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MONMOUTHSHIRE MOTH & BUTTERFLY GROUP

NEWSLETTER No 31 December 2005.

A monthly newsletter coveringGwent and Monmouthshire Vice County 35

Editor: Martin Anthoney

Review of 2005 – Butterflies2005 will not leap out from the record books as one of the notable “butterfly years”. It started

well, with a warm late January / early February and both Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell reported flying on 1st February. Then, as happens so regularly these years, cold easterly winds set in and everything disappeared for several weeks. The first Orange-tip was not recorded until 28th March , Brimstone on 3rd April and Holly Blue on 19th April, though surprisingly all three were within a few days of last year’s first dates.

The one spring species which seems to have had a good year is Green Hairstreak. There have been more records this year, sometimes in good numbers, than for several recent years. Over twenty were reported on 3rd May at Mynydd Twyn-Glas above Cwmbran.

The weather picked up for the second half of May with a corresponding increase in butterflies. Dingy Skipper was seen for the first time on 12th May, Small Copper on 15th and Marsh Fritillary on 25th. 31st May brought the first immigrant Clouded Yellow, a very early date for Gwent , beating the previous earliest date by a fortnight. Though numbers were not high, it was recorded across the county this year, including Monmouth, Trellech, Clydach and Wyndcliff as well as the usual coastal sightings centred around Newport Wetlands Reserve where they lasted until 13th Oct. My

Green Hairstreak highlight of the year came on 7th June, sitting on a rock in the (Leyton Williams-Davies) sunshine at Clydach watching Clouded Yellow, Dingy Skipper,

Green Hairstreak, Common Blue, Green-veined White and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary all flying together.

In contrast to Clouded Yellow, another of our best-known immigrant species, Painted Lady, had its worst season for at least eight years. Only four individuals have been reported, the first on 12th July.Generally though, by mid July butterfly numbers had recovered well, as witnessed by the transect on Newport Wetlands Reserve where 1657 individuals were recorded on 21st July, including the first Ringlets for the site and 976 Gatekeepers. The latter species had a wonderful year with large numbers wherever you looked, even in areas where bushes were absent.

It was generally a poor season for the fritillaries. Marsh Fritillary was down in numbers at its only remaining VC35 station, Aberbargoed, and though two new sites were found for Small Pearl-bordered (first record 6th June) the Butterfly Conservation survey failed to find it at many of its historical sites. Later in the season there were few reports of Dark Green or Silver-washed Fritillary, though it was a relief, in view of the extensive felling which has occurred there, to find three of the latter species (and one White Admiral) still present at Slade Wood.

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The autumn seemed to be wet when warm and cold when bright so there was no late surge of butterflies. Peacock continued its poor year and Small Tortoiseshell numbers were little better. Red Admiral seemed to sustain its numbers best, with reports continuing to come in until mid November (last record 16th November). The final sighting for the year was two Small Tortoiseshell on 4th December on the coast. Red Admiral is probably different to the other two which definitely hibernate as adults. Although the marking of specimens has established in recent years that adult Red Admirals have survived the winter in southern Britain, it seems likely that they do not hibernate but simply continue until killed by cold and will thus only survive mild winters.

Martin Anthoney

Review of 2005 – MothsAs with the butterflies, 2005 would not rate as a memorable year for moths if we considered only

the flying adults. Until last week, it seemed the only 2005 addition to the County list of macro-moths would be the Cypress Pug caught in Newport in August. Then, during a visit to Magor Marsh with Dr Peter Kirby who has been doing an entomological survey of Gwent Wildlife Trust reserves, I found out that on 8th July Dr Kirby had seen Red-tipped Clearwings flying about an osier on Magor Marsh. The second new macro species of the year!

As in most years, Sam Bosanquet added several new micros to the County list: Coleophora coracipenella, Coleophora adspersella, Cosmiotes consortella, Depressaria ultimella, Dioryctria mutatella,Pammene rhediella, Synchopacma larseniella and Yponomeuta sedella, (Dingestow area) and Cameraria ohridella (Newport). Oncorcera semirubella was taken at Newport Wetlands Reserve by Kevin Dupé.

