NEWSLETTER No 103 July 2014.

Transcription

1 MONMOUTHSHIRE MOTH & BUTTERFLY GROUP NEWSLETTER No 103 July A monthly newsletter covering Gwent and Monmouthshire Vice County 35 Editor: Martin Anthoney Essex Skipper Butterfly The first confirmed Wales record for this butterfly was in 2000 at Caerwent in the south-east corner of Gwent. In the ensuing fourteen years, records have proliferated to include most of Gwent. This is partly due to the natural spread of the species, which matches a corresponding westwards spread in the English counties south of the Severn Estuary, but also reflects an increase in the number of recorders able to distinguish it from its close relative the Small Skipper. The butterfly is now also established just over the border in neighbouring Glamorgan. Distribution of Essex Skipper in Gwent by 2014 Essex Skipper (Rupert Perkins) Differences between Essex and Small Skippers are o In males, the length of the sex band (black line on forewings) is much shorter in the Essex Skipper than the Small Skipper, and more parallel to the veins o In the Small Skipper, on the underside of the forewings the orange grades to buff near the tip, whereas in the Essex Skipper the whole forewing underside is a uniform orange o The most reliable separating feature is that in Essex Skipper the underside of the antennae tips are black, whereas in Small Skipper they are brown. They cannot be distinguished by looking at the top side of the antennae tips: I receive many photos taken from above, looking down on the butterfly, asking if they are Essex Skippers, and it is impossible to tell. It is essential to view from underneath the butterfly. 1

2 It is interesting to note that nearly all the expansion of Essex Skipper has been concentrated in areas below 100m, with only two upland records: Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola) 2 1 SO Distribution of Essex Skipper with altitude White - below 100m Grey to 300m Dark grey - above 300m 9 8 ST Martin Anthoney In the following article, Kevin recounts his attempts to fill in some of the distribution gaps. Wentlooge Levels Newport To Cardiff By Cycle Having been alerted by Tara Okon at the beginning of July to the possibility of Essex Skippers at Uskmouth, I went to look and found that she was right. I subsequently found them over much of the Newport Wetlands Reserve. They were also present in large numbers on the Gaer Fort, western Newport, so I decided to see how far they had spread west of Newport by cycling to Cardiff along the Wentlooge Level. I searched in Duffryn for Essex Skipper, with no success, but found 120 Small Ranunculus larvae on prickly lettuce growing on both sides of the Cuckoo Bridge over the South Wales mainline railway. The work to raise the bridge in preparation for electrification of the line has created perfect habitat for prickly lettuce to grow: there were hundreds of plants. Just west of St Brides I caught a skipper which turned out to be a Small Skipper, but a bit further on I found another thirteen Small Ranunculus larvae in the car park for a petting-farm. I carried on to Peterstone, but there was less suitable habitat than I had imagined along the road-side, with some verges/reen banks flailed and many "commons" fly-grazed with very sad-looking horses and ponies. I pushed on to where I knew there was excellent habitat at Lamby Way Fishing Lake. I was impressed with the amount of flower rich grassland there, with lots of knapweed, tufted vetch, teasel and fleabane. I soon caught a skipper which I identified as Essex. All together I recorded eight Essex Skippers around the lake. There were also plenty of Common Blues, Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Six-spot Burnet moths and a couple of Shaded Broad-bars. With plenty of reedbed, ruderal scrub and grassland it could well be worth running a moth trap here. Having found Essex Skipper right on the Monmouthshire border with Glamorgan, I couldn't turn back without crossing the border (the River Rhymney) and trying to find it in Glamorgan. I followed the Wales Coast Path across and along the Rhymney and searched in the few patches of suitable-looking habitat, but 2

3 eventually gave up and turned back. Then, just before joining the road back through all the industrial estates and caravan parks that pass for the Cardiff end of the Gwent Levels, I noticed the massive central reservation on the dual carriageway. Once I had managed to reach it, I found four Essex Skippers. I have since discovered that Essex Skippers have been found at Hailey Park, Cardiff, for the last couple of years. On the way back I searched a couple more suitable-looking places and managed to find only one Essex Skipper, just east of Peterstone. I'm sure a walk along the Wales Coast Path (ie along the sea-wall) between Duffryn and Cardiff would fill in some more gaps in the Essex Skipper's distribution. Kevin Dupé Recent Highlights Continuing in the same vein as June, July was the eighth successive month with above average temperatures, plenty of sunny days and muggy nights, interspersed by a few showery days, with good numbers of both butterflies and moths. In addition to Double Line, Beautiful Snout, Elephant Hawk and Miller moths mentioned last month, notably abundant species have included Small Skipper butterfly, Beautiful Hook-tip and Common and Dingy Footman moths. Beautiful Hook-tip (Laspeyria flexula) (Ray Armstrong) 1 st July 68 Silurian moths to light in the VC35 section of Hatterrall Ridge. (Dave Grundy et al) Double Line at Blackwood. First of six during July. (Kevin Hewitt) Two Forester moths at Ebbw Vale Garden City. A new site for this UK Priority species. (Martin Anthoney) Round-winged Muslin Footman at Newport Wetlands Reserve 3

