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RECORDS NOTEBOOK Containing this month:
At five minutes to noon on 28th July 2005, I saw a White Admiral beside the northern path in Northfield Wood (023603). It was flying around bramble blossoms and marsh thistles before departing into the trees as the sun disappeared behind clouds. I understand from Rob Parker that the species may not have been noted there for some years. Returning a week later on 4th August, we saw no more White Admirals but Phil showed me a “small butterfly” on an angelica head (023604). It turned out to be a White-letter Hairstreak in rather frayed condition. I gather from Rob that this species has had quite a good season in 2005. I remember finding, as long ago as 1947, several specimens on thistle flowers in the no longer extant enclosed meadow at Northfield. Later in the afternoon of 4th August, we noted a female Clouded Yellow on the rarely uncut floral verge at Lindsey Tye (977463). By some coincidence it was almost in the same place as the male we saw in 2004. We could see no clover or lucerne in the vicinity but there was plenty of tufted vetch. Alasdair Aston
In a previous edition of White Admiral I reported my discovery of a female Miscophus bicolor from Maidscross Hill near Lakenheath in Suffolk. On 12th July 2005 I re-visited the site in the hope of discovering further specimens of this species, in order to help clarify its status in Britain. It would not be unique if its British status rested on the discovery of a single specimen. I am pleased to report that, with little difficulty, I managed to catch over a dozen males and several females from a number of localities across the site, suggesting that the wasp is at the very least well established (if a recent arrival) or even a long-overlooked native species. It will now be interesting to see if it can be found at any other localities in the area. Adrian Knowles, 12 Blackbrook Road, Great Horkesley, Colchester, CO6 4TL
Prompted by one or two specimens that I found in my garden I was on the look out to photograph these small pretty, metallically shiny, day flying moths characterised by their long antennae. Those of the male can be six times its body length but those of the female, although very long for a moth, are much shorter. The lower half of the antenna is black and the upper half white. There are of course several species of long horned moths but the one I found, Nemophora degeerella has the longest antennae. The forewings are golden yellow with a metallic sheen and a yellow cross stripe. During June 2005, I came across several swarms at Alton Water: one in particular had rested upon a bed of nettles. It included both male and female specimens, although the literature states that in swarms the males are predominant while the females tend to hide away. They are generally found in damp, deciduous woods often beside streams and ditches.
References Russell Edwards Holbrook WASP SPIDER IN LOTHINGLAND On Sunday 25th August 2005 I was with a group of fellow naturalists at Herringfleet Hills (TM469985) when we found a large female spider on a web in vegetation against a soil bank. The abdomen was striped black and yellow, the legs cream and black stripes. None of us had ever seen the like before. We took photographs to send to the spider recorders in both Suffolk and Norfolk to determine the species. On consulting my spider book back at home I soon identified it as a Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi, a spider found only on the south coast and very rare elsewhere. Once the photographs were distributed, the whole spider recorders network was buzzing. It seems that we had found one of fewer than ten of this species in Suffolk, and furthermore, the first record north of Minsmere! As soon as the elation died down the photograph was sent to the SNS webmaster who put it on the website for all to see. A few evenings later I returned to the Hills to find yet another female. This one had her egg sac, which was like a small medieval purse, below the web. We hope that a colony has been born here so that numbers will increase. In the August 2005 issue of British Wildlife (16(6): 438) Suffolk spider recorder Paul Lee provides an update on the northward expansion in the range of this spider. Click here for our page of photos of the Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichiReference Colin Jacobs Lowestoft
