for Broadness, sharing the enclosure with a topographic, coastal and urban effects.” radar mast. Where is that you say? This is shorthand for saying that the raw It is a marshy promontory sticking out data has been adjusted, which is the start of into the Thames surrounded by water on the slippery slope. I will mention one, to my three sides and at low tide by extensive mud mind, suspect recording site that frequently flats. Find it on the map.

DATES Mar 25 Butterfly Recorders, Birmingham Jul 14– Aug 6 Big Butterfly Count Mar 31–Sep 17 Natural History Museum: Jul 15 New Members’ Day, Juniper Hall Sensational Butterflies Sep 5 Final Surrey field trip Apr 1 Transect season starts Sep 29 Transect season ends Apr 20 First Surrey field trip Sep 30 AES Exhibition & Trade Fair: May Kent Branch Members’ Day: Kempton 11.00-16.30 date to be confirmed Oct 12–14 Moth Night May 1 BioBlitz: Nov 11 National Members’ Day, Cheltenham May 12 BioBlitz: Edolphs Copse, Nov 19 Branch Members’ Day Charlwood 8.00-15.00 Nov 25 Surrey Branch Members’ Day, Jun 3–4 BioBlitz: Morden Hall Park NT Effingham 10.00-16.00 Oct 31 All Transect records to be online please Surrey Skipper 24 Spring 2017

BC membership by household Nov 2015-16

2015 2016 Change New Individuals SURREY & SW London is Hampshire & IOW 1,403 1,511 7.7% 201 2,022 6th of the 31 branches in the West Midlands 1,274 1,395 9.5% 253 1,878 membership league table. Yorkshire 1,229 1,334 8.5% 244 1,797 The 12 months ending Sussex 1,168 1,251 7.1% 166 1,698 Nov 1, 2016 saw national Upper Thames 1,094 1,221 11.6% 215 1,664 individual membership top Surrey & SW London 1,060 1,163 9.7% 198 1,527 30,000 for the first time. Cambs & Essex 1,005 1,090 8.5% 207 1,429 Surrey attracted 198 new East Midlands 958 1,021 6.6% 154 1,380 household, losing 95, for a Somerset & Bristol 932 1,043 11.9% 196 1,378 net gain of 9.7%. Kent 869 970 11.6% 187 1,275 Herts & Middlesex 908 972 7.0% 154 1,256 Including joint and family Dorset 845 889 5.2% 108 1,232 members, our 1,163 Devon 786 891 13.4% 166 1,196 households represent 1,527 Norfolk 727 808 11.1% 132 1,116 individual members. Lancashire 611 664 8.7% 134 879 Cheshire & Peak 571 593 3.9% 88 803 South Wales 581 626 7.7% 109 797 East Scotland 578 612 5.9% 108 792 Gloucestershire 530 550 3.8% 68 751 Suffolk 488 525 7.6% 87 734 UK Atlas Wiltshire 512 538 5.1% 63 719 BC’s new Atlas of Beds & Northants 475 519 9.3% 74 703 Warwickshire 382 435 13.9% 81 611 UK Butterflies 2010-2014 Glasgow & SW Scot 415 447 7.7% 85 591 is now online. Cornwall 361 433 19.9% 95 566 It contains the latest Lincolnshire 378 401 6.1% 51 550 distribution maps for North East 385 399 3.6% 77 519 58 regular species, Highlands & Islands 298 307 3.0% 32 421 including Ireland’s North Wales 267 282 5.6% 44 400 Cryptic Wood White. Cumbria 282 300 6.4% 27 394 Only the Large Blue, Northern Ireland 238 237 -0.4% 25 318 reintroduced from 1983, Totals 21,610 23,427 8.4% 3,829 31,396 is excluded.

