To the exceptional number of early records can now be added two Small Tortoiseshell at Rob Macklin's Reserve on January 9th, one on the 10th and two Peacocks on the 12th. Andrew Googe, at Slough Hall, recorded three Small Tortoiseshells on the 10th and by 9th February had added Peacock and Brimstone. There were more February records of the other adult hibernators and other early records included a Green-veined White (Rob Macklin's Reserve) on 31st March, Orange Tip (the Fosters at Stonham Aspal) on 27th March and Holly Blue (Colin Bloomfield at Lindsey) on 22nd March.
This amazing start was sabotaged by subsequent weather, especially the peak month of July which was not so much rain as cloud and wind. R.H. Marchant summed up the feelings of many when he wrote of his Great Cornard garden: 'No records from the end of May to July 3rd'. Nevertheless some early species did well and the Green Hairstreak was undoubtedly the Butterfly of the Year - several new sightings in Ipswich, including close to the Butterfly Garden in Alexandra Park and an overall increase in tetrads of over a third compared to the early 1998 figure. Large counts included 150 plus by Nick Mason at Scotland Fen on 9th May and an incredible 345 at Bixley/Rishmere on 12th May. Many thanks to several small groups covering the site: also recorded were 369 Small Coppers. The Holly Blue, despite my pessimistic forecast, also had a good year - Rob Parker and myself, recording separately, amassed 49 new records.
Unfortunately damage by Forestry Enterprise to two Dingy Skipper sites along Chalk Lane in the King's Forest means that only one site is now intact, despite prior notification of these vulnerable sites by detailed maps, letters and site inspections. A management restoration plan has been agreed and already implemented, the two sites having previously attracted a wide range of species. Fortunately RAF Barnham appears to have a more successful policy towards sensitive sites and thanks to Rob Parker's work the new colony found in a far corner should be safe. Suffolk's rarest breeding butterfly will be the subject of another detailed survey in 1999, hopefully including Center Parc at Elveden, where a late record of the species was unearthed from moth records, thanks to Tony Prichard's diligence.
The national opinion from Nick Bowles was that double-brooded species tended to suffer from the weather in 1998. This certainly affected the Brown Argus but it was still recorded in 24 new tetrads. Rob Macklin's comment that the Ringlet 'would appear to be well suited to cool, damp conditions' was borne out by most records and Ron Hartley had his best season at Acton for Speckled Wood. This butterfly seems to be on the verge of a proper colonisation of the Ipswich area, at last: one from Chantry Park (June Summerfield, 23rd August) and five at the Ipswich Golf Course (Neil Sherman, 21st August). Silver-studded Blues were out early at Blackheath, Wenhaston on 24 June (Glenn Rae) and I recorded my highest ever total of 311 at Purdis Heath on 8 July. Unfortunately count totals were not received from Minsmere at the time of writing nor from the annual count at Martlesham. The White Admiral had an indifferent year but it was good to see new records from parts of Suffolk as far apart as Mildenhall Woods and the Beccles area. This is a species that not enough recorders seek out - only 15 out of 167 saw it in 1998. To balance this, several main recorders put in hard, sustained recording in areas difficult of access and not exactly full of butterflies. The result was that all tetrads have now been covered.
Gardens in some areas had plenty to report - Steve Goddard's garden, well within the Ipswich boundary, welcomed an Essex Skipper as the 23rd species and Rob Macklin at Snape recorded 24 for the year, and that without the Painted Lady. At St. Olaves Glynnis Crouch (formerly Jenner) reported counts of 20 and more for Comma, Painted Lady and Red Admiral. Migrants were seen in good numbers: 55 recorders included Painted Lady and the pick of the 27 recorded sites for Clouded Yellows was the six seen by the Johnsons at Orford on 4th September. A flurry of Swallowtail sightings in Ipswich during July and early August led to two definite identifications of caterpillars, one of which has pupated. Swallowtails were also recorded at Minsmere and North Warren, the Waveney Valley near Beccles and at Woodbridge, where one landed just a few feet away from veteran former County Recorder, Sam Beaufoy, out with daughter Anne. Even rarer were single records of Queen of Spain Fritillary at Minsmere on 23 July (Pete Etheridge and Dale Newton) and Camberwell Beauty on Butley Marshes (9th August, Reg Snooke).
To compensate for the poor summer the season was extended well into Autumn, heralded by a second brood Large Skipper at Baylham on 20 August (Paul Gilson and Steve Goddard). I recorded a very late Grayling at Tangham on 21st September, plus 286 Small Coppers, and John Dolman's annual late visit to the Spa Gardens at Felixstowe produced 20 plus Red Admiral and Painted Lady on 20 October with Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and a Hummingbird Hawk moth still present on 6th November. The latest so far is a Peacock at Trimley on 16th December (Stella and Roger Wolfe).
To summarise: the butterflies were there, admittedly often in reduced numbers, but you had to make some effort to find them. Two species, Meadow Brown and Purple Hairstreak, have now entered the plus category compared to the previous mid-80s survey, leaving just five under. Three of these, with determined, organised recording in the final year, could end up as plus species, i.e. - Gatekeeper, Small Heath and Wall Brown. Only Dingy Skipper and White-letter Hairstreak seem to be certain to end up with reduced records. Can I thank all recorders for their 1998 records but also ask for more planned recording in 1999. Everyone gets the map of under-recorded areas and it is particularly frustrating to get detailed records in and discover the recorder has covered several tetrads and recorded the same species as many others, yet completely ignored the one under-recorded area nearby.
All recorders who submitted lists of records will, as usual, receive 1999 forms. Finally, can I give early notice that the survey finishes on 30th November, which is the final date in 1999 for any Millennium Survey records.
Richard Stewart,
County Butterfly Recorder