www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi,

I shall be in Suffolk for a weekend at the beginning of July, and plan to allow some time to look at the Silver Studded Blue colonies there. I have never been to the Suffolk coast before, and my time will be limited so if anyone can give me a couple of good six figure locations I would be very grateful indeed.

Many thanks,

Felix.

I've e-mailed you a Google Earth pushpin to the tiny, pocket-handkerchief remnant of Martlesham Heath, where I watched silver-studs throughout my childhood and where they still flew 10 years ago, at least (I haven't been back since). I'd love to know if they're still there, but if others give you better sites you might not want to bother navigating through the housing estates to find this patch.

Guy

Guy,

Many thanks indeed for the info - and the pushpin worked - I owe you a debt of gratitude. I shall gladly check out the Martlesham Heath site if I get the opportunity, I prefer in some ways to check out sites like this rather than gravitate to the well-trod honey pots...

On the subject of Suffolk I dug out a copy of 'The Butterflies of Suffolk' (Mendel & Piotrowski 1986); I didn't even realise I owned a copy! Anyway, on page 89 it contains a beautiful photograph of a Large Tortoiseshell, does this ring any bells..??

Felix.

Try Westleton Heath - met a local last year who said this was better than Mimsmere. Didn't get there myself tho'...
http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/get ... g=TM454695
Nick

Felix wrote: On the subject of Suffolk I dug out a copy of 'The Butterflies of Suffolk' (Mendel & Piotrowski 1986); I didn't even realise I owned a copy! Anyway, on page 89 it contains a beautiful photograph of a Large Tortoiseshell, does this ring any bells..??

Mendel and Piotrowski is well complemented by Richard Stewart's updated version, the Millennium Atlas of Suffolk Butterflies - worth getting a copy from a natural history bookshop while you're on the coast. All new photographs in this book, but I do get a mention in the text!

Guy

Cheers Nick! Thats' very helpful.

Felix.

Martlesham Heath is still a good site for silver-studded blue.

Steve

http://www.freewebs.com/stevebabbs/index.htm

And I would urge anyone into Suffolk wildlife to join the Suffolk natural history newsgroup:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/suffolk-nh/

Steve

Thanks for the S.S.Blue info Steve!

Felix.

No prob.s if time and weather allow (it's pouring down here today) I will try and have a look for them soon and will let you know if I have any success.

Cheers

Steve

http://www.freewebs.com/stevebabbs/index.htm

No sign this pm in cool overcast weather, will try asking around to see if they are around elsewhere in Suffolk

Steve

Thanks very much Steve,

They began to emerge just this week on the South Dorset Heathland, slightly later than usual really. I know that they're well underway at Silchester Common in North Hants (always an early site) and I assume that they're well and truly out on the Cornish dune sites - please correct me on this if any UKB members know to the contrary...

Felix.

Hi Felix,

1000+ reported on UK-leps at Perran Sands (north Cornwall) on June 19th by Roger Lane.

envy.....
Denise

Fantastic! Thanks Denise.

Felix.

I saw three today at Martlesham Heath.

Cheers

Steve

http://www.freewebs.com/stevebabbs/index.htm

At last I have seen the Silver - Studded Blue on Buxton Heath in Norfolk. There were about a dozen on the wing today which was a suprise as it was cloudy.
I have been waiting a year to see these as the Heath got too flooded to walk on last year.

Happy Angie

Hi Steve
Martlesham Heath - I was in the vicinity on Friday and didn't see a thing in 4 hours of walking and driving around the area. Obviously quite localised? All I found was Martlesham Heath Industrial Estate, Martlesham Heath Residential Area, pieces of woodlands, interspersed with arable and largely overgrown heath with very little heather that I could find. I asked a few locals and though helpful could not direct me to any areas where they knew of large areas of heather. Can you give more precise locations like grid ref? It was a long drive - but at least I know where NOT to look!
Nick

Hope this link works!

http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/get ... MARTLESHAM HEATH

Park at layby at TM 238 452 (Dobb's corner), walk south and east and check heather, it is a very small heath, with only patches of heather.

Steve

http://www.freewebs.com/stevebabbs/index.htm

Sun 29th also good at Kelling Heath, Norfolk. Plenty of SSBs on show

Steve Babbs wrote:Hope this link works!

http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/get ... MARTLESHAM HEATH

Park at layby at TM 238 452 (Dobb's corner), walk south and east and check heather, it is a very small heath, with only patches of heather.

Steve

http://www.freewebs.com/stevebabbs/index.htm

Thanks Steve
May get chance to visit in the next few weeks but time is always at a premium, it seems!
Nick