Swallowtail Philip Underwood

Following the Swallowtail in Newdigate in Down in this bowl it is always very hot, June (Skipper 62, p13), came late news of being sandy heathland. We watched it for a 2nd Surrey sighting on Aug 29 about two minutes and then it flew off. I am sure I did not imagine it! I asked myself what was it doing there. At 2.30pm I was at the southern end of Everything was wrong. However, not far , near Kettlebury Hill. away, we have fishponds and wetlands from I was talking to some other people tributaries of the . We also have when their dog disturbed a Swallowtail butterfly breeders around. from the heather. Please tell me I wasn’t dreaming! Surrey Skipper 25 Spring 2017

New members Ken Owen

A warm welcome to all new members. Feb total membership 1,186, up by 63 from Sep. ►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] Amanda Adolph ...... Dockenfield Phoebe Halstead...... SE5 Steve Preston & Margaret Anstis ...... Fetcham Les Hazell ...... SW9 Bev Emms Reigate ►Philip Ashton...... Blackwater Sheng He ...... SE1 Graham Raine...... Ashtead Brian Ayers ....West End, Woking Christine Hewitt ....Langley Vale Jenny Rendall...... Addlestone Eloise Barnes ...... SW8 Sylvie Horwood...... Ashtead David Richmond ...... SE21 Alan Bender ...... W13 Michael Howarth ...... SE15 Diane & David Rickwood Greg Boyce ...... Nigel Ince ...... SW19 Edward & Linda Brennan Paula Jacobs ...... Warlingham Gillian Ridgewell ...... Gomshall Worcester Park Hilary Jayne ...... W13 Jorge Rodriguez Perez ...... W6 Ben Brocklehurst ...... E14 Debbie Jeffries .. Kathy Rodwell ...... SW2 Joy Brooke ...... Blackwater Maggie Jones ...... SW20 Paul Rolinson & David Flynn Davida Clark ...... Camberley Frank Jones ...... Camberley Amy Clutterbuck...... SE5 Ann Kennedy ...... SW19 Mary Russell ...... Carshalton Paul Collingridge ...... Vanessa Kerr ...... Fetcham Anna Saich ...... Redhill Melinda Cracknell ...... Howard Lambeth...... Sutton Helen Somerscales ..Sth Croydon Janice Cruse ...... Guildford Alex Legge ...... W12 Kathleen Spalding...... Peter Dakin ...... W9 Vivien Lingard ...... Epsom Paula Stebbeds ...... Surbiton Angela Dart-Jones & Hermione Lovel ...... Purley Sarah & Keith Stewart Christian Dart Cheam Hilary MacBean ...... Woking Mary Stuart-Jones & Maria Devereaux ...... SE22 Gary Margetts ...... Bookham Robert Jones Farnham Karen Driver ...... Egham Margaret Mathias...... Bramley Andrew Sutton...... Midhurst Neil & Ruth Duncan ...... E18 David Mattey ...... Oxted Andrew & Isobel Swan Haslemere Nancy Englefield ...... SW20 Diane Middlecoat ...... Gill Thomas ...... Caterham Harrriet English...... SE27 David Neighbour ...... Blackwater Nicholas Thompson Maurice Farlie ...... SW12 Isobel Nott ...... Reigate Martin Traill ...... Camberley Gordon Forrester ...... Farnham Karen Nystrom Simonsen & Rowena Turney...... Richmond Alex Gewanter ...... W4 Peter Mills Croydon Jenny Vidler ...... SW16 Chrissy Giles...... SE16 Helen O'Brien ...... Frimley Sue Wattenbach ...... Farnham Nicky Goldfinch ...... SW16 Malcolm Oliphant Shamley Green Kelly Weston ...... Farnham Teresa Grafton ...... Richmond Ann O'Sullivan & Thelma Wheeler...... Fetcham Abby Grainger ...... Haslemere Jeff Hollingworth Kingston Mary-Ann Witherington ...... Ash Lesley & Tom Grainger.... Sarah Patmore ...... Redhill Pat Woodward ...... Coulsdon Joseph Green ...... SE15 Margaret Peters...... West Ewell Alison & Stephen Woolford Kay Griggs-Wright & Panisha Pindoria ...... SW1 P Colin Thatcher Dorking