Inspired by sightings of this species by Neil Sherman and subsequent reference to the SNS website, I thought I might try my own luck at finding a wasp spider. In only a short time, I amazed myself by finding a male of the species on one of my regular walks in Rendlesham Forest. It was seen on 21st August amongst heather adjacent to a main path. I was not familiar with the male, having seen pictures only of the larger and more strikingly coloured female, but the tell-tale zigzag band of thickened silk (stabilimentum) was clear to see across the middle of the web. I knew this must be the spider I was looking for and I keenly took a picture. On returning for a further look on 25th August there was no sign of the spider or its web and I have not found another since. Thank you to Neil Sherman and Paul Lee for confirming the identification. Since most published accounts tend to illustrate the female, I thought SNS members might be interested to see the appearance of the male. Click here for our page of photos of the Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichiSteve Goddard
The beautiful yellow and black wasp spider Argiope bruennichi has arrived … on our meadow in Milden (TL9448846336) – and it was seriously exciting to find her! No mistaking this stripy fat female with her signature thick silk zigzag on her orb web, confidently hung between tall grasses and knapweeds on the uncut strip of hay meadow. I first saw her on 27th August 2005, when she put on a great display of very efficiently bundling up packets of meadow grasshoppers for a later meal. Within a second of the unfortunate grasshopper landing in her web, she had spun extremely thick and wide silk that she threw over and around the grasshopper several layers thick so that it couldn’t move at all. Then she injected her poison and retreated to the centre of the web to wait for the next grasshopper, which soon arrived. One week later she and her web had gone – taken by a bird perhaps? Michael Chinery (Spiders, 1993) discusses the zigzag bands of white silk in the wasp spider’s web known as ‘stabilimenta’. The bands usually form either a cross or a vertical stripe through the centre of the web. However, like my mature female’s, they are not always fully developed. Chinery suggests various theories for their use including strengthening devices (little evidence for this) or advertising devices to prevent birds from flying into them and lastly, moulting platforms for young spiders as they appear more likely to make fully developed stabilimenta than mature spiders. Click here for our page of photos of the Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichiReference Juliet Hawkins
Roger Northfield has found occupied antlion pits in the woods at Wells, Norfolk, grid reference TF 9045. Both first and final instar larvae were present (which is expected) and also an un-hatched cocoon. We anxiously await the hatching just to make absolutely sure it is Euroleon nostras and not another species. A return trip is planned to do some counting. This is an extremely surprising find as it is a long way from the single UK population, which is centred upon the Minsmere RSPB Reserve in Suffolk. Has the species spread, in which case has it leap-frogged or is it also at sites in between? Has it also spread south and west? Suffolk and Essex people take note! Or has someone put it down there? Immigration is unlikely. We have recorded occasional examples on the south coast but even when females lay eggs, colonies are not established, probably because of the absence of tall pine trees. It is eight years since I did the last major survey so things may have changed. If you can look for antlions between Wells and Minsmere (or anywhere else) please do so. The ground needs to be sandy and dry and in my opinion there need to be pine trees nearby (my research suggests that the adults feed and mate at the top of Scots Pine trees and without these they will not survive). Best places to look are the small ledges on the root plates of fallen trees, but also at the tops of sandy banks (including sand dunes) where there are small, level ledges beneath overhanging roots or vegetation or other sheltered places where the wind does not whip the sand level every five minutes. Rabbit-disturbed areas are a waste of time but look at the tops of slopes (under the overhang) if there are bits the rabbits can't reach. Take a kitchen sieve - sieve the sand gently to find larvae or to find faecal pellets passed by the newly emerged adult (these look a bit like stick insect eggs - keep and post to me for confirmation if you wish). Larvae should be returned and allowed to bury themselves afterwards. Roger will write up his finding for publication. In the meantime I would appreciate people keeping me informed if they do find any, and ideally please count the pits (only about one in three may be occupied). Colin Plant Organiser of the national Neuroptera recording scheme and editor of Neuro News, 14 West Road, Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM23 3QP (Michael Kirby has a paper, 'Antlions - habitat and history', in the forthcoming issue of ‘The Transactions of the Suffolk Naturalists' Society (2005) about antlions in the Sandlings).
