WHITE ADMIRAL Newsletter 83 Autumn 2012 The Suffolk Naturalists’ Society CONTENTS EDITORIAL 1 SNIPPETS 2 ARTICLES CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Joan Hardingham 3 SOME PREDATORS OF THE STAG BEETLE - PART 1 Colin Hawes 5 DIPS AND DELLS AT ASPAL CLOSE Caroline Markham 7 NOTES FROM ORFORD NESS BIOBLITZ Dave Fincham 9 RECORDS PLEASE: WASP SPIDER Martin Sanford 10 RECORDS PLEASE: RHODODENDRON LEAFHOPPER Ben Heather 12 SILVER-WASHED FRITILLARY MAKES A WELCOME Rob Parker 12 RETURN TO SUFFOLK SNS GRANT FOR MONITORING PROJECT AT SWT’S Juliet Hawkins 14 GROVE FARM NATURE RESERVE, NORTON THE U3A TEAM AT SUFFOLK WILDLIFE TRUST’S Rob Parker 16 GROVE FARM NATURE RESERVE FINDING FLIES AT ASPAL CLOSE LNR Matt Vernon 18 WALL BROWN SURVEY 2011/2012 Rob Parker 22 PRICE REDUCTION - A FLORA OF SUFFOLK Martin Sanford 24 WILD ANGLIA - A LOCAL NATURE PARTNERSHIP Gen Broad 25 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ABERRANT PLANTAINS Chris Romer 26 HALF-BEAKED SUCCESS Colin Hawes 27 INDIAN STICK INSECTS Gary Last 28 Cover photograph of Wasp Spider taken by Matt Berry http://www.greenwings.co/ ISSN 0959-8537 Published by the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society c/o Ipswich Museum, High Street, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 3QH Registered Charity No. 206084 © Suffolk Naturalists’ Society Ben Heather Suffolk Biological Records Centre, c/o Ipswich Museum, High Street, Ipswich, IP1 3QH [email protected] NEWSLETTER 83 - AUTUMN 2012 There are two things that I thought I should do in my first editorial: Firstly, on behalf of the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society and its members I would like to thank David Walker for all the hard work he has put in producing the White Admiral, to such a high standard, for over 10 years. Secondly, I would like to introduce myself as the new editor for the White Admiral. My name is Ben Heather and I work at the Suffolk Biological Records Centre as the Biological Records Officer with a specialism in computer mapping. I would consider myself a generalist in terms of my own natural history interests, but being a keen photographer with a macro lens, I am frequently drawn to the small photogenic species groups. I was born in December 1986 and, before I was a year old, a natural event took place which saw its 25th Anniversary last month in October. The Great Storm of 1987 with its hurricane force winds brought down over a million trees in Suffolk and spawned a massive clear up and re-planting operation. A story on the BBC website interviewing SWT Director Julian Roughton suggests that, in some places we tried to do too much (clearing and re-planting) and perhaps at the time did not look enough into the opportunities to improve the wider landscape. This story highlights an issue I have always considered about the level of intervention humans should have with nature, especially (in these sorts of situations) where it may take 25 years to show that nature is actually quite resilient. However, I also think this story highlights the importance and ever increasing need for knowledge in making the right conservation choices - something Suffolk natural historians will need to take forward into the future. The BBC story can be found here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk- 19911920 . Please enjoy this newsletter and feel free to email or write to me with any suggestions or snippets you would like to share with me or the readers in future editions. Ben Heather White Admiral 83 1 SNIPPETS Jays Garrulus glandarius may be more visible in gardens this autumn/ winter in their search for food (due to a poor acorn crop). It is believed that increased sightings may also be attributed to birds migrating from continental Europe (again in the search of food). This photo was taken by John Brooks. Ash dieback - Chalara fraxinea. Please visit and read the information on the Forestry Commission website http://www.forestry.gov.uk/chalara . This is a fast developing story with possible, cases of this fungal disease within Suffolk. The Environment Agency, the University of Bristol and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology have developed an online recording tool for invasive plants. The Plant Tracker, which is also available as a smart phone app, allows records to be pinpointed on a Google map and accepts photos to help confirm sightings. http://planttracker.naturelocator.org/ More than 30 leading disease animal experts warn Government that Badger culls could increase the problem of TB in cattle. The group of scientists believe that a cull is unlikely to contribute to TB eradication and serves more as a costly distraction. (East Anglian Daily Times.) 