& BUTTERFLY GROUP

NEWSLETTER No 86 August 2012.

A monthly newsletter covering Gwent and Monmouthshire Vice County 35

Editor: Martin Anthoney

Small Ranunculus (Hecatera dysodea ) Update Up to 1900 this small, pretty moth used to be common in Britain, mainly in eastern and southern counties. It then suffered a catastrophic decline, and by 1912 it had disappeared from most of its range. The last record was 1941 and it was assumed to be extinct in Britain. The Small Ranunculus reappeared in Britain on 26th June 1997 in Kent. In 1998 it was recorded in areas around the Thames Estuary which was formerly one of its strongholds, and on 14th July 1999 Roger James caught one in his light trap at Newport, well away from its former range. The next six years produced eleven further adult specimens to light in Roger’s garden, and in 2003 Kevin Dupé and Roger confirmed breeding when eggs and larvae were found on prickly lettuce at the Blaina Wharf site alongside the . Since then, records have been made from many sites along the Usk corridor in Newport and out as far as St Mellons in the west and Goldcliff in the east. In August 2012, Kevin Dupé found larvae in the Crindau area of Newport and also close to the footbridge over the River Usk near . On 28th August, Roger James and I were recording butterflies when we found 20 Small Ranunculus larvae adjacent to Caldicot Railway Station and the following day a further one at Chepstow (Newhouse Farm Industrial Estate), next to the first Severn bridge. These are the first Gwent records for the in Monmouthshire and away from Newport.

Small Ranunculus larva feeding on the flowers and seed heads of prickly lettuce

In neighbouring counties, to the west in Glamorgan (VC41), 2004 produced the first modern record for Cardiff since when it has spread along the coast to Barry. To the east, there are 2009 breeding records for Canon’s Marsh and Westbury on Trym, Bristol (VC34), and adults come regularly to light near Gloucester Docks (VC33), though breeding has yet to be confirmed. Though reference books give other lettuces, prickly lettuce is the only foodplant on which we have found the larvae. Prickly lettuce is a non-native species, recorded for the first time in Britain in 1632 and in Gwent in 1973. Its spread northward and westward from south-east England is thought to be by colonising 1 disturbed ground resulting from road building in the 20th century. It is an annual or biennial of disturbed and waste ground. In Gwent its distribution is mainly coastal, and as the maps show the Small Ranunculus distribution ties in with this, though the area of prickly lettuce around Monmouth merits further investigation.

Small Ranunculus Moth in Gwent Prickly Lettuce foodplant in Gwent (Trevor Evans 2007)

Martin Anthoney & Roger James (with thanks to Trevor Evans, Roger Gaunt and Dave Slade for information)

Recent Highlights August brought to an end the wettest summer in Britain for 100 years. Though there were short drier interludes last month, and even occasional warmth, butterflies were conspicuous by their absence until the weekend of 18th -20th August. Some long lists of coming to light decreased during the month with cooling nights and increasingly heavy dew on the ground, but a few migrants helped cheer the last fortnight.

The highlight of the month was a Birch Mocha moth which came to light at Reserve on 18th August. This is the first record for the county since 1892! (Kevin Dupé)

Birch Mocha (Kevin Dupé)

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Two micro moths were county firsts: caught by Ian Rabjohns at Penallt on 10th August Sitochroa palealis, caught by Clive Ellis on the 19th August at Lamby Tip, Cardiff, just the VC35 side of the River Rhymney, was the second new Pyralid for VC35 in just over a week!

Assara terebrella (Ian Rabjohns)

Sitochroa palealis (Clive Ellis)

Other highlights were:-

29th July Two White Admiral seen at Ravensnest Wood. Only the second record this year. (Nick Felstead)

3rd Aug Clouded Magpie, Satin Lutestring, Black Arches and Rosy Footman amongst 54 species to light at Ochrwyth. Rosy Footman is now common at a site where it first occurred in 2004. (Richard Clarke)

5th Aug Dog’s Tooth, Double Kidney and Large Wainscot to light at St Bride’s. (John Morgan and Diane Westmoreland)

8th Aug Chocolate Tip, Large Emerald, Scallop Shell, Scarce Silver-lines amongst 60 species to light at the Education Centre, Aberbargoed NNR. (Martin Anthoney and Roger James)

8 Small Ranunculus larvae at Argyle Street, Crindau, Newport. A new site. (Kevin Dupé)

9th Aug Plain Pug, Olive and Oak Nycteoline among 47 macros to light at Comprehensive School. (MMBG)

11 further Small Ranunculus larvae near (see article above) (Kevin Dupé)

10th Aug Grayling (sitting on a road crash barrier !) at South Griffin (Martin Anthoney)

Very worn Dark Green Fritillary still flying at Clydach (Blackrock Quarry) (Martin Anthoney)

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Brown-tail, Double Lobed, Double Kidney, Grass Emerald and Oak Eggar among 45 macros to light at Barecroft Common, Gwent Wildlife Trust’s new reserve. (Martin Anthoney)

Saltern Ear and Dog’s Tooth at St Bride’s. (John Morgan and Diane Westmoreland)

Five Essex Skipper at the north end of Llandegfedd Reservoir. This butterfly, new to in 2000, is still slowly spreading westwards. (Paul Grennard)

Marbled Green (new site record), Sharp-angled Carpet and Clouded Magpie at Penallt. (Stephanie Tyler)

11th Aug Dingy Shell, Dark Marbled Carpet and Satin Beauty among 58 macros to light at Gate. (Martin Anthoney and Roger James)

13th Aug Mocha, Scorched Carpet and Pretty Chalk Carpet among 33 species at Slade Wood. (Martin Anthoney)