Or, conversely how easy it can be to make the record! A recent incident made me think about this following information received from Adrian Knowles concerning a bee record that I had sent to him. I had first come across a swarming colony of small bees whilst bird watching at Levington Creek around mid-August. However, even though I make an effort to record most things that interest me, and that this find felt very interesting, owing to their constant activity my ever-ready digital camera was of no use on this occasion and I walked away. It was only on the evening of August 26th following the discovery of a Pacific golden plover there that I found myself in a position to take a picture when some of the bees were located roosting on a grass stem. I sent details with the picture to Adrian via email that enabled him to suggest the species identity. A specimen then confirmed this identification as Colletes halophilus, a nationally ‘notable/Na’ solitary bee and the first known record in the county since 1970. Now but for pure coincidence, this record may have been lost. I can’t remember when I last submitted a bee record and this situation so nearly repeated. Now I just wonder how many times we might find ourselves overlooking good recording opportunities. All it took was a specimen, a picture, and observation details - the Recorder did the rest! Thank you, Adrian. Footnote: This bee, a coastal species, is said to favour foraging for pollen from sea aster and is almost certainly much under-recorded. Nests are generally found in hard packed paths as in this instance. Steve Goddard
Whilst walking along Nacton foreshore on the Orwell estuary earlier this year I came across a large number of empty bivalve shells which looked rather like large cockles but many of them had distinctive brown striping on the exterior. These turned out to be the Chequered carpet shell, Tapes (=Venerupis) decussates (Plate 5), a species which is superficially similar in shape and size to the Manila clam (known as pallourdes on the continent, T. philippinarum). Like other bivalves, it tends to bury itself in sand, muddy gravel, or clay and is found on the lower shore and shallow sublittoral. The shell is broadly oval or square in shape and is cream, yellowish, or light brown in colour, often with darker markings. The sculpture of the shell consists of concentric grooves and bold radiating ridges. There are quite distinct criss-cross (decussate) markings present posteriorly. Information on the MarLIN website (www.marlin.ac.uk/species/Tapesdecussatus.htm) suggested that this species was mainly found off the southern and western coasts of Britain and around Ireland. I then looked up records using the National Biodiversity Network Gateway site (http://212.219.37.112/index_homepage/index.jsp), which was able to provide an interactive map. This showed that the species is spreading up the east coast of Britain and included records from Essex (TM22) made in 1997. Discussion with Bob Markham revealed that he too had noticed these shells at Nacton and had also found them at Stutton on the Stour estuary. Since then we have also seen more specimens from the Stour at Harkstead. The most recent Marine Nature Conservation Review report this area (Sector 6 Inlets in eastern England) was produced in 1996. Although many samples were taken in both the Stour and Orwell there is no record of this species from any of the Essex or Suffolk sites covered. It is therefore likely that the species has arrived here quite recently and I would be very interested to hear from other members who may have noticed this species either in other Suffolk sites or prior to 2005.
Martin Sanford, SBRC
On 2nd June 2005, David Nash and I were setting pitfall traps to collect beetles at the golf course when we passed a large specimen of chicken of the woods fungus (Laetiporus sulphureus) growing on an oak tree. David suggested we stop to look for beetles on it. He described a beetle Diaperis boleti, an RDB2 species that is about 7mm long, black with 4 orange blotches, as something to look out for, as it is associated with this fungus and also the birch polypore (Piptoporus betulinus). No sooner had he said this than I noticed a beetle matching this description crawling up the tree near to the fungus! Close examination showed it was the species described and we found a few more on the fungus itself. This was the first time the beetle had been recorded in Suffolk since it was found in Wolves Wood RSPB reserve, near Hadleigh on 15th July 2001 (Nash). At present this species seems to be undergoing a population expansion into East Anglia, possibly due to climate change. Previously it was thought to occur only in small relict populations. The beetle was recorded in Suffolk in the 1800s (from Morley’s 1899 Coleoptera) but then was unrecorded until the mid 1990s. Since then it has been found on some of the Sandlings heaths (Nash, 2002). Other beetles found on the fungus by David were Hallomenus binotatus (Melandryidae) (a few of these, which have national scarcity status ‘Notable B’ and are associated usually with ancient woodland and pasture woodland and which are well known on Laetiporus sulphureus) and Dacne rufifrons (Erotylidae) (many found, locally not uncommon).
References Addendum Neil Sherman Site Conservation Officer, Ipswich Golf Club |
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