Transects with most species Surrey 2016 Hutchinson's Bank 34 Juniper Hill, Epsom 30 Park Downs, Banstead 27 Box Hill Dukes 31 Newlands Corner East 30 Denbies Hillside 26 Chipstead Downs 31 30 Headley Heath 26 Denbies Landbarn 31 Betchworth Quarry 29 Merrow Downs 26 Newlands Corner West 31 Riddlesdown Common 29 Norbury Park grassland 26 Sheepleas 31 Box Hill Viewpoint 27 Oaken Wood 26 Blatchford Down 30 Box Hill Zig Zag 27 Pewley Down 26 Brockham Limeworks 30 Hackhurst Down 27 Riddlesdown Quarry 26 Colekitchen 30 Hill Park, Tatsfield 27 West Hanger, Shere 26 Surrey Skipper 26 Spring 2017

Surrey transects top single count in each week

Week number 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223242526 APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2016 1 81522296 1320273 1017241 8 1522295 1219262 9 1623 Brimstone 12 18 18 10 47 47 33 20 26 18 14 4 5 4 5 19 18 22 32 29 5 5 5 2 2 2 Peacock 11 17 14 3 10 6 5 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 7 19 13 25 3331431 Sm Tortoiseshell 9 784462221436 674 2 1315121 1 Comma 84 4 4 4 3 4 3 5 1 1 7 7 117 13 992312342 Red Admiral 12 24321 2 23 2 5 5 6 10148 2 4131916630 Small White 12 4 2101216911103 5 2 8 3344 35 28 24 22 15 19 20 14 8 9 Green-v White 11 1 1 5 5 5 6 9 3 1 1 2 6 14131415 10 11 10 7 7 3 1 Orange-tip 25 41118 15 10 6 3 1 1 1 Speckled Wood 19 2 4 81061114271710145 2217333519272640 20 11 11 Holly Blue 14 1 512 81174 4 2 1 1 3 2 1 4 4 9 3 4 3 1 1 1 Large White 16 4127 8 5 4 2 3 3 4 112039 15 18 17 12 7 10 6 3 2 Grizzled Skipper 1134454 2 410 Dingy Skipper 11754 28 22 13 8 9 2 1 1 1 Green Hairstreak 2 17 433 2 33 Small Heath 116162835205127424534209 1211224974 30 35 19 10 Common Blue 31268 65 40 15 11 8 5 5 6 12 18 19 28 58 35 11 10 2 1 Wood White 3717 10 10 7 9 11 Brown Argus 2154199 5 9 201215136 6 7143537 17 23 3 Small Copper 254106 87 4 3 6 3 3 69172631 14 16 20 Adonis Blue 243746 22 6 2 1 8 25 41 4 2 3 2 Small Blue 1214114170 163 18 35 9 2 1 6 5 6 4 Clouded Yellow 12111256 2521 Large Skipper 111 5 318282651 45 14 12 6 3 Painted Lady 11 2 21 1 2 1 3 1 9 2211111 Meadow Brown 72371110225235301 239 203 171 255 144 138 68 49 39 23 Silver-stud Blue 65104 54 41 45 9 3 2 3 Marbled White 6148299353 222 190 54 9 3 1 1 Ringlet 12070190155211 97 21 30 28 10 1 Dark Green Frit 1819 10 11 3 2 13 1 2 Small Skipper 342950 46 13 21 3 3 Small/Essex Sk 354663122 56 23 26 5 1 Essex Skipper 2521 20 10 6 11 2 1 White Admiral 2 8 22 2 531 Silver-w Fritillary 231021182334 14 6 8 1 1 Gatekeeper 11 16 50 119 90 95 39 32 29 18 20 3 Purple Hairstreak 113313 10 3 2 2 Purple Emperor 121 4 White-letter Hs 2 1 Chalkhill Blue 6111221309 271 110 54 36 7 2 1 Grayling 14820 17 11 19 9 3 Silver-spot Skip 12122127 15 12 4 Brown Hairstreak 1 3 21111

