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NEWSLETTER No. 4 - Winter 1980/81

WEST MIDLANDS BRANCH, BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION

What an extraordinary season! A mild winter was followed by an unusually dry Spring but June and July, in contrast were cold and wet, with August and September little better. This pattern of weather was closely reflected in the emergence dates of butterflies, with some of the Spring species emerging markedly early. Thus on 15th April both Orange Tip and Holly Blue were recorded in the Wyre Forest, and by early May Wood White, Dingy and Grizzled Skipper, Green Hairstreak and Pearl-bordered Fritillary had all been seen within the region. Interestingly, in Warwickshire, Grizzled Skippers outnumbered Dingy at some sites which was very unusual. New Warwickshire records for the Wood White and Green Hairstreak near the Oxfordshire border, and a new Small Pearl-bordered site discovered on the Malvern Hills seemed to augur well for the rest of the season.

The Winter hibernators emerged in perhaps surprisingly good numbers in view of the mild winter, and maybe we need to revise somewhat the accepted view that hard winters mean less predation and therefore better chances of survival. It was interesting to hear from the Warden at Kingsbury Water Park, Warwickshire, of two very early records for the Red Admiral - one on the 4th May and the other before the end of April - which would seem to point to over-wintering rather than immigration.

Taking the season as a whole, population figures were very variable, some species like the Gatekeeper, Green Hairstreak, Small Copper, Wall Brown, Meadow Brown and Common Blue having an excellent season, while other species were notably scarce. Meadow Browns were in super-abundance near Print Wood in Warwickshire with 3 or 4 insects disputing every bramble blossom. Roger Smith reports that he cannot recall such numbers, even in the now legendary year of 1976. Some of the region's rarer species, however, did less well. Emergence of the Marsh Fritillary at its Worcestershire station began on 29th May but was disappointingly small. Nevertheless, support breeding produced nearly 140 imagines from around 190 larvae so the situation has been safeguarded for yet another year. Pearl-bordered Fritillaries also did poorly, and Jack Green reports just a sprinkling at its known sites in Worcestershire. The Duke Of Burgundy was also scarcer than the previous year in its few remaining Gloucestershire haunts.

Perhaps the most extraordinary early record for a species was that of several Silver-washed Fritillaries at the Coombes Valley R.S.P.B. Reserve in Staffordshire on June 3rd. The Warden there reports that they appeared to be on migration and that he was able to catch one in order to confirm identification. The early date must surely rule out an emergence from the wild in Britain - the butterfly emerged pretty well on time this year in Worcestershire - and one is left with the possibility that they were either home-bred insects or true migrants from overseas - altogether very puzzling. Early emergence continued well into June with noticeably early dates for both the Large Skipper and the Meadow Brown, but as the month went by, and the bad weather continued, the pattern began to change. Thus High Brown Fritillaries and White Admirals were bang on schedule in Worcestershire on 27th June and 3rd July respectively and were both seen in fair numbers. Anxiety continues to mount, however, over Warwickshire's two remaining localities for the White Admiral. Roger Smith reports that although emergence was on time, in contrast to the last three years, numbers were probably at an all time low, and the future of this butterfly in the county seems very uncertain. The Purple Hairstreak was very late emerging, and numbers were well down in both Warwickshire and Worcestershire, although the butterfly was still in evidence in the latter county well into September. On the plus side, a new colony for this butterfly was discovered in Staffordshire, in the south of the county. The Chalkhill Blue was also late and in poor numbers, nearly three weeks later than 1979 in the Cotswolds. Most disappointing of all, and certainly the most depressing news of the whole Summer, was the apparent total loss of the new Worcestershire colony of this butterfly, discovered by member Bob Sim last year, due almost certainly, to the habitat destruction on the part of the local farmer. Disappointment also from Staffordshire, where Richard Warren was unable to confirm the reported sighting of the Large Heath from the previous year (see last Newsletter).

More encouraging were the reports of White Letter Hairstreaks from a number of places in west Worcestershire, where wych elm has survived in stream valleys, and also from Staffordshire where single examples were seen in two of its known localities in August. None, however, were recorded this year in Warwickshire despite searches. Marbled Whites and Dark Green Fritillaries seem to have had a better than average year, with good numbers being reported by the Hattons from their survey area in the Cotswolds. Dark Greens were again recorded at their known Warwickshire site near Southam on July 22nd but not from elsewhere in the county. This particular butterfly was still in evidence on Cleeve Common into September, and even more startling was the record of a Marbled White in prime condition on 3rd September near Charlton Abbots, Gloucestershire. Two new localities for the Marbled White were discovered in Warwickshire, near Pillerton Hersey and at Shrewley. The latter record, some distance from previous sightings may possibly suggest new sites for this butterfly away from its stronghold on the Lias clay in the east of the county.

Above all else, 1980 will be remembered as a Painted Lady year. Several sightings in May coupled with reports of large landfalls on the south coast were 3 portent of things to come. In August and September they were widely distributed throughout the region, and in good numbers. Several members have reported upwards of a dozen or more in certain localities. Particularly noteworthy is Jack Green's record of nine on a large patch of Sedum spectabile in a garden at Kemerton, Worcestershire on 7th September. In contrast, it seemed a poor year for that other well-known migrant, the Red Admiral. Although odd examples were seen here and there, I have had no reports of sightings in any number.

Once again there have been no sightings of the Brown Hairstreak in Warwickshire and unless the Branch's planned egg hunt (see Winter programme) turns up trumps, it would seem that this species must now be considered extinct in the county. Hope must rest, however, on the butterfly's well known elusiveness. Jack Green recounts a memorable encounter with a female Brown Hairstreak on 14th September this year - during the 1.25 hours it was kept under view, it flew for just 40 seconds, spending all its time crawling slowly amongst high blackthorn with only two brief descents to ground level.

The mild, sunny weather at the start of October came as a welcome respite and served to prolong the season. Bob Sim was able to provide an exceptionally late record for the Common Blue in Worcestershire on 12th October, and a Small Copper together with a Comma on 21st October. My own final record for the year, a Small Tortoiseshell, was seen by my wife in Bewdley on the 24th.

Thanks to Irene Hatton we can now complete our list of lepidoptera recorders (see last newsletter) covering the West Midlands region. The recorder for Gloucestershire, which of course covers most of the Cotswolds falling within the Branch's boundaries is Mr. Austin Richardson, Orchard Cottage, Box, Stroud, Gloucestershire.

A new Birmingham based organisation concerned with the ecology of waste sites in urban areas may be of interest to our Black Country members. Called Urban Wildlife, it has already sponsored a weekend conference over the summer and has also been active on the conservation front. A regular Newsletter has been started and membership is presently £4 per annum or £2.50 if you are a non-wage earner. Further details can be obtained from Urban Wildlife, c/o Birmingham Nature Centre, Pershore Road, Birmingham 15.

Last but not least, my rather rude comments about Kidderminster in the story about the Large Blue in the last newsletter have come home to roost in a rather unexpected way in that I have recently started a new job there and we are in the process of moving house. So just for the next issue please send your contributions c/o Terry Green, 58 North Street, Stoke, Coventry.

I would particularly like to thank Jack Green (Worcestershire), Bob Sim (Worcestershire), Irene Hatton (Gloucestershire), Roger Smith (Warwickshire) and Richard Warren (Staffordshire) for their written reports upon which much of this round-up of local news is based.

Mike Williams