Devon Branch www.devon-butterflies.org.uk Male (left) and female (helice form) Clouded Yellow at Torcross, 2nd September 2019 MICHAEL BROOKING Newsletter Issue Number 106 October 2019 Butterfly Devon Branch Conservation Newsletter The Newsletter of Butterfly The Editor may correct errors Conservation Devon Branch in, adjust, or shorten articles if published three times a year. necessary, for the sake of accu- racy, presentation and space available. Of- Copy dates: late December, late April, late ferings may occasionally be held over for a August for publication in February, June, later newsletter if space is short. and October in each year. The views expressed by contributors are not Send articles and images to the Editor necessarily those of the Editor or of Butterfly (contact details back of newsletter). Conservation either locally or nationally. Contents Devon BC Members’ Day and AGM Sat. 19th October 2019 Crediton 4 Winter conservation work and effects on 2019 season 5 Monica Hazell - a long-standing BC member 7 Aberrant female Silver-washed Fritillary in Devon David Jarvis 8 Silver-washed Fritillary egg laid on garden conifer (Roger Brothwood) 9 Small Blue in Torbay update Amanda Hunter 10 Colour variation in female Common Blue John Rickett 11 Long-tailed Blue sightings 12 Swallowtail sightings 12 Clouded Yellow and camouflage Pete Hurst 13 Butterfly flourishes at Marsland 13 White-letter Hairstreak in garden 13 Undercliffs field report 9th June 2019 Paul Butter 14 Tiverton Hospital Wildlife Garden field report 22nd June Jonathan Aylett 16 Ashclyst Forest field report 30th June 2019 Pete Hurst 17 Hyperparasitism in a moth David Turrell 17 Brown Argus in numbers at Orley Common (Michael Brooking) 18 Variation in Jersey Tiger Dave Holloway 18 Papillon Gin 19 Elephant Hawk moth foodplants 19 Conservation work days 2019 - 2020 20 Committee and contacts 23 2 Notice of a Conference:- Conservation in the South West Uplands: Challenges and Solutions Tuesday 26th November 2019 University of Exeter, Great Hall EX4 4PY 9.30 am start – 4.15 pm finish The day will open with a welcome from Julie Williams, CEO of Butterfly Conservation. The speakers are: Rob Yorke (rural commentator), Adrian Colston (University of Exeter), Matt Lobley (University of Exeter), Jenny Plackett (BC), Laurence Couldrick (West Country Rivers Trust), Simon Phelps (All The Moor Butterflies Project), Megan Lowe (All The Moor Butter- flies Project), Caroline Nicholson (Devon Recovery Learning Community), Will Dracup (Dartmoor farmer), Morag Angus (South West Water), Alison Kohler (Dartmoor National Park Authority), Naomi Oakley (Natural England) and Dan Hoare (BC). There is a charge. For more details use the following link:- https://butterfly-conservation.org/conservation-in-the-south-west-conference Devon BC thanks John Bell John Bell has recently retired from his role as Lit- tle Breach reserve officer since stepping in during 2016 when David Hinde suddenly died. Rick Til- lett has kindly agreed to take on the role. John has successfully maintained the necessary work at the reserve which is near to Culmstock and Hemyock in the Blackdowns and remains the most knowledgeable person in matters concern- ing it and its history. Hopefully he can continue to contribute his knowledge for the benefit of the reserve in the future. With help from Peter Beale, our Conservation Adviser, management now looks more secure since Peter enlisted contractor Stuart Britton for the winter power tool work. Looking at data for the reserve, John has com- mented recently that the general picture at Little Breach is one of slow butterfly species decline John at Little Breach in 2017 PETE HURST from 26/27 species 20 years ago to 20/21 at pre- sent. However, he notes that Little Breach is still an insect oasis in an increasing desert, with the neighbouring Common much less good for butterflies. Thank you, John, for all your hard work at Little Breach and we hope as a branch to build on all that has been achieved so far. 3 Devon BC Members’ Day and AGM 2019 Saturday 19th October in the Boniface Centre in the grounds of Crediton Parish Church The Parish Church is on the A377 main road which from Exeter is on the right not long after passing the turning for Tiverton (A3072) on the edge of the town centre and before the shops begin. Travelling from North Devon on A377, shortly after passing all the town centre shops, the entrance to the Parish Church is on the left The Boniface Centre is on the right as you go down the Parish Church drive - keep on to rear of church for parking. Programme:- 8.30 Doors open for committee members 9.30 Doors open for public 10.05 Chair’s introduction to day 10.10 Devon BC AGM including transect report from Jenny Evans 11.00 Coffee 11.30 Talk by Phil Sterling: “How can we make our urban grasslands buzz with wildlife?” 