Subject: C. cardui invasion

From: "Mark J. Dixon" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 8 Jun 1996 09:53:43 +0000

Dear All,

I received a letter from Mike Mullis (he lives near Battle in the South of
England,  and makes his living from growing Wild Flower plants at a 5 acre
site in Herstmonceux) this morning and have transcribed it here as I think
the bug reports and in particluar the migrant reports will be of interest to
all.

Regards,
Mark.

BUG REPORTS:  At the Herstmonceux (pronounced Hurst-mon-soo) site (a haven
for quite a mixed bag of wildlife),  the following have all been seen this
week (w/e 2nd June 1996):  Peacock [Inachis io] (several),  Small
Tortoiseshell [Aglais urticae] (only one or two - very surprising after the
large number this time last year),  Red Admiral [Vanessa atalanta] (one),
Painted Lady [Cynthia cardui] (several,  but see below),  Common Blue
[Polyommatus icarus] (several),  Holly Blue [Celastrina argiols] (several),
Small Copper [Lycaena phlaeas] (several),  Wall Brown [Lasiommata megera]
(several),  Small Heath [Coenonympha pamphilus] (two),  Green-veined White
[Pieris napi] (several),  Orange Tip [Anthocharis cardamines] (several),
Small White [Pieris rapae] (one),  Brimstone [Gonepteryx rhamni] (two),
Brown Argus [Aricia agestis] (one fresh male - although previously unknown
here as its normally on the Downs near Eastbourne 10 miles away!).

MIGRANT REPORT:  On a fine cool,  breezy evening on 31st May,  a friend and
I cycled down on to the Pevensey Levels,  just half a mile from my site at
Herstmonceux.  We took the normal bridleway route across the 'levels',  a
very bumpy, sun and wind-baked mud track which runs alongside one of the
many water filled drainage ditches which criss-cross the levels.  Besides a
barley field,  we startled no fewer than 20 or so Painted Lady which flew up
>from  the ground every 2 or 3 meters over a 50m length of the bridleway.  The
track here is very dry and dusty but still manages to support the odd clump
of grass and plenty of young thistles.

The following day,  we returned to the bridleway around midday and counted
some 10-12 butterflies,  all much more than the previous evening's
sightings.  I'd noticed three or four well-travelled specimens around the
meadow at the Herstmonceux site earlier that morning.

On Sunday morning (2nd June),  I took two of my kids on a 'bugging hike'
into Darwell Wood,  7 or 8 miles NE of Herstmonceux (details below).  We saw
atleast 10 or so Painted Ladys around various parts of the wood,  one even
feeding on Bluebell early on in the day.  By 4pm,  we'd returned to the site
near Herstmonceux whereby 3 or 4 more Painted Lady specimens were soon seen.
Out of curiousity,  just after 5 pm, we cycled back down to the bridleway
across the Pevensey Levels we'd visited on the previous tow days and counted
another 13-14 adults (and quite a few ova as well).  The Pevensey Levels
have always been a good haunt for Painted Lady but I don't remember seeing
them in such numbers at this time of the year before.

DARWELL WOOD,  EAST SUSSEX:

On a still but brightish Sunday morning (2/6/96) my two kids and I hiked
around Darwel Wood to see what was out and about,  bug-wise.  The following
species were all seen at various parts of the wood:

Painted Lady (5+)
Speckled Wood [Parage aegeria] (10+)
Wall Brown (1)
Green-veined White (5+)
Orange Tip (3)
Grizzled Skipper [Pyrgus malvae] (10+)
Dingy Skipper [Erynnis tages] (1)
Green Hairstreak [Callophrys rubi] (1)
Red Admiral (1)
Peacock (1)
Common Blue (3)
Small Copper (3)
Brimstone (5)
Pearl-bordered Fritillary [Boloria euphrosyne](1)
Small Heath (5+)

Despite the variety,  there were a few suprising ommisions as well.  Comma
Polygonia c-album],  Small Tortoiseshell,  Small Heath,  Small and Large
White [Pieris brassicae],  and Holly Blue are normally quite common there at
this time of the year.  Later in the summer,  Darwell is also a stronghold
for the Ringlet [Aphantopus hperantus],  Gatekeeper [Pyronia tithonus],
Meadow Brown [Maniola jurtina],  Silver-wash Fritillary [Argynnis paphia],
White Admiral [Ladoga camilla] and Purple Hairstreak [Quercusia quercus].
Occasional sightings also come in of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary
[Boloria selene].

BUG REPORT - PAINTED LADY INVASION! (Friday 7th June)

Since I wrote the above,  I visited Martin Down, Hants/Wilts border on
Wednesday 5th June.  On a hot and sunny day we saw the following:

Green-veined White (10+)
Peacock (2)
Small Tortoiseshell (3)
Common Blue (10+)
Small Copper (4)
Small Heath (10+)
Orange Tip (loads!)
Painted Lady (10+)
Gizzled Skipper (loads!)
Adonis Blue [Lysandra bellargus] (4)
Brown Argus (Loads!)
Speckled Wood (2 - both on open downland!)
Brimstone (loads!)
Red Admiral (4)
Dingy Skiper (loads!)
Small Blue [Cupido minimus] (5+)
Green Hairstreak (4)

On Friday 7th June,  Mark Dixon called en route from France/Belgium back to
Cheshire.  We went out to my Herstmonceux site briefly on another hot sunny
morning.  I was amazed to find Painted Lady butterflies there in abundance.
They were feeding mostly on Meadow Buttercup ond Ox-eye Daisies.  Probably a
couple of buterfiles every 2 sq.m. and many others flying rapidly to and
fro.  Mark only had time for a brief visit so after he left I attempted to
count the butterflies.  I reached 45 Painted Ladies but gave up as quite a
few were in flight and may have been counted twice.  They were feeding
pretty ravenously in the heat and seemed to be everywhere around the bottom
end of the sloping,  west facing meadow (but