Dark Spectacle to light at Lower Ochrwyth, only the fourth county record in the past 30 years. (Richard Clarke)

17th Aug Lappet at Haisboro Ave., Newport. (Sheila Dupé)

18th Aug Scallop Shell, Blomer’s Rivulet, Oak Lutestring and Barred Hook-tip among 33 species at Chepstow Park Wood. (Martin Anthoney and Roger James)

Six Four-dotted Footman at Penallt. (Stephanie Tyler)

Dark Spectacle (Richard Clarke)

Brown Argus (Nick Felstead)

19th Aug Painted Lady, 26 Small Tortoiseshell and two Brown Argus at Ifton Quarry. This latter species now seems confined to the south-eastern coastal belt of Gwent. (Nick Felstead)

20th Aug One Painted Lady and 65 Small Tortoiseshell at Magor Pill. (Martin Anthoney and Roger James) One Painted Lady and Humming-bird Hawk at Penallt. (Ian Rabjohns)

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The appearance of Humming-bird Hawk and several Painted Ladies in the county together with the large numbers of Small Tortoiseshell suddenly seen near the coast suggests there must have been a major immigration of during the weekend 18th-20th August.

21st Aug Annulet at Risca. The first record in the county for five years and the first site record for 31 years. (Martin Anthoney)

A Vestal, an uncommon immigrant, at (Duncan Richardson)

Annulet Vestal (Duncan Richardson)

22nd Aug Oak Lutestring, Dark Marbled Carpet and Barred Hook-tip at Hael Wood (Colonel's Park) (Martin Anthoney)

23rd Aug Grey Chi, Anomalous and Sallow at Whistle Inn, Blaenavon. (Martin Anthoney and Roger James)

Small Waved Umber to light at Undy. (Keith Jones)

26th Aug Maiden’s Blush and Dingy Shell at Hendre Wood. (Martin Anthoney and Roger James)

Painted Lady at Gadr Farm (SO4606). (Stephanie Tyler)

28th Aug Oak Lutestring and Bordered Beauty at Angidy Valley (Abbey Furnace) (Martin Anthoney and Roger James)

Painted Lady in Pontypool town centre. (Rupert Perkins)

30th Aug Two Brown Argus butterflies at Caerwent Quarry, not far from Ifton Quarry where two were seen on 19th. (Nick Felstead)

31st Aug Frosted Orange and Chevron at Ochrwyth. (Richard Clarke)

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Coronet

(Ray Armstrong)

Newport Report A summer better late than never!. Although the weather has been good for butterflies, cool nights with a heavy dew have not been conducive to producing large numbers of moths. Numbers have, however, held up during August. My experience is that I am catching second brood moths which I failed to encounter earlier in the year. This wouldn’t be a report without something special from Kevin down at Red House, Goldcliff, so read on. First Newport 2012 records in August were:

1st Aug Goldcliff Small Wainscot, Magpie, Double Lobed, Crescent

6th Aug Melbourne Way Chocolate Tip, Rosy Footman, Scarce Footman and Dingy Footman

8th Aug Melbourne Way Canary-shouldered Thorn

9th Aug Goldcliff Straw Underwing Haisboro Ave Flounced Rustic Southern Wainscot, Svensson’s Copper Underwing

11th Aug Haisboro Ave Old Lady Melbourne Way Leopard Moth

15th Aug Melbourne Way Rosy Rustic, Cypress Pug, Rosy Minor

17th Aug Haisboro Ave Lappet (first site record and fifth Newport record)

18th Aug Goldcliff Purple Bar, Small Rufous and Kevin’s special – Birch Mocha, only the second VC35 record and the first since 1892! Melbourne Way Dark Marbled Carpet, Dusky Thorn, Centre-barred Sallow, Mouse.

19th Aug Haisboro Avenue Coxcomb Prominent 6

Small Ranunculus: You will have read earlier in this issue about the exciting finds of Small Ranunculus larvae. The significance of having more than one colony is that it makes the moth less vulnerable, although it poses as many questions as it answers. Kevin noticed hundreds of prickly lettuce plants have appeared in Newport amongst the “wildflower” plantings between the castle and the Harlequin roundabout. Most plants were immature, but he did find one larva, plus others in Argyle St., Crindau (off Malpas Road) and on the east bank of the Usk opposite the Riverfront Theatre.

My thanks as always to the recorders: Goldcliff Kevin Dupé Melbourne Way Roger James Haisboro Avenue Sheila Dupé Uskmouth (& odd spots around Newport) Kevin Dupé

Roger James

Dates for your Diary 2012

Monday 15th October 7.30pm. Bridges Community Centre, Monmouth. Gwent Butterflies & Moths, a talk by Martin Anthoney. Contact: Gwent WT Monmouth Local Group, 01600 740286

Saturday 20th October Butterfly Conservation (S.Wales branch) Members Day and AGM Kenfig Visitors’ Centre, 10am to 4pm.

MMBG – Contact Names and Addresses.

Secretary: Kevin Dupé Chairman: Roger James 44 Gaer Park Lane 44 Melbourne Way Newport Newport NP20 3NE NP20 3RF

Phone 01633 216599 Phone 01633 263374 e-mail [email protected] e-mail [email protected] or in case of problems [email protected]

Treasurer: Sheila Dupé 18 Haisbro Avenue Newport NP19 7HY Phone 01633 256475

Newsletter Editor & Recorder for Recorder for Micro Moths Butterflies & Macro Moths Martin Anthoney Sam Bosanquet 23 Malvern Close Dingestow Court Risca Monmouth Newport Monmouthshire NP11 6QY NP25 4DY Phone 01633 612272 e-mail [email protected] e-mail [email protected]

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