The year started off promisingly, with 14 macro-moth species reported by 11th Feb at an average of three weeks earlier than 2004 first dates, but then the cold spell set in and nothing further was forthcoming until 8th March, with only 39 macros clocked up by the end of April. From there on, most species had a poor year, the notable exceptions being Little Thorn and Red-necked Footman, both of which seemed to turn up everywhere, and Orange Footman, which continued the trend of recent years of expanding range and increasing numbers.

Five UKBAP Priority species were recorded in the county in 2005. Double Line continues to expand, with a new record adjacent to Newport Wetland Reserve. Buttoned Snout and White-line Snout were present again at their favoured haunts of Dingestow and Wyndcliff respectively. Drab Looper, having been found at Hendre and St Pierre’s Great Woods last year was still present this year, though disappointingly there was no sign of Argent and Sable which was also found at Hendre last year. Waved Carpet came to light at a new woodland locality in the east of the county: either this species is reticent in coming to light or it is widely spread at low density over the eastern woodlands – or both – since occasional individuals turn up at a range of sites not to be seen again!

Migrants have been reported in relatively low numbers. Two Humming-bird Hawks were seen at the very early date of April 24th and further reports came in intermittently until the autumn, but never more than one at a time. Other migrant macros reported were Vestal (31st Aug, 3rd Sept, 14th Sept), Scarce Bordered Straw (11th Sept, 28th Oct), Pearly Underwing (12th Oct), Gem (26th Oct) and White-speck (7th

Nov).The redeeming feature of 2005, and for which the year will be remembered, was the discovery in

April, for the first time in Britain, of the Silurian caterpillars in the wild. Still only known from the one area of north west Gwent, we need more life cycle information on this species to combat the threat of wind farms. An article on the discovery should appear in the next issue of Atropos magazine and follow-up larval searches are planned for 2006. Sadly, the gloss was taken off the discovery by the death in August of Neil Horton who first found the adult in Britain. Personally, I will also remember my first opportunity (24th July) to see dozens of Small Ranunculus larvae feeding on Prickly Lettuce at a derelict

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site in Newport. Sadly, searches for Scarce Hook-tip larvae in September were unsuccessful. Finally I will mention the Sycamore larva found in Chepstow, if only as an excuse to show the spectacular photograph.

Sycamore Larva(Shelley Cross)

Serendipitous Species (or mothing without trying……)As you all know, there are many ways to sample moths –such as various light traps, lures,

searching ivy and sallow blossom or beating for caterpillars, but one of my favourite techniques is chancing upon a moth or caterpillar whilst doing something completely different. The effort taken to find your specimen is absolutely nil and this makes the finding all the more satisfying.

I started serious mothing in 1996 (thanks to Martin White in Swansea). Years before, as a boy of about 8 or 9, I had undertaken ‘not very serious’ mothing. Looking through my Observer’s Book of Larger British Moths, I realise that I was finding moths without expending any effort even then. I have underlined Spurge Hawk Moth and written 1970, though I have absolutely no recollection of seeing one and I’m sure I just made that up. I have also underlined Elephant Hawk Moth and written 1974. This I can remember – I found some caterpillars feeding on rosebay willowherb on waste ground near my house and reared them to adults. It was this which really got me interested in moths.

Twenty two years later, in 1996, and with very little mothing in the meantime, I was working at Crymlyn Bog NNR, Swansea, clearing scrub. We had just had lunch and were walking back out onto the bog to cut down more trees, when I had to stop my companion from treading on a very large, very pink caterpillar that was walking along the path. I instantly recognised it as a Goat Moth caterpillar and picked it up. It bit me with its formidable jaws and I dropped it. I managed to get it into a container and took it home. It over-wintered in my shed and built a cocoon in the spring. In July it hatched out and Barry Stewart came to photograph it. We took it down to Crymlyn Bog to let it go. As I reached up to the branch of a willow near where I had found it, something fell to the ground and started fluttering madly. It was a very large female Goat Moth. The one I had hatched was a male, so this wasn’t just serendipitous for us, it was serendipitous for him as well.

About the same time, I came home one evening to find a Humming-bird Hawk Moth roosting on my front door. What an amazing chance, that of all the doors in my street, it chose mine to roost on. These were the first two records that I gave to the Glamorgan Moth Recording Group.

