www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Sussex Kipper wrote:I would like to point out that I have better legs than Danielle Hulme

..but that's the face of a woman who's shown many a man a good time.. Let me have her number Neil..!!

Felix.

Hi Felix,
Join the queue..... she's only a second cousin!
Neil

Well done Neil & Co.

I am now a member of the Sussex Branch (country member in reality at my distance) and would have loved to have been able to attend. But I guess I'll see many of you much nearer to home when the BC Members' Day is held in Cambridge on 20th November.

Jack

Sussex Kipper wrote: It was time for Michael Blencowe. Those that have heard one of Michael’s talks know that he has a unique talent in getting the serious message of ‘conservation’ across, while at the same time reducing the audience to tears of laughter (we always have to mop the floor afterwards). Appended are a couple of slides from Michael’s talk (I would like to point out that I have better legs than Danielle Hulme)

Michael's presentation was as innovative and enjoyable as always, but I'm still getting some unsettling flashbacks.

Book me in again for next year .

Vince

Danielle Hulme? Neilella more likely.

Good PhotoShop effort there

Jack

Clouded Yellows And Ammonites

While spending a couple of days in Bournemouth with Hannah, it was inevitable that we'd have to take a walk along Southbourne undercliff, to see if there were still a few Clouded Yellows around. On a beautiful, warm Saturday afternoon (16th October) we saw a total of four (3m, 1f), including a three-way chase. Other butterflies included a dozen Small Whites, two Large Whites, a Small Copper - and two Red Admirals which came off the water, over the beach and straight up over the cliff!
As always there were plenty of Stonechats about, but we were rather more impressed by three Dartford Warblers which gave excellent views as they perched high up on the scrub.

On the previous afternoon we had taken the mini-ferry out to Mudeford Spit, where I found this impressive ammonite lying on the beach. I can recommend the moules frites in the resaurant here .

Work Party Season Kicks Off

On Sunday (17th October) I joined a mix of South Downs Joint Committee and BC Sussex volunteers to continue habitat management work for the Duke of Burgundy, on Norfolk Estate land near Arundel. A good deal of heavy scrub clearance and beech removal had already been achieved during the previous week, thanks to the very generous assistance of Head Forester Mark Aldridge and his team. The first image shows the recently cleared, lower part of a triangular area, separated from the upper strip (which was cleared in the winter of 2008/2009) by a retained scrub-line. A similar scrub-line runs down the hill, to form sheltered, warm compartments. Male Dukes will set up their territories against these linear features and females will find suitable Primulas on which to lay eggs both within and on the edge of these areas. The upper and lower compartments will each now be partially 'rough-mown', in an irregular mosaic pattern, every other year.
The second image shows a view upslope, and the narrow track which separates the up/down scrub-line from a maturing conifer block to the right. When this colony was discovered in the spring of 2008, the edge of this short track provided the last fragment of suitable habitat available to the butterfly, which was trapped on all sides by impenetrable woodland. The triangular area of scrub and beech was becoming so densely overgrown that it was difficult to find any food-plant at all. The situation looks vastly better today and is improving rapidly, with habitat corridors being opened up to both the North and South, connecting to other suitable areas - one of which was colonised by Dukes in the first spring following the initial cut through 60' tall conifers.
The last image shows Sunday's volunteers working along the woodland edge from where the first picture was taken. Here, the hazel understory is being removed to allow dappled sunlight through, and exposing a bank which will be planted with Primrose. Cowslip occurs in the more open, cleared areas, giving the butterfly the choice of both food-plants.
Sunday's local heroes were: Helena Lewis, Frances Court, Leonie Haines, Cris Savill, Allen Watts, Paul Day and Simon Mockford.

Boozy Book Launch

On Tuesday evening (19th October) I travelled up to London to attend Patrick Barkham's launch party for 'The Butterfly Isles'. By the time I arrived at the Crown Tavern on Clerkenwell Green, the place was buzzing with an eclectic mix of butterfly enthusiasts and journalists. A couple of young women were wearing butterfly masks, forcing them to drink through proboscis-like straws - a most welcome sight at the end of the flight season. It was a great evening, fuelled by Patrick's generous free bar and providing an opportunity to catch up with the likes of Gail Jeffcoate, Prof. Jeremy Thomas, Dr Martin Warren, Matthew Oates, Mike McCarthy (The Independent and author of the fabulous 'Say Goodbye to the Cuckoo') and, of course, Patrick himself. In the past I've spent a lot of time in London pubs, but this was the first time I've ever had the opportunity to talk about butterflies!

More Work For The Duke

On Wednesday (20th October) I attended another work party on Norfolk Estate land near Arundel. With so many hands at work it wasn't long before a once-dark-and-dingy narrow track was converted into a beautiful, wide and sunny ride. Some 'blocks' had already been cleared last winter, so by connecting them up we created a linear strip with sections of alternating age, in terms of regeneration. These will be managed in a rotational manner, to retain an uneven profile of low scrub. This should give the Primrose just sufficient in the way of protection from the sun, to provide Duke of Burgundy females with the correct conditions for egg-laying.
Wednesday's 'roll of honour' reads Diana Sadler, David Gibson, Nick Egerton, Mike Carter, Roger Townsend, James Tolson, Dick Cole, Ivan Standing, Ron McCann, Jake Wright, Simon Mockford, Martin Kalaher, Colin Knight, Roger Martin and Paul Day.