4 2 nd July Beautiful Snout, Confused, Double Line, Lilac Beauty, Red-necked Footman and Scallop Shell among 79 macro moth species to light at Ebbw Vale Garden City Brown-tail, Brown-veined Wainscot and Obscure Wainscot at Newport Wetlands Reserve Round-winged Muslin Footman at Newport Imperial Park Old Lady moth at Melbourne Way, Newport and another Old Lady at Llandogo (Mel Oxford) (Roger James) (Gail Reynolds) 3 rd July Brown-tail at St Brides. New to VC35 in 2010, this species is now firmly established on the coast around Newport. (Mel Oxford) Double Lobed to light at Newport Wetlands reserve Leopard Moth at Undy (Keith Jones) Least Carpet on a shop window at Chepstow. Only the second VC35 record, twenty three years later but intriguingly a mere two miles from the original record at Wyndcliff. (Nick Felstead) Least Carpet (Nick Felstead) 5 th July Bordered Sallow to light at Blackwood (Kevin Hewitt) Four-spotted Footman, Golden Plusia and another Bordered Sallow at Melbourne Way, Newport. (Roger James) Peacock Moth at Llandogo. First VC35 record for six years. Silver-washed Fritillary at Upper Redbrook. (Gail Reynolds) (Nick Felstead) 4

5 6 th July Immigrant Vestal to light at Pentrepiod, Pontypool. (Rupert Perkins) Essex Skipper at a new site in Monmouth. (Roger Ruston) 7 th July Double Kidney at Newport Wetlands Reserve Scarce Silver Y at Rassau (Rodney Morris) 8 th July Dark Spectacle at Blackwood (Kevin Hewitt) 9 th July White Satin moth at Melbourne way, Newport (Roger James) At least four Silver-washed Fritillary flying in Hendre Wood. (Nick Felstead) White Admiral at Ravensnest Wood, Angidy Valley, and another at Chepstow Park Wood. (Martin Anthoney) 10 th July Cloaked Carpet at Beacon Hill, Trellech. Further specimens on 11 th and 15 th. (Ray Armstrong) Cloaked Carpet (Ray Armstrong) Four Dark Green Fritillary and a Silver-washed Fritillary at Blackrock Quarry, Clydach, and three Dark Green at the nearby Llanelly Quarry. Also Marbled White common on both sites. (Martin Anthoney) Crescent moth at St Brides. Lunar-spotted Pinion at Newport Wetlands Reserve (Diana Westmoreland and John Morgan) White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary and Purple Hairstreak at Ravensnest Wood, Angidy Valley. (Bill Jones) 5

6 11 th July Welsh Wave at Beacon Hill, Trellech (Ray Armstrong) Essex Skipper at a new site at Portskewett and five at a known Cwmbran site together with Marbled White at both sites. Silver-washed Fritillary at Pentrepiod, Pontypool. (Nick Felstead) (Rupert Perkins) (Rupert Perkins) 12 th July Essex Skipper at another new Monmouth site (Two Rivers Meadow). (Bob Roome) 13 th July Beautiful Snout at Newport Wetlands reserve Lunar-spotted Pinion and Oak Nycteoline at Melbourne Way, Newport (Roger James) White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary at Slade Wood. 14 th July Scallop Shell to light at Rogerstone (Arthur Pitcher) Several Essex Skipper and Marbled White at a new site at Catsash, east Newport.(Nick Felstead) 15 th July Confused moth to light at Whistle Inn, Blaenavon Striped Wainscot at Goldcliff Pill Eighteen Dark Green Fritillary still flying at Blaenserchan. Also Grayling. 16 th July Ten each of Grayling and Marbled White, and a late Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, flying at Balance Meadows, Varteg. (Steve Williams) 17 th July Double Line at Cwmynyscoy Quarry. Twin-spotted Wainscot at St Brides. (Mel Oxford) 18 th July Southern Wainscot and Dog s Tooth to light at St Brides. (Mel Oxford) 20 th July Double Line at Rassau (Rodney Morris) 21 st July Satellite moth and a remarkable count of 109 Common Footman to light at Penallt. (Stephanie Tyler) Double Line at Ebbw Vale Garden City Four-spotted Footman and Vestal at Newport Wetlands Reserve. Both immigrants? Ten Essex Skipper recorded at Newport Wetlands reserve and thirty two at Gaer Fort Newport. Humming-bird Hawk moth at Penallt (Ian Rabjohns) 6