I Excludes a few unverified records with extreme dates

I Seven species recorded their top single count I Purple Emperor and three of the century in 2016 (see table on next page): Hairstreaks (Brown, Purple, Marbled White, Small Blue, Dingy Skipper, White-letter), being largely Red Admiral, Orange-tip, Green Hairstreak arboreal, are unsuited to & Purple Emperor. transect recording. Surrey Skipper 27 Spring 2017

Surrey transects season’s top single count

Top count Date Red: 21st-century top 2016 2000-15 Marbled White Jul 02 Box Hill Dukes 353 270 Chalkhill Blue Jul 31 Denbies Landbarn 309 3,308 Meadow Brown Jul 18 Common 301 846 Ringlet Jul 18 Norbury Park 211 412 Small Blue Jun 5 Warren Farm 170 129 Small/Essex Skipper Jul 19 Warren Farm 122 450 Silver-studded Blue Jun 24 Fairmile Common 104 268 Small Heath Aug 26 Denbies Landbarn 74 123 Common Blue May 20 Box Hill Dukes 68 243 Dingy Skipper May 12 Denbies Landbarn 54 53 Large Skipper Jul 14 Richmond Park 51 94 Small Skipper Jul 12 Chapel Bank 50 156 Brimstone May 4 Park Downs 47 81 Adonis Blue May 28 Denbies Landbarn 46 600 Small White Jul 18 CP 44 82 Speckled Wood Sep 7 40 79 Large White Jul 23 Blindley Heath 39 147 Brown Argus Aug 30 Chipstead Downs 37 67 Silver-washed Fritillary Aug 6 Chiddingfold Forest 34 40 Small Copper Sep 7 Richmond Park 31 61 Red Admiral Sep 28 Hill Park, Tatsfield 30 12 Silver-spotted Skipper Aug 16 Brockham Limeworks 27 99 Peacock Aug 5 Hackhurst Down 25 32 Essex Skipper Jul 13 Priest Hill 21 66 Grayling Aug 5 Chobham Common 20 56 Dark Green Fritillary Jul 1 Newlands Corner 19 41 Orange-tip May 9 Blindley Heath 18 17 Green Hairstreak May 12 Chipstead Downs 17 16 Wood White May 27 Chiddingfold Forest 17 31 Green-veined White Aug 05 Hogsmill 15 41 Comma Jul 23 Hogsmill 13 17 Purple Hairstreak Jul 31 Holmwood Common 13 29 Holly Blue May 9 Barnes Common 12 21 Grizzled Skipper Jun 17 Headley Heath 10 12 Painted Lady Aug 3 Newlands Corner 9 148 Small Tortoiseshell Apr 3 Hutchinson's Bank 9 47 White Admiral Jul 3 Oaken Wood 8 19 Clouded Yellow Aug 28 Kenley Common 6 9 Purple Emperor Aug 12 Chobham Common 4 2 Brown Hairstreak Aug 22 Blindley Heath 3 3 White-letter Hairstreak Jul 2 Barnes Common 2 3 Surrey Skipper 28 Spring 2017

UKBMS abundance indices Francis Kelly

The UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme website has thousands Adonis Blue at Denbies Hillside of abundance index Red: this site; black: national charts, covering every species at every transect site. Some go back to the start of the scheme in 1976. The example shows the fluctuating fortunes of the Adonis Blue at Denbies Hillside. I The annual index is a statistical calculation of relative rather than LINK www.ukbms.org/Sites.aspx actual abundance. I Surrey transect data 2013-2016 Sort by species to see their sites & flight periods is available to download from our Sort by sites to see their species Website Transects Page See your own records at a glance

