FINGRINGHOE WICK NATURE RESERVE
by G. A. Pyman
Fingringhoe Wick is the Essex Naturalists' Trust's "shop window" nature reserve, containing as it
does the Trust's headquarters and interpretative centre as well as a network of nature trails, all of
which is available to the public. No straying from the paths is allowed: indeed, the reserve's
topography is such that it would be difficult to do so. No collecting is permitted
Situated on the River Colne estuary some five miles south of Colchester and extending to 125
acres, Fingringhoe Wick was purchased by the Trust in 1961 after sand and gravel excavation had
ceased. It contains a number of habitats, the main ones being gorse and grass heathland, bramble and
gorse thickets, a small lake, freshwater ponds, reed-beds, salt-marsh, a small beach, and secondary
woodland of two kinds - scrub woodland of birch and sallow which has developed naturally following
the cessation of gravel winning, and a plantation containing a mixture of deciduous and coniferous
trees which were laid down by the Essex County Council in 1964.
Since 1961, 29 species of butterfly have been recorded on the reserve, which is quite an impressive
number for an Essex site these days. However, two were vagrants - a silver-washed fritillary
(Argynnis paphia) in 1977 and a high brown (A. adippe) or dark green (A. aglaja) fritillary (almost
certainly the former) in 1978. Another is the migrant clouded yellow (Colias croceus) which in 1983
became widespread and numerous in the County for the first time since 1947. Furthermore, two
former resident species have been lost to the reserve for a number of years: these are the grayling
(Eumenis semele) which was common until the late 1960s when its numbers fell rapidly to extinction
as part of its general decline in Essex; and the dingy skipper (Erynnis tages), a small colony of which
also survived until at least the late 1960s.
Among the remaining 24 species, the Essex skipper (Thymelicus lineola) is very common, the
green hairstreak(Callophrys rubi) is fairly common in some years, the purple hairstreak (Quercusia
quercus) is occasional, the common blue (Polyommatus icarus) is often abundant, the speckled wood
(Pararge aegeria) is a recent arrival and the ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) is scarce.
By the end of 1983, 260 species of the larger moths had been recorded. As only a limited amount of
night recording has as yet been undertaken in the more remote parts of the reserve and as recording in
the spring and late autumn is very incomplete, the total number of species should eventually exceed
300.
Two members of the eggar family are among the reserve's day-flyers - the fox moth (Macrothylacia
rubi) in the early summer and the oak eggar (Lasiocampa quercus) two months later. The Mother
Shipton (Callistege mi) is another moth which flies by day but it seems to have become more
scarce.
Not surprisingly, a significant number of estuarine moth species have been noted Pride of place
goes to the very local Mathew's wainscot (Mythimna favicolor) which was discovered as a new
British species in Essex and is quite common on the reserve. Others include the dog's tooth
(Lacanobia suasa), crescent striped (Apamea oblonga) and saltern ear (Amphipoea fucosa). Two
species with a very pronounced coastal orientation are the yellow belle (Aspitates ochrearia) and the
striking cream-spot tiger moth (Arctia villica) which is quite common and is occasionally seen
by day.
The ponds and depressions with their plentiful common reed, reed-mace and other aquatic plants
have been colonised by a number of interesting species including the very local striped wainscot
(Mythimna pudorina), the southern wainscot (M. straminea), the reed dagger (Simyra albovenosa)
in one of its few known Essex sites, the crescent (Celaena leucostigma) and the delicate dotted
fanfoot (Macrochilo cribrumalis).
The sallows in the wet areas have attracted the local small seraphim (Pterapherapteryx sexalata)
and the minor shoulder-knot (Brachylomia viminalis), and they probably also account for the
presence of the chevron (Eulithis testata) and the northern drab (Orthosia opima). The latter, which
flies in the spring, is a local species in the southern half of England and is as well represented at
Fingringhoe Wick as at any of its few other Essex sites.
Examples of woodland or hedgerow species that have colonised the reserve are the local plain wave
(Idaea straminata), the beautiful carpet (Mesoleuca albicillata), the spring-flying water carpet
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