Neil name dropped:

....Mike McCarthy (The Independent and author of the fabulous 'Say Goodbye to the Cuckoo')....

I'm on the last chapter. Marvellous book but a sad story. Highly recommended.

Jack

That's fantastic work on the Norfolk Estate. I really wish that something like that could be done up here, but the landowners are determined to use every square inch for wheat or barley. I have been trying to create a little oasis on a couple of fields that are owned by the Council, but after various chunks of hedge were pulled up by the neighbouring farmer he then went in and sprayed the margins with weed killer. I can't even get the Council to phone him to ask why he did this. Now everyone involved in the project has completely lost heart.
At least it is good to know that there are successful projects elsewhere in the UK.

Emperor Prepares For Winter

Firstly, 'congratulations' to Pete on taking over the Chair for the Hants & IOW Branch - an excellent 'signing' for Butterfly Conservation. The Branch will also benefit from having Gary (Gruditch) on board too. Only a stinking cold prevented me from attending the coronation.

After raiding the medicine cabinet my 'man flu' was no longer life-threatening by Sunday (24th October), so I headed off to meet Matthew Oates and some of the Purple Emperor caterpillars he's studying. Some are still bright green and feeding - we watched one having a poo. Others are turning colour rapidly and will soon be taking a wander, to find a nice crevice in the bark, or a terminal or lateral bud, against which they'll spin a silk pad to keep them secure. The odd one had already bedded down for the winter, taking on a remarkable, mottled, dull greenish grey camouflage. The best count (including a couple of newbies) was 6 on a single sallow.
These fascinating little creatures were the highlight of the day, but it was a pleasure in itself just to be out in the woods in such beautiful autumn sunshine.

Death's-head Hawk-moth

A Butterfly Conservation press release on Friday (29th October) asked members of the public to report any 2010 sightings of the spectacular Death's-head Hawk-moth. The article can be read online at http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=2369 on the fabulous BirdGuides website (some great stuff on Waxwings here). My older brother Mark supplied some nice images of the adult moth that he and my nephew Tom raised from a caterpillar they found in France.
The nearest I've ever got to seeing this mythical beast in the UK, was when a friend walked into an Arundel pub a few years back, and described some 'giant caterpillars' he had found in his garden the previous week. I knew immediately that they were hawk-moths when he confirmed they had 'spikes', but I started to get excited when he described the base colour as yellow! Aware that he had a tiny, paved garden in the middle of the 'old town', I asked him if he had grown any potato plants - "yes, two.... how did you know?". Unfortunately he had taken them in and put them in a jar (with leaves), just at the time when the two full-grown cats were about to pupate. No happy ending I'm afraid (one shrivelled corpse was later discovered in the basement) - and I still give him a hard time about it today. Ouch!

First Project Completed

On Friday (5th November) I met another group of South Downs Joint Committee and Butterfly Conservation volunteers, to complete the first phase of our 2010/2011 work in woodland on the Norfolk Estate at Arundel. A large, 'new' area has now been cleared in readiness for the Duke of Burgundy.
Although butterflies have disappeared for the year, creating new habitat such as this fills me with optimism for next season, and makes the dark months ahead feel a little less daunting.

Brian Blaber, Steve Alberry, Simon Mockford, Martin Kalaher, Paul Day, Colin Knight and Roger Martin moved mountains of brash to leave the place looking perfect for the butterfly. We'll return later in the winter, to an adjacent area, but for now it's time to move on and improve another site.

Well done Neil & Co. The habitat looks superb.

PS Had you noticed that D of B pupa just beneath those bushes on the right?

Best Of 2010 (Part 1)

One of the (few) advantages of the longer evenings is that there's now time to sort out the piles of 2010 data for our BC Branch Recorder, and time to curate the best photographs taken during the season. The following images bring back a few very happy memories.
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Wood White
Purple Emperor
Duke of Burgundy
Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Green Hairstreak
Glanville Fritillary
Small Skipper
Black Hairstreak
Grizzled Skipper
Brown Hairstreak
Heath Fritillary
White-letter Hairstreak
Adonis Blue
Chalkhill Blue

Great photos Neil! Glad you were recognised in the awards. I look forward to part 2.

Thanks Ian,
I was delighted to get onto the podium, especially in a category where there were only ever two places available after Phil posted that Silver-studded Blue shot!
Neil

"Well done Neil & Co. The habitat looks superb"

Thanks Jack,
You're welcome to a tour if you make your usual trip South in the spring. Aside from increased numbers of Dukes, I'm expecting Pearl-bordered Fritillaries to show up here soon. To see the two species flying side-by-side would be fantastic - and a rare sight these days!
Neil

Sussex Kipper:

You're welcome to a tour if you make your usual trip South in the spring

And I will be able to do so with a clear conscience next year being now a paid up member of the Sussex Branch. And I don’t think you’d be giving any secrets away: can you confirm that the new area is close to where you showed me the Dukes last year?

One thing I always notice about you photos Neil: you have delightfully diffuse backgrounds, clearly an excellent recipe.

Jack