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NEWSLETTER No. 13 -  Summer 1985

WEST MIDLANDS BRANCH, BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION

 

Butterfly Round-Up

The fact that Winter never really  started until after Xmas meant a late bonanza for a number of species. Comment was made in the previous issue that Small Whites and Small Coppers lasted well into October, in fact my final record for both proved to be 16th. Even more surprising was the sighting of a Green-veined White near Droitwich, Worcs on 4th, which was my first ever October record. A number of other butterflies were also in evidence as the mild and sometimes sunny conditions continued. 14th October proved a noteworthy day for Margaret Vickery who, on a visit to Stockton NR, Warks, found 8 male and 6 female Brimstones. The same day Margaret saw a late Comma at Kenilworth Common, but the final record for this species came from Gareth Robinson at Hayhead Wood, Aldridge on 27th. Peacocks are normally one of the first butterflies to go into hibernation, and Harry Batchelor's record of three at Rugby on 10th November is exceptional. (The same day, Gareth saw another three Peacocks plus two Small Tortoiseshells in Bath, Avon). After a poor year, Red Admirals produced a last minute flourish. Paul Houghton had four feasting on rotting apples in his garden at Hallow, Worcs, also on 10th, and another was seen in Warks by David Brown on 21st November. Peter Newton-Lewis provided a rare December record for this species when he saw one on Bredon Hill, Worcs on 9th, but the final Red Admiral, and the clear winner in the branch's "last butterfly of the year" competition (sorry no prizes), was seen by Phillip Pain at Oakley Wood, Warks, on 21st December.

A number of additional White letter Hairstreak records confirm the impression of some recovery in this species over the past two years. Phillip Hopson was able to photograph them at Clent, while Jack Green telephoned with quite a long list of Worcs sightings. Glos colonies have been badly hit by Dutch Elm disease and there have been few recent records. It was encouraging, therefore, to learn of 1984 sightings at Climperswell, Stanway and near Edge Common. Roger Smith reported a flourishing colony at Bannam's Wood, Warks, where the adults were seen visiting Old Man's Beard next to a healthy eighty foot Wych Elm. The same day, an individual was found perched on a three foot Elm sucker at Great Alne Wood, while a female was seen laying at Hampton Wood NR. Eight other old sites, however, were checked without positive result. Jack Green had also recorded a Green Hairstreak on the Malverns on 28th July, in line with the report in the previous newsletter. A partial second brood, if that is what it is, at this site is becoming a regular occurrence.

Ron Hatton provided several interesting records for Glos, including a reliable sighting of Large Tortoiseshell in the Forest of Dean. One increasing problem with the ever growing number of butterfly farms, however, is the possibility of deliberate or accidental introduction. I was told last year of this species being released in Wyre Forest, where there is little Elm, but I didn't hear of any being sighted. Amongst the Silver-washed Fritillaries in the Forest of Dean, a number of the darker female form valezina were seen. This form is particularly prevalent in the New Forest and a few other southern localities, but it is unusual to hear of it in any West Midlands haunts. According to the new John Heath Atlas (see book review), it is more often recorded in years of abundance, but I have never seen it locally even in the best of years. Ron's final record concerned the Silver spotted Skipper which was reported again in low numbers at its Glos station by two separate recorders.

A letter from Richard Warren, the Staffs county recorder, returned to the subject of whether the few 1984 Clouded Yellows could have been progeny from the 1983 influx. Certainly entomological opinion appears to be against it, as it is considered that the larvae do not hibernate and require to feed through the Winter. One cannot help wondering, however, especially as it is only recently that opinion has swung round to accept the notion of Red Admirals overwintering. Obviously, given the irregularity of Clouded Yellow invasions, it is difficult to establish the truth one way or the other. Final word on the subject for the present rests with the BBCS Lincs branch who report in a recent newsletter that on the south Devon coast between Sidmouth and Beer the Clouded Yellow was the commonest butterfly last April.

Every Winter brings tales of butterfly habitat being destroyed. Phillip Hopson had the sad misfortune to see a local site in Wolverhampton, which held Common Blue and Large & Small Skipper, cleared to make way for yet another filling station. On the plus side, those branch members who are also members of WARNACT will have read of the purchase of Ryton Wood for £100,000. This is excellent news as it brings another good butterfly habitat under the control of the conservation movement. The wood has been seriously neglected in recent years and hopefully the branch will be able to help in future management work.

The status of the Brown Argus in Warks is still proving the subject of a good detective novel. In addition to the previously reported sighting at Ashlawn railway cutting, a specimen was handed in to Warwick Museum that had been taken at Charlecote gravel pits, on the face of it a highly unlikely spot to find a breeding colony. The possibility that the larva will feed on other plants of the geranium family apart from Rockrose and Common Storksbill does, of course, significantly widen the range of sites where this species might be found. One to look out for in Warks in 1985.

Another species which requires careful searching is the Wood White, which appears to be undergoing a dramatic decline in Warks. Very irregular in the county until 1975, the late seventies saw a significant expansion, with its arrival on a number of stretches of old railway line. Over the last few years, however, it has disappeared from a number of these, and in 1984 it was only recorded from one location. What is puzzling is that in some adjoining counties it is still doing reasonably well and, apparently still colonising new sites.

Further evidence of the dispersal of the White Admiral within the region was provided by the report of a singleton on Burton Dassett Hills, Warks, well away from woodland. This species is undergoing one of its periodic expansions of range, recolonising many of its old sites, where it has not been seen for many years. Dr. Ernie Pollard in a study of a previous boom in the forties was able to relate it to weather conditions, with rapid expansion taking place in years with above average June temperatures. An investigation of old White Admiral sites this July may prove rewarding.

A recent letter from Ron Thomas provided a number of interesting north Warks records. These included two sightings of Gatekeeper in Bentley Wood and at Coton; reports of Holly Blue from Woodlands Quarry, Hartshill and from Middleton Hall near Tamworth; Speckled Wood also at Coton and Hartshill Hayes Country Park; and finally two Purple Hairstreaks at Hams Hall. All species noticeably thin on the ground in the northern part of the county, and welcome additions to the branch records.

Spring so far has proved to be both cold and wet, but a mild 13 C on 1st February was sufficient to tempt the first Small Tortoiseshell out of hibernation at Ashlawn Cutting, Warks, where it was seen by Phil Parr. Four days later, Marsh Fritillary larvae were spotted in good numbers basking in the sunshine at their Worcs station. They proved poor weather forecasters, as within days the whole region was once more covered in snow. With the icy conditions gone, 24th February produced a spate of Tortoiseshell sightings from David Badham, Martyn Davies and Gareth Robinson, while Pete Salmon reported his first ever Brimstone from his Birmingham garden. Even more unusual was the February sighting of a Holly Blue (!) seen in Somerset by Nick Lear and the mysterious appearance of an Orange Tip in a house at Alfrick, Worcs. After this initial excitement, March proved very disappointing with generally low temperatures. A weather chart provided by Phil Parr showed a strong correlation between butterfly sightings and temperature, with only one record at below 12 C. Things did pick up, however, and over the Easter weekends David Brown at Charlecote recorded 7 species in his garden. Amongst the seven, and the biggest surprise of all, was a Painted Lady, not usually seen until well into May. Guy Meredith, the Glos recorder, was in Devon over the holiday and saw four, and one had also been reported from Gloucester itself. Branch member, Brian Mitchell from Atherstone was moved to verse (see this newsletter) after finding another in his garden. Could 1985 be a Painted Lady year?

Mike Williams.