Presence on the 93 transects Surrey 2016 Small White 92 Holly Blue 75 Grizzled Skipper 26 Brimstone 91 Orange-tip 75 Chalkhill Blue 21 Peacock 90 Small Skipper 71 Dark Green Fritillary 20 Speckled Wood 90 Small Tortoiseshell 70 Purple Hairstreak 20 Meadow Brown 89 Marbled White 68 White Admiral 18 Large White 88 Small Heath 62 Brown Hairstreak 15 Gatekeeper 87 Small Copper 61 Silver-spotted Skipper 13 Ringlet 86 Essex Skipper 56 Small Blue 10 Red Admiral 83 Silver-washed Fritillary 47 Silver-studded Blue 8 Comma 82 Painted Lady 45 Grayling 7 Green-veined White 80 Brown Argus 43 Purple Emperor 7 Large Skipper 80 Green Hairstreak 37 Wood White 5 Common Blue 77 Dingy Skipper 34 Adonis Blue 4 Small/Essex Skipper 77 Clouded Yellow 28 White-letter Hairstreak 3

Walking a transect If you would like to walk a transect A TRANSECT is a fixed-route, weekly or help with an existing one (many are email Bill Downey walk, typically 1–3km, lasting 30–90 mins. shared), please Volunteers record butterflies in a 5m More details are on our Website Transects Page band in suitable weather in the 26 weeks , including: I Apr–Sep, 10.45–15.45. Data is managed by How to view transect data online the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. I Data to download Surrey Skipper 29 Spring 2017

Surrey’s transects in 2016: the 93 sites

Ashtead Common North Dawney Heath Lingfield Wildlife Area RSPB Farnham Heath, & Brookwood Cemetery London Wetland Centre Tankersford Barnes Common Denbies Hillside Merrow Downs Runnymede Bay Pond Denbies Landbarn B Mitcham Common Wood Bealeswood Common Dollypers Hill New Hill, Coulsdon Sheepleas Betchworth Quarry Epsom Common Newlands Corner East Shortfield Common Blatchford Down Fairmile Common Newlands Corner West South Norwood CP Blindley Heath Farnham Park Nonsuch Park Spynes Mere Box Hill Dukes Norbury Park grassland Swan Barn Farm Box Hill Viewpoint Featherbed Lane Norbury Park woodland Sydenham Hill Woods Box Hill Zig Zag Foxley Wood Nore Hill & Cox's Walk Hackhurst Down Nower Wood The Mount, Guildford Brentmoor Heath, Happy Valley, Coulsdon Oaken Wood Common Cuckoo Hill Headley Heath Park Downs, Banstead Tice's Meadow Brockham Limeworks Hill Park, Tatsfield Pewley Down Tolworth Court Farm Chapel Bank Hogsmill LNR Priest Hill Tooting Common Chiddingfold Forest East Holmwood Common Quarry Hangers Warren Farm Chiddingfold Forest Sth Horton CP North Water Colours/Moors Chiddingfold Forest West Horton CP Richmond Park West End Farm, Frensham Chipstead Downs Howell Hill Riddlesdown Common West Hanger & Hutchinson's Bank Riddlesdown Quarry Wimbledon Common Chobham Common NE Inholms Clay Pit Roundshaw Downs Wimbledon Common SW Chobham Common Sth Juniper Hill, Royal & Bagmoor & Fishponds Wood Chobham Grazing Sth Epsom Downs Commons Common Colekitchen Kenley Common RSPB Farnham Heath E Coulsdon Common Place