12.30 All The Moor Butterflies project update, Megan Lowe 1.00 Lunch 2.15 Talk by Andy Barker on Magdalen Hill Down Reserve, Hampshire 3.15 DVD by John Butter: “Woods for Wildlife” 3.40 Members’ Photo Presentation (Dave Turrell/Peter Beale) 4.00 Tea and cake 4.30 Close Lunches are available if pre-booked with Amy Walkden: [email protected] or 07787 135 409 preferably more than a week before so that she can let the caterers know our requirements in good time. The suggested donation for lunch is £10. Lunch usually consists of plated cold meat (there is also a vege- tarian choice of cheese and onion quiche and a vegan cheese wrap option) all with warm potatoes, salad and pasta followed by apple pie and cream or fruit salad. Lunches will not be available to order on the day, so book early to avoid disappointment. Also, unless stated at the time, lunches booked will be of the meat option if the vegetarian or vegan option is not mentioned. Principal speakers: Dr Phil Sterling was Dorset County Council Ecologist for many years. Since the 1990’s he has been involved in delivering some wildlife-rich roadside margins during landscaping for new roads. A specialist in micro moths, he was principal author alongside Mark Parsons of the 2012 Field 4 Guide to the Micro Moths of Great Britain and Ireland. Phil is currently employed by BC as Programme Manager for its Building Sites for Butterflies initiative which es- pecially focuses on urban landscapes. Dr Andy Barker has been an active volunteer with BC since 1985. As a trustee in BC he chairs the national Conservation Strategy Committee and has extensive experience in working with volunteers. In his talk he will show how Magdalen Hill Down has evolved to become the impressive BC wildlife reserve of today. Agenda for the AGM of the Devon Branch of Butterfly Conservation 1. Present. 2. Apologies. 3. Approval of the Minutes of the meeting of 27th October 2018. 4. Matters arising from those minutes. 5. Accounts and Treasurer’s report. 6. Moth report. 7. Committee members standing down on rotation and standing for re-election: 8. Chairman’s report. 9. Transect and WCBS co-ordinator’s report. 10. AOB. The Members’ Day is a good opportunity to find out more about what the branch is doing in Devon. Usually there is some literature available and often some exhibits to look at. It is an opportunity to meet members of the committee and other enthusiastic members. Our speakers are always well received and we are confident that you will have a good day out! Non-members are welcome too. There is no charge to attend but we do ask for a donation for the booked lunches. Winter conservation work 2018-2019 and effects on butterfly season in 2019 Ashclyst Forest near Exeter: One volunteers work day and 2 extra days from a BC funded contractor last winter have given a boost to management for butterflies, invertebrates and flora in the Forest. The National Trust have additionally undertaken major clearing work in a programme to connect scattered wildlife areas within the Forest with broad open corridors. A Pearl -bordered Fritillary (PBF) was seen in the Snaffle Park area where Devon BC 5 helped with coppicing, and more were seen nearby. The coppiced area has already revealed plentiful violets, the Fritillary’s larval foodplant. Chudleigh Knighton Heath: Our clearance work in the winter paid off with sightings of PBF in the 2 compartments our members worked in. With other work by Devon Wildlife Trust elsewhere at the Heath, I managed to find the presence of PBF in 6 compartments when just a few years ago I only found them in one. Miltor Mator near Kingskerswell: A well-attended work day last January gave the target butterfly, Grizzled Skipper more open habitat, and Kevin and Jacki Solman counted 12 Grizzled on 21st May, which is the most seen on one day for some years. Little Breach near Culmstock: The reserve continues to be a wildlife oasis in this area of the Blackdowns being especially good for grassland species. Devil’s-bit Scabious has gradually increased at the reserve and for 2 seasons now some Marsh Fritillary butterflies have been seen there. The Scabious is their larval foodplant. It is unclear how the butterflies found there way there, whether naturally or assisted. Lydford: In spite of extra work done at the reserve, there was a significant drop in adult Heath Fritillaries this year. Numbers of all butterfly species fluctu- ate constantly depending on many factors, and after so many years of high numbers of the butterfly it should not be surprising that a dip has occurred. Last summer’s drought and this June’s cold wet weather must have impacted.