Caterpillars are often found wondering on paths and roads, particularly when they are about to pupate. I have rescued two Puss Moth caterpillars from the road whilst cycling home – one from the Newport Southern Distributor Road crawling in front of a lorry! I’ve lost count of the number of Lime Hawk Moth caterpillars I’ve rescued from roads.

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One of my jobs on Newport Wetlands Reserve every spring is to spray the giant hogweed with glycosphate. Whilst spraying it the first year I disturbed a Cream-spot Tiger that was roosting under the leaves. The next year I found a Cream-spot Tiger caterpillar whilst spraying and the third year I saw a Humming-bird Hawk Moth. This year I saw a …. grass snake!

Whilst putting sawdust down a sluice to stop leaks I noticed a moth struggling to climb out of the sawdust. It was a Twin-spot Wainscot. At the same sluice I have also found a dead Old Lady! Red Underwings can often be seen roosting in the daytime on the walls of houses and other buildings.

All you have to do to find moths without trying is keep your eyes peeled (OK - so you do have to try a little bit).

Kevin Dupé

Centre For Ecology and HydrologyAnyone interested in butterflies will know of the work of Jeremy Thomas and his team on the

Large Blue in the UK, as seen on television ('Life in the Undergrowth') recently. If Jeremy's patient fieldwork on sorting out those ants had come a year or two earlier we might not have lost the Large Blue from the UK in the first place. Thanks to him it is now doing well. His 2004 paper on extinctions in Science (vol 303 page1879) is one of the most frequently cited of any UK scientist for years. It draws on the UK's unique historical datasets. This is the best that the UK can do in science. His team is based at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Wareham, Dorset.

Sadly, and amazingly for a centre with such a high reputation, this unit is being closed down by the Natural Environment Research Council together with four other centres including Monks Wood, a famous name in Lepidoptera research and distribution mapping. Public consultations on the closures are invited before February on http://www.nerc.ac.uk/consult/ceh/, and members may wish to (forcefully) make their views on the closures known by visiting the website.

Recent Highlights8th July As mentioned in the review, we have just learned of Red-tipped Clearwings at Magor

Marsh, a new VC35 record (P. Kirby)

7th Nov White-speck to light at Risca(M. Anthoney)

9th Nov Red Admiral flying at Peterstone Gout

16th Nov 3 Red Admirals feeding on Castor oilflowers at Penallt (Ian Rabjohn)

4th Dec Small Tortoiseshell at Newport WetlandReserve (Mike and Jackie Pointon)

White-speck

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Next IssueThe next issue will be at the end of February 2006. Until then, season’s greetings and don’t forget

to write up and send in your 2005 records.

WebsitesA new website is being set up for Butterfly Conservation S. Wales branch. Available via the

national website, it can also be accessed using the domain nameHTTP/WWW.SOUTHWALES-BUTTERFLIES.ORG.UK

The SEWBReC local record centre website is also worth a visit. Some pages are devoted to groups eg the Glamorgan Moth Recording Group can be accessed via

WWW.SEWBREC.ORG.UK/GMRG.

Forthcoming EventsSat 7th Jan Glamorgan Moth Recording Group are holding an indoor meeting at the National

Museum, Cardiff between 10am-4pm (Augustus & John room). They have kindly offered to make it a joint event. Anyone requiring further details or wanting to attend, please contact Kevin Dupé (see below).

Sat 14th Oct A date for your diary. This will be the annual Butterfly Conservation day of talks etc.

MMBG – Contact Names and Addresses.Secretary: Kevin Dupé Chairman: Roger James

44 Gaer Park Lane 14 Summerhill AvenueNewport Newport

NP20 3NE NP19 8FP

Phone 01633 216599 Phone 01633 215627e-mail k.dupe@ccw.gov.uk e-mail smallranunculus@hotmail.com

Treasurer: Sheila Dupe18 Haisbro Avenue

NewportNP19 7HY

Phone 01633 256475

Newsletter Editor & Recorder for Recorder for Micro MothsButterflies & Macro Moths

Martin Anthoney Sam Bosanquet23 Malvern Close Dingestow Court

Risca MonmouthNewport Monmouthshire

NP11 6QY NP25 4DY

Phone 01633 612272 Phone 01646 690102e-mail Martin@Chemlep.Demon.co.uk e-mail s.bosanquet@ccw.gov.uk