The walkers

Alice Bailey Sarah Clift Colin Hall Paul Moorhouse Richard Stephens Ray Baker Mayonne Coldicott Jill Hall David & Audrey Moss David Stevens Anita Bathurst Julia Collyer Philippa Hall Steve Nevard Eloise Stradling Dick Beales Daniel Creech Pamela Harwood Dominic North Mary Stuart-Jones Dick Beasley Peter Curnock Roger Hawkins Ken Owen Ros Szanto Andrea Bessant Phil Darley Fiona Haynes Dave Page Brian Thomas Bill Bessant Donna Dawson Geoff Hewlett Sophie Parker Rachael Thornley Rob Bonfield Elaine Dolton Jo Hurren Lindsay Patterson Peter Trew Alison Bosence Bill Downey Gail Jeffcoate Gill Peachey Anne Tutt Frank Boxell Julia Edwards Malcolm Jennings Gerry Pearson Richard van Neste Doug & Penny Boyd Sarah Elliott Val Jolly Pedro Pires June Wakefield Dave Braddock Gillian Elsom Michael Jones Nick Press Peter Wakeham Matt Bramich Ken Elsom Natalie Kay Robb Reeves Dave Warburton Malcolm Bridge Ted Forsyth Francis Kelly Sam Richardson Paul Wheeler Emma Brown Mollie Gadd Graham Kenward Simon Riley Alan Wilkinson Peter Brown Brian Gardner Mike Lawn David Robinson Martin Wills Richard Bullock Amelia Gibson Eleanor Lines Barri Rolland Jamie Wood Richard Burgess Mike Gibson Pat Lowe Michael Rowland Geoff Woodcock Peter Camber Sigi Gibson John Madden Vicky Russell Jim & Ruth Yeeles Susan Chadwick Alison Gilry Amanda McCormick Graham Saxby Bob Yeo Janet Cheney Karen Goldie-Morrison Judith McNickle Andrew Scott John Christlieb Daniel Greenwood Cathy Mead Trevor Sears Cathy Clarke Lucy Halahan Jonathan Mitchell Neville Squires Surrey Skipper 30 Spring 2017

iRecord, our recommended recording platform via app iRecord Recorders Records (smartphone/tablet) or computer, made further strides 2013 32 344 last year. The table shows Surrey butterflies 2013+. 2014 116 1,004 More details, including how to create a filter, 2015 159 3,182 are on our website. LINK Using iRecord 2016 230 4,247

Map shows the 321 tetrads (57%) of Surrey’s 558 tetrads with butterfly data on iRecord in 2016. I Tetrad: 2x2km square, containing four monads (1x1km).

I Our thanks to all iRecorders, who are listed on next page.

Butterfly surveys

THE Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey, You make monthly visits, May—Aug, run by Butterfly Conservation and the recording butterflies for one hour along Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, in two 1km survey lines running roughly partnership with the British Trust for north-south. Ornithology, monitors the abundance of If you cannot commit to a transect, this countrywide species away from hotspots. could be the recording scheme for you. Harry Clarke, Branch Coordinator, I The Garden Butterfly Survey, now online, allocates to volunteers one of Surrey’s 36 is another scheme that may appeal. randomly selected monads (1x1km square). LINK Branch webpage: Recording Surrey Skipper 31 Spring 2017

