BUTTERFLIES AT NORTH FAMBRIDGE 45
17th. The first Silver Y moths arrived at valerian flowers and by the 22nd
they were swarming at dusk. On the 30th the first specimen of the delightful
Humming-bird Hawk moth was feeding at valerian. These grand insects were
seen round our large valerian patch on twenty days but actually it has been a
poor year for them. The last one of the season was seen on 10 September.
We had to wait until 7 July for the first sight of surely our loveliest butterfly,
the White Admiral, when we saw a pair at a certain spot in a local wood where
I have never failed to see one or more in a season. On visiting other woods we
found White Admirals in greatly increased numbers and in one wood they
were abundant. I had the good fortune to see the all-brown variety, nigrina,
on two days but, unfortunately, could not photograph it although it passed
within a yard of me twice. On the 28th I saw the first Clouded Yellow flying
fast in a southerly direction.
On 29 July we made a special visit to a local Marbled White area and saw
seven in all. I think this day of July was probably the best butterfly day of the
year locally. We worked a large area and had the good fortune to see one
Large Tortoiseshell, many Silver-washed Fritillaries, countless Purple Hair-
streaks and Vanessa species, one Grayling, many Oak Eggar miles in flight
and, at night, Elephant Hawks at flowers.
On 1 August we journeyed to the Stour in north-east Essex to a famous
wood mentioned in the old butterfly books. This wonderful wood is perfectly
fitted out for Purple Emperors but, although we worked all the rides and
outskirts, none was seen. How they have been wiped out in such a large
impenetrable wood is a puzzle to me. White Admirals were abundant so
also were Purple Hairstreaks. I think 1951 was a record year for these two
species, I have never before seen them in such plenty. 18th. Scores of Red
Admirals and Peacocks on buddleia flowers. 19th. Although fine and warm,
a Peacock had already taken up winter quarters in the roof of one of our
sheds! On 30th my friend, Mr. Dewick, of Bradwell, had a Death's-head
Hawk moth larva brought to him.
8 September. One Clouded Yellow was in my lucerne field. On 11th I found
traces of five Death's-head larvae in a potato field ten miles distant, but all
had apparently just pupated so I missed the pleasure of seeing this grand
larva this year. 18th. Commas appeared in larger numbers in spite of there
only being solitary specimens earlier on.
On 3 October I watched a perfect Red Admiral on the entrance board of
my beehive. The bees made mild attacks on it but the butterfly merely opened
and shut its wings sharply to ward them off" and did not seem in the least put
out by their attentions. On the 6th I counted fourteen perfect Commas, six
Red Admirals and three Small Tortoiseshells in the space of five minutes
feeding on rotten plums in the orchard. These Commas should make a better
showing next year; they have been scarce here for two years now.
My stockman brought me a half-grown Privet Hawk moth larva on 7
November. Surely a remarkably late one! As the days were more like summer
and the night temperature over 50 degrees, it was really not surprising to see a
Peacock in flight on the 11th and 12th.
To wind up this report, I regard 1951 on the whole to have been a better
year for butterflies but a bad one for the migrants. White-letter Hairstreaks
are still absent from a seven mile radius although they are at Bradwell. No
Convolvulus Hawks were seen at tobacco flowers, which is the first blank year
for seven years. There were few Clouded Yellows and reduced numbers of
Humming-bird Hawk moths. Privet Hawks have become quite common
locally, but Elephant Hawks had a poor year. Heath Fritillaries, at the only
area where they occur, are in danger of extinction at the hands of man. Their
sluggish lazy flight makes them conspicuous and an easy prey for man or bird.
Outside our county I had the good fortune to see Purple Emperors in flight;
one enormous female at six feet range. I also saw and photographed in colour
Swallowtail butterflies in their natural surroundings. How I wish that these