“Whatever are all those dragonflies doing?”
My daughter’s little garden is only about ten metres by
twenty, but seen against the warm slanting sunshine, 
between high hedges, it
looked like the Battle of Britain. At least thirty large blue dragonflies were
weaving and swooping. A quick look out of the upstairs windows gave the
impression that neighbouring gardens were not affected. Was it some sort of
mating ceremony?
We went outside, and the “battle” carried on all around us, even colliding with us, and then we saw the cause. The path and the grass were crawling with black winged ants, about to take off for their great journey aloft. But they rarely got more than a metre above the ground before being picked off and consumed by the circling mob.
What struck me was that we never saw any of the dragonflies settle anywhere despite the fact that they could have landed on the path and scooped up dozens of the ants, without all that effort. It could be that “ground defences” (worker ants) make this too hazardous – or just that the excitement of the chase improves the flavour. I have never seen so many dragonflies in one small space.
As seen at 5.00pm on 5 th September 2003.
Wilfrid George, 43 Linden Road, Aldeburgh
(Editor’s note à propos the observation that the dragonflies did not land on the ground to scoop up the ants: they would find this task difficult or impossible. Their legs are highly adapted to catching prey in flight. In flight all the legs hang forwards. The front pair is held in front of the head forming a sort of basket which scoops up the prey. Stout, thorn-like bristles on the inner surfaces impale the food and spines mesh together to form the basket. This arrangement makes walking impossible. The head-thorax junction is very flexible which allows food to be passed easily to the mouthparts in flight. Nature (evolution) is an amazing designer!)
We held a fungus foray today (Sunday 12th October 2003) at Aldringham Walks, Thorpeness (TM 460600). The area is Suffolk sandling heath and mixed woodland. Twenty people attended. The results may be of interest to White Admiral readers.
Summary: a very poor year for fungi due to the dry conditions. However, a good number were recorded. Most abundant were fly agaric and brown roll rim.
Recorded species:
Agaricus campestris (Field Mushroom)
Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric)
Boletus piperatus (Peppery Boletus)
Erysiphe heraclei (Hogweed Mildew)
Exidia glandulosa (Witches Butter)
Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca (False Chanterelle)
Hypoxylon fragiforme
Laccaria laccata (Deceiver)
Lactarius turpis (Ugly Cap)
Macrolepiota excoriata
Macrolepiota procera (Parasol Mushroom)
Macrolepiota rhacodes (Shaggy Parasol)
Melanoleuca melaleuca
Microsphaera alphitoides (Oak Powdery Mildew)
Paxillus involutus (Brown Roll-Rim)
Peniophora incarnata
Peniophora lycii
Peniophora quercina
Phragmidium violaceum (Bramble Rust)
Piptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore)
Rhytisma acerinum (Tar Spot)
Russula ochroleuca (Common Yellow Russula)
Scloderma citrinum (Common Earth Ball)
Scloderma verrucosum (Earth Ball)
Taphrina betulina (Witches Broom)
Trametes versicolor (Many-zoned Polypore)
Colin A Jacobs
In our garden at Westerfield Road, Ipswich, we had a foretaste of what was to come when Azure damselflies began emerging from our small pond on 24th May. From then until 12th July we witnessed many more such transformations and the engrossing sight of up to eight pairs laying eggs.
After returning from holiday we were able to make garden records on seventy of the days between 6th July and 21st September, the day I am writing this. We recorded the Red Admiral on 58 days with a maximum of six on 30th August and the Painted Lady on 56 days, sometimes four or five chasing each other around the garden, with a maximum of 33 on 31st July. It is debatable whether these were migrants, home bred or a mixture of both.
The Hummingbird Hawk moth is usually seen once a year, but in 2003 we recorded fourteen visits between 11th June and 15th September. They were seen nectaring on Valerian and Verbena bonariensis, but most frequently on Buddleia. It was even seen flying during a rare shower of rain on 10th September. Compared with that, the six records for the migrant Silver Y were disappointing but we probably missed it after dark on the Buddleia. The garden also had first records for Small Skipper and Purple Hairstreak, bringing the total up to twenty-five species. This butterfly bonanza attracted nine visits from a hornet between 13th August and 7th September. It chased some butterflies though we noted only one detached wing. It was also observed on several days landing delicately on the pondweed to sip water.
Although many nectar sources were used, Buddleia was the main attractant. I am surprised when people comment that theirs has finished flowering in mid-July. By regular deadheading, the flowering period can be extended. We still have several flowers in late September. In 2003 deadheading was done on 24th July, 3rd, 4th August and finally on 9th September. The aim is to remove the dead flowers without cutting off adjacent new flowering shoots. This continuous flowering undoubtedly contributed to the number and variety of insects attracted to our garden during the very hot summer of 2003.
Richard Stewart
On 14th May 2002, I visited Landguard nature reserve. Whilst walking along the shingle beach near the point I noticed a variegated form of sea kale (see photo). The plant seemed healthy and disease-free, suggesting the pigmentation was not due to a pathological cause. It was the only plant in the vicinity exhibiting this form. Is variegation common in seal kale? It is the first time I have encountered a plant showing this characteristic.
Brian Fountain, 26 Weaver Close, Ipswich, IP1 5RB
On 19th October, I was walking on Dunwich Heath and came across a large number of male minotaur beetles, Typhaeus typhoeus, on a short stretch of sandy path about 30 yards in total. All of the beetles were male, all were half buried in the sand, all were upside-down and all were totally inert. I picked them out of the sand, dusted them down and righted them. They all walked off quite happily.
Does anyone know what they were doing: just playing dead perhaps? I would have thought that they could have righted themselves had they wished to?
Miss Nicola Mayo, Saxmundham, IP17 1BN
The Grey Dagger Moth Acronita psi is a widely distributed moth in Suffolk and is a common garden pest. I found five of the colourful larvae feeding on the leaves of a rose in the front garden of a bungalow in Blundeston. The rose bush was also host to the common leaf cutter bee Magachile centuncubris. Many clean-cut semi circular cuts were made on the leaves although during the observation I could not see the bee arrive or in action.
If this was not enough, the Robins Pincushion gall of the wasp Diplolepis rosae was found growing on one of the stems.
Colin A Jacobs
© 2003 Suffolk Naturalists' Society