23.10.12 - Government delays plans till next year… Find more snippets on the SNS website www.sns.org.uk or by following @SuffolkBRC on twitter. The next Suffolk Naturalists’ Society members’ evening will be taking place at 7.30pm on the 20th November at the Cedars Hotel, Stowmarket, IP14 2AJ. This is a brilliant opportunity to enjoy an informal but informative evening with other Suffolk natural historians and this event will also feature presentations from Our guest speaker, Scott Pedley, PhD Researcher at the UEA. Scott will tell us about an unusual survey of carabid beetles in Suffolk Brecks grass heaths. The study provided information on the types and numbers of beetles in several sites historically seen as important for invertebrates, including Wangford Warren, Icklingham Plains, Deadman’s Grave, Maidscross Hill, Eriswell Low Warren and Thetford Heath. The evening will also feature updates from some of our county recorders, so please come and join us. 2 White Admiral 83 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT People working for a charity do it for a sense of achievement in fulfilling its aims. There are no bonuses or pay rises to recognise work well done. However, it is important that suitable recognition is not neglected and SNS has a built in means of doing this. Under our Constitution, Members who have given valuable service to the Society may be approved as Honorary Life Members by Council. In exceptional circumstances nominees may be awarded a Rivis Vice-Presidency (RVPs). The Constitution allows for 5 RVPs. In addition to having honorary life membership, Rivis Vice-Presidents may attend all Council meetings, as observers, and may receive copies of the associated papers. We have 8 Honorary Life Members who were previously members of Bury Natural History Society when it closed a very long time ago. The current Rivis Vice-Presidents are: Colin Hawes: long-standing Officer and promoter of the Society; long-time White Admiral Editor and stag beetle enthusiast. Jeff Martin: long-standing Officer, County Mammal Recorder and author of many books and papers and barn owl enthusiast. Howard Mendel: again a long-standing officer in many posts, County Dragonfly Recorder, writer of many books and papers and beetle enthusiast. Council has agreed unanimously that David Walker, who has just retired as Editor of White Admiral, should be awarded a Rivis Vice Presidency. He has been an active member of Council and edited the newsletter since summer 2002 – that is 31 issues - and we have all enjoyed his astute and sometimes challenging editorials. This is a time-consuming task, particularly drumming up contributions, but the result is appreciated by members, who state that the publications are one of the main reasons for belonging to the society – and not just in Suffolk, all over the world there are members who tell us it is an important link with their home county. David has made it clear that this is not an end to his involvement in SNS and wishes to continue to contribute. Late RVPs have been: Geoff Heathcote – mycologist and editor of the transactions (SNH) 1979 – 1995 (with Martin Sanford till 2001). He contributed almost a paper a year from 1968 to 1993 and was also a long-standing Officer of the Society. Francis Simpson – nationally renowned botanist, County Recorder, author of Simpson’s Flora of Suffolk (1982), author of 52 papers for SNH and Officer of the Society. White Admiral 83 3 Enid M. Hyde – botanist, County Recorder, author of 30 papers for SNH, member 1964 – 2002, county recorder, proof reader of publications, Section editor SNH and Council member. Rob Warren – Bird Recorder, 1985 –1991. He covered the whole county single- handed and without a computer and perhaps more birds – today we have 3 Recorders and computers (and fewer birds?) – does this say something? Sam Beaufoy – Butterfly recorder, author of 24 papers for SNH as well as the schools supplement containing projects to inspire young naturalists and pioneer of life-cycle photography. A member from 1944 to 1999, he served for many years on Council holding several posts including Section Secretary for Entomology and Recorder for Butterflies & Moths. He had a major role on the committee led by Norman Kerr to co-ordinate publication of Simpson’s Flora and he was at the formative meeting of the SWT at Redgrave in 1960. Norman R. Kerr – botanist and geologist (SNH Section Editor for Geology). He joined SNS in 1948 and served on council. As Rural Studies organiser for SCC he was involved in educational activities of the Society producing the Schools Supplement in Transactions. He also helped set up the first Biological Records Centre in 1972 and arranged ‘substantial loans and donations’ for Francis Simpson’s Flora as well as leaving SNS £1000 in his will. I should of course mention Mrs Rivis, in whose memory these posts are awarded, along with the Rivis Bursary for botanical studies. She has been the Society’s major benefactor and the reason we have the funds to support our work. She left the Society property in Farnham, which was sold and we still retain a parcel of land with a substantial sum of money associated with it.