7 22 nd July Double Line, Narrow-winged Pug at Penllwyn Grasslands. This gives a total of 27 Double Line individuals recorded in Gwent this year, by some distance the highest ever total (see article in last month s issue newsletter 102). Another Vestal at Melbourne Way Newport. Purple Hairstreak at Hendre Lake Park, Cardiff. (Roger James) (Rupert Perkins) 23 rd July Adult Small Ranunculus to light at Undy (Keith Jones) Dark Green Fritillary and Essex Skipper at Llandegfedd Reservoir. Also, three Essex Skipper at Llantarnam Industrial Estate. (Steve Williams) Silver-washed Fritillary at Old Coal Pit near Coed-y-cerrig NNR. The furthest north this butterfly has been recorded in our county. (George Tordoff) 24 th July Dusky Sallow, Twin-spotted Wainscot to light at Newport Wetlands Reserve. Small Ranunculus larvae at Lliswery (14), Newport Harlequin Roundabout (1) and A4042 central reservation Cardiff (4) At least ten Essex Skipper identified at the old Tredegar Park golf course, Newport. Another new site. At least three Painted Lady recorded at Newport Wetlands Reserve. 25 th July Maiden s Blush to light at Undy (Keith Jones) Small Ranunculus larvae at Cuckoo Bridge, Duffryn (120) and Walnut Tree Farm (13). 26 th July Two Essex Skipper at Cwm y nant, Ochrwyth (Richard Clarke) 27 th July Chocolate Tip, Maiden s Blush, Small Wainscot at Melbourne Way, Newport. (Roger James) Devon Carpet, Plain Wave at Cwm Big, Aberbeeg Small Purple-barred moth to light at Risca. (Martin Anthoney) 28 th July Clouded Yellow at Goldcliff lagoons, Newport Wetlands Reserve. and also at Allt-yr-yn Newport, together with Painted Lady (Gareth Tonks) Sharp-angled Peacock moth, Southern Wainscot to light at Newport Wetlands Reserve. Small Ranunculus larvae at Newport Old Town Dock (36) and Riverside Park (4). Double Lobed to light at Magor Marsh 7

8 Clouded Yellow butterfly (Gareth Tonks) 29 th July Gold Spangle at Sirhowy Hill Woodland, Ebbw Vale. (Martin Anthoney and Roger James ) Clouded Yellow still at Goldcliff plus Painted Lady at Saltmarsh Lane, Newport. (Rupert Perkins) 30 th July Grayling at Graig Wen Woodland (Mynydd Maen). (Martin Anthoney) 31 st July Dark Spectacle at Risca. A new site record (Martin Anthoney) First Red Underwing of the season at Abergavenny (Mike Hoult and Val Deisler) National Moth Night 2014 In keeping with the best traditions of National Moth Night, a hot dry spell of weather turned to heavy rain just in time for National Moth Night! Our planned visit to MoD Caerwent on 4 th July had to be cancelled because of the rain. Fortunately, the rain cleared in time for our visit to Llantarnam Abbey grounds on 5 th July. A cooler evening produced thirty species of macro moth: Blue-bordered Carpet Dingy Footman Poplar Hawk Swallow-tail Bright-line Brown-eye Drinker Purple Clay Tawny-barred Angle Brimstone Moth Fan-foot Riband Wave Triple-spotted Clay Buff Arches Flame Single-dotted Wave Uncertain Buff Footman Heart and Dart Small Fan-foot Willow Beauty Clouded Silver July Highflyer Small Fan-footed Wave Yellow-tail Common Emerald Large Yellow Underwing Smoky Wainscot Dark Arches Mottled Beauty Snout There is still time for people to submit their own records to the NMN website. 8

9 Dates for your Diary 2014 Friday 5 th September Saturday 18 th October Moth light trapping at Castle Meadows, Abergavenny SO Meet at the Byfield Lane Car park entrance at 8pm. For further details contact Martin Anthoney. Butterfly Conservation (S. Wales Branch) Members Day and AGM. at Kenfig. MMBG Contact Names and Addresses. Secretary: Kevin Dupé Chairman: Roger James 44 Gaer Park Lane 44 Melbourne Way Newport Newport NP20 3NE NP20 3RF Phone Phone the.dupes@virginmedia.com Treasurer: Sheila Dupé 18 Haisbro Avenue Newport NP19 7HY Phone smallranunculus@btinternet.com or in case of problems julia.james@btinternet.com Newsletter Editor & Recorder for Recorder for Micro Moths Butterflies & Macro Moths Sam Bosanquet Martin Anthoney c\o Dingestow Court 23 Malvern Close Monmouth Risca Monmouthshire Newport NP25 4DY NP11 6QY Phone sambbryo@aol.com martin@chemlep.demon.co.uk 9