iRecorders

Thank you to the recorders who submitted Surrey butterfly data to iRecord in 2016. Heather Abdelli Graham Saxby David Allcock Jenny Shalom John Andrews Jono Shavelar Richard Angliss Chloe Shepherd Richard Ashford Ewan Shilland Paul Atkin Megan Simm Beth Aucott Thomas Simpson Ray Baker Marc Cottington Pamela Harwood Ian Macfadyen Damian Slater Rowena Ballard Isabel Courtenay David Hasell John Madden Penny Smallshire Ashley Banyard Malcolm Cragg Gary Hedges Martyn Mance Joshua Sneddon Kate Barnett Michael Cuff James Herd Steve Marshall Richard Stephens Jack Barton Darragh Culley Menchu Herrera Sue Martin Graham Steven Anita Bathurst Peter Cureton James Hewitt Graham Mays Keith Stewart Sue Belcher Martin D’Arcy Roger Hewitt James McCulloch Ellie Stradling Lesley Bennett Mike Davis Dave Hill Philippa McKee Clare Street Alex Berryman Steve Dawson Les Hill Judith McNickle Wendy Tagg Andrea Bessant Janet Dean Barry Hilling Helen Middlemas Finlay Taylor Bill Bessant Jenny Desoutter Clive Huggins David Millen Duncan Thatcher Rachel Bicker Lee Dingain David Hunter Sonya Miller-Smith Adrian Thompson John Blackett Bill Downey Jo Hurren Alex Mills Dave Thomson Amber Blogg Richard Drew Joe Hutchins David Murdoch Hortense Thorpe Thomas Blumire Kevin Duncan Ruth Ibbotson Stephen Nevard Mike Thurner Elizabeth Boakes Jan Dunn John Ingham Arthur Norton Michael Tickner Pete Boardman John Edwards Hugh Insley David Norton Malcolm Toyer Daniel Bound Justin Elario Peter Irvine David O’Brien Becky Treacy Frank Boxell Sarah Elliott Sarah Ive Ken Owen Dave Trew Linda Boys Gillian Elsom Nigel Jackman Adrian Parker Cheryl Turkington Christabel Brightley Ken Elsom Laurie Jackson Sophie Parker Raymond Turner Gino Brignoli Angela Evans C Jay Francesca Partridge Carole Tyrrell Nick Broomer Graham Fieldhouse Steve Jellett Stephen Patmore Philip Underwood Peter Brown Dawn Fielding Duncan Jennings Mark Patterson John Vallas Philip Bryan Stuart Fisher Andrew Keay Sarah Patton David Warburton Linda Buckell Tom Forward Francis Kelly Edward Paxton Jon Webb Darlene Bullard Chris Foster Esther King Robert Pennington Simon West Sarah Bunce Paul Foulkes-Arellano Mark Lacey Matt Phelps Steve Wheatley Paul Busby Richard Fox James & Dawn Neil Phillips Keith White Peter Camber Will George Langiewicz Kiki Piatkowska Derek Whiteley Caroline Mike Gibson Carol Langridge Geoff Pierce Matt Why Cardew-Smith James Giles Janice Law Lucy Poddington Alan Wilkinson Peter Carlill Karen Kerry Leslie Saoirse Pottie Joanne Wilsher Steve Chastell Goldie-Morrison Viv Lingard Rina Quinlan Colin Wilson Harry Clarke David Gough Elliott Lloyd Richard Redhead Genelle Windsor Peter Clarke Jeremy Gould Matthew Lloyd Chris Reeves Howard Wood Sarah Clift David Gower Inca Lloyd Pillai John Reeves Jamie Wood Christian Cogley Daniel Greenwood Alan Lobb Stephen Reisbach Caroline Woodley Richard Comont Clare Grindrod Andrew Lockett Graham Revill James Woodman Peter Conway Lucy Groves Carey Lodge Alan Richards Jo Wright Jim Cooper Ben Habgood Duncan Long Simon Riley Jim Yeeles Larissa Cooper Lucy Halahan Liz & Steve Mick Rock Ruth Yeeles Sophie Cooper Richard Harding Lonsdale Eleanor Salt Stuart Cossey Martin Harvey Simon Lumsden Geoff Sawers Surrey Skipper 32 Spring 2017

Branch website: uniqueU weekly visitors Francis Kelly

2015 2016 350

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0 13579111315171921232527293133353739414345474951 Week number

OUR branch website hit a midsummer peak a trailblazer for other branches. It is of 300 unique visitors during the week updated regularly and contains everything beginning July 15. you could want to know about butterflying This was topped by a record 333 unique in Surrey & SW London. visitors in the week beginning October 14, The sightings page, managed by Ken when the new Skipper went online. Average Owen, concentrates on first/notable for the year was 159, up by 40 from 2015. sightings. Please email records/photos for It would seem that about 50 percent of this page to [email protected]. the membership took the trouble to access I For general records, please use iRecord. the new Skipper. I Twitter is terrific for immediate news. Surrey’s website is seen by Head Office as Facebook is fabulous for general photos.

Social media Francis Kelly

OUR Twitter account added almost 100 Twitter Facebook new followers in the last six months. Running Tweets & Click the link below for our website’s totals Retweets Followers Likes guide to getting involved with Twitter 2015 Sep 360 131 and Facebook. Mick Rock’s Facebook 2016 Feb 463 192 group has 96 members. Sep 532 637 248 2017 Mar 600 734 270 LINK Surrey branch on Social Media