Commathe No. 94 Spring 2016 Regional Magazine of West Midlands Butterfly Conservation Moths in Church Stretton: Community Project Wood White: Making a Stand butterflies and moths back to inging Brita Br in • www .west .uk midlands-butterflies.org Heritage Lottery Fund bid has been that John Tilt has taken on. a national scheme where volunteers Chairman’s Address successful and, as a result, Rhona One idea mooted at the walk a route twice a year on Goddard has been appointed as meeting was work with randomly selected one Project Officer. I am hoping that in children, which would One idea kilometre squares in addition to the work to secure the be an admirable way at the meeting open countryside. The population in the Wood White’s of generating interest. was work with information is fed into The Branch in focus children, which stronghold – south Shropshire and I know of one or two the national UKBMS would be an id we mention our Halesowen Wildlife Group north Herefordshire – we shall be examples of visits to admirable way of Annual Report. Our Dbook, “Butterflies of Mention should also be made of the given the go ahead to re-introduce schools and other generating thanks go to Nick the West Midlands” in £1,374 kindly allocated to us by the it in one or two other places. This is initiatives in Herefordshire interest Underhill-Day who the previous edition? For Halesowen Wildlife Group. It is the a butterfly that is still declining in and Worcestershire – is there has for several years Cover story those of you who have Committee’s intention that we spend it range and numbers in the UK but is anyone out there who might also undertaken to oversee this vital The cover photograph of a already ordered your in their area on urban schemes, one bucking the trend in our region. It be interested in taking this forward? coordinating work. To make life male Emperor Moth was copy, it should be such being purchase of seeds to would be great to see it return to easier for volunteers the scheme has Peter Seal New members taken by Roger Wasley , and coming through your establish wild flower banks. If you have previous haunts in Worcestershire. adopted a new online data entry letter box any time now. If you have not any other ideas for this money please We need to think about new system, and their newsletter gives you can read his article about already done so you can obtain it at let me know. Also look out for Butterfly Successful meeting members, how we attract them and some tips about finding volunteers. this springtime species on the price of £18.95 plus £4 plus Conservation’s project on Plants for Martyn Davies led a successful how we encourage them to But whatever you are doing to page 6. Can you find an postage and packing. Go online at Pollinators in the early summer. To meeting for Herefordshire members become involved in the activities help butterflies, first and foremost Emperor this spring? www.naturebureau.co.uk/bookshop. promote this at a local level Vicki Liu on February 4th, and, as a result, of the branch. Some Branches do enjoy them. Also do please Any money not spent on production will has arranged to have a stand at Bob Hall is taking on the County have a Membership Secretary to send in any casual records to Contributions be allocated to schemes for the benefit Trentham Gardens on Saturday June Butterfly Recorder role. Martyn has make sure new members receive Nigel Stone our branch recorder. of butterflies and moths in the West 18th and Mike Williams has set up a just published the first Herefordshire information and are made aware His contact details are listed under Please send articles and Midlands – a pledge we made to our similar feature at Webbs Garden Group Newsletter which all of events and activities. If you have Committee Members and Officers images to the editor at sponsors. I’d like to register a particular Centre near Droitwich (see Dates for Herefordshire members of the joined in the last year, please study and a recording form can be [email protected]. thank you from the Branch to Ian your Diary for more details). These branch should have received. This the Dates for your Diary pages. downloaded from the branch Photographs should be sent Duncan in his long suffering role as are two tremendous opportunities for is very encouraging as I believe And if you feel inspired send the website. I wish you an enjoyable separately rather than project leader, whom we bombarded promoting butterflies (and the book!). local groups are key to a more Editor a piece about your interests summer. embedded in a document, with last minute alterations. effective Branch. One task for me and what the Branch might best do and of as high a resolution Walks arising from the meeting is to for new members. Peter Seal, as possible. The opinions Production of The Comma You will see from the Dates for your arrange for County Leaders and Branch Chair expressed in this newsletter Turning to the production of The Diary on pages 29 to 31 that a number Recorders to access lists of Moving the AGM Comma , I’d like to highlight the of people have offered to lead walks on members in their area, and I am in The other development that needs are not necessarily those of significant contribution made by some of the 25 routes featured in the negotiation with the Supporter a mention is the fact the Branch has the West Midlands Branch Trish Connolly Morgan in book. Many thanks to those who Development Team at Head Office decided to move our AGM from or of Butterfly Conservation. designing the magazine. ...a number have arranged these walks. about this. Whatever arrangements springtime to November (Saturday I am sure you will all of people have I would like to highlight an we make need to have regard 19th November this year) in the BC West Midlands Butterflies agree that the layout is offered to lead urban event that is easily to confidentiality, and to the hope of avoiding diary clashes, and Moths Butterfly Conservation West Midlands very clear and readable, walks on some of accessible to residents of Data Protection Act. So whilst we and to enable the Treasurer to and having such a the 25 routes Birmingham and the Black want to find a means of better report our Income and Expenditure Company limited by guarantee, @WestMidlands_BC well-designed publication featured in the Country on Thursday June communication we have to make Account closer to the end of the registered in England (2206468) book... reflects the value the Branch 23rd at Portway Hill led by sure your personal information is previous financial year. Registered office: Manor Yard, Copy deadline places on the contributions Mike Poulton . protected. If anyone has concerns East Lulworth, Wareham, made by our volunteers and members. please do contact me. The good Coordinator needed Dorset BH20 5QP. The deadline for copy for Please direct any suggestions for how Wood White thing is that Bob’s involvement I mentioned recording developments Charity registered in the Autumn edition of The Comma may be improved further One or two updates from last time. helps build a network of local earlier and we now need a England & Wales (254937) The Comma is to the Editor, who is also always keen With reference to the “Making a recorders and keys in with the Coordinator for the Wider and inScotland (SCO39268) 30th September 2016. to receive more articles. Stand for the Wood White” project, the Branch Records Coordinator role Countryside Butterfly Survey. This is 2 the Comma Spring 2016 3 It’s all in Scarlet Tiger Black and Project Update Joy Stevens' latest White dispatch from the ongoing work at Roman Jenny Joy highlights a new Work party 4th March 2016 – from left to right: Road in Stourbridge Steve, Phil, Wendy, Joy, Jenny, Richard, Patrick, project for the Argent & Perry and Antony Sable moth ur focus for our latest work party was to dig up Oa further area of rank grass and extend the wild and the reasons by ave Green will be undertak - flower area seeded in 2015. Sounds great in theory, means of a notice Ding a survey and monitoring but in practice it all seemed rather daunting. board, but quite project on the striking Argent & However, with the aid of Perry and Antony , part of often the message Sable moth in the Meres and Dudley’s ranger team based at Leasowes, and their doesn’t seem to get Large Yellow Underwing Mosses Landscape Partnership industrial mower, plus a couple of extra volunteers, we through. Argent & larva (Joy Stevens) Scheme area, principally cover - managed to rough up an area of grass ready for Sable Moth ing parts of North Shropshire and sowing. Patrick even brought some wild flowers he Social media (Dave Green) East Cheshire, this summer. had been growing in pots which we planted. Achievements this year include seeding the traffic island Argent and Sable are heraldic by Stourbridge Crematorium with wild flowers, the terms that mean ‘silver and Community discovery of lots of Scarlet Tiger caterpillars munching black’. The white spear-shaped As this is my first project, it is proving to be a valuable their way through the Alkanet, and (thanks to my markings in the outer black band learning curve. From the outset I have been keen daughter, Jenny ), being introduced to, or rather give rise to this species’ scien - to present this not just as a wildlife project, but also as dragged into, the use of social media to expand our tific name ‘hastata’ from the Argent & an important community asset.