This article is a short summary of the more significant invertebrate records of 2004, covering Minsmere, North Warren and Havergate Island.
A total of 354 species of macro moth were recorded in 2004. The undoubted highlight was the discovery of a male Catocala conjuncta in the reserve trap on September 14th. This is the first British record of this southern European species. The moth, which was trapped by the author and identified by Jeff Higgott, has been given the English name of Minsmere crimson underwing. It was part of a record influx of ‘red underwing’ species to Britain – nine dark crimson underwing Catocala sponsa and three rosy underwing Catocala electa were also recorded in 2004.
There were two other macro moth reserve firsts during the year – a marbled green Cryphia muralis on August 8th and a yarrow pug Eupithecia millefoliata on July 29th. Other notable species included a dotted footman Pelosia muscerda on July 29th (the third for Minsmere following two in 2003 which were the first recent Suffolk records) and a total of 17 white-mantled wainscot Archanara neurica trapped on two dates (July 26th and 30th).
Amongst the 217 species of micro moth, the rarest was the vagrant tortrix Cydia amplana trapped during a public moth and bat night on the reserve on 14th August, by the author and Jeff Higgott. This is the second Suffolk record following one at Languard three days earlier and is potentially the most northerly British record to date. A specimen of Cosmiotes consortella trapped in the reed bed on 26th August (M. Telfer and G. Lyons, genitalia det. J. Clifton) was new to Suffolk, and other noteworthy species included pRDB1 Ethmia bipunctella (two records: 26th and 29th July) and pRDB3 Nyctegretis lineana (one record on 10th July).
The reserve’s butterflies had mixed fortunes. It was a record year on the transect, walked since 1988, for small white Pieris rapae, purple hairstreak Quercusia quercus, brown argus Aricia argestis, white admiral Limenitis camilla, comma Polygonia c-album and speckled wood Pararge aegeria. Common blue Polyommatus icarus, however had its second worse year on record, no holly blues Celastrina argiolus were recorded and wall brown Lasiommata megera had a poor year. On the migrant front, painted ladies Cynthia cardui were recorded in lower numbers than in 2003 and there were records of clouded yellow Colias croceus on just four dates from August 11th – September 4th. The annual silver-studded blue Plebejus argus census produced a total of 3538 (2541 male and 997 female), a substantial increase on the 1508 recorded in 2003.
Norfolk hawker Aeshna isosceles must now surely be breeding at Minsmere – the species was recorded for the third year in the last four. The peak count was seven on June 22nd with regular records from June 9th until July 10th. Small red-eyed damselflies Erythromma viridulum appeared in the usual locations with the old car park pond producing a maximum of 9+ on July 15th.
It was yet another record year for this species at Minsmere with a total of 5046 larval pits recorded during the spring survey in May, surpassing the previous record of 3733 from autumn 2003. The only adult of the year was found at the old car park pond on August 3rd.
David Gibbs, who described the site as “mind boggling” and “one of the all-time best invertebrate sites I have ever surveyed”, carried out pitfall trapping on the Scrape. He has so far recorded 53 RDB or Nationally Scarce insects out of 382 species, an amazing proportion, including some possible firsts for Britain. We await the full results with interest!
Antlion pit totals were 1142 for the reserve and 1410 for Thorpeness and Sizewell cliffs.
Highlight amongst the odonata was the first reserve record of Norfolk hawker on July 8th (Dave Fairhurst), and 100+ emerald damselfly Lestes sponsa,also on this date. Another notable species the hairy dragonfly Brachytron pratense was found in record numbers including a spectacular 23 on the grazing marshes on June 9th. The peak count of small red-eyed damselfly was 233 on the west side of South Marsh on August 16th.
North Warren also runs a butterfly transect which is part of the national scheme overseen by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH); the transect has been running on the site since 1991.
It was a record year for small tortoishell Aglais urticae, comma Polygonia c-album, speckled wood Pararge aegeria, gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus and small skipper Thymelicus sylvestris. Both small tortoiseshell Aglais urticae and grayling Hipparchia semele continued their recoveries while brown argus Aricicia argestis. However, common blue Polyommatus icarus were in very short supply, and there were only two records of clouded yellow Colias croceus (August 6th and 11th). The silver-studded blue Plebejus argus colony on Aldringham walks peaked at 266 individuals (c.f. 317 in 2003).
A survey of the Red Data Book (RDB) and Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species Orthotylus rubidus (a salmon-pink plant bug associated with Salicornia on saline seepage) revealed good numbers in four of the lagoons on the reserve. Another important RDB species, the starlet sea anemone Nemastostella vectensis was also found to be widespread in three lagoons.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Rob Macklin and Dave Thurlow (North Warren), Karen Coates (HavergateIsland) and Jeff Higgott (for help with moth trapping and identification at Minsmere).
Robin Harvey,
Assistant Warden (Wetlands), Minsmere
© 2005 Suffolk Naturalists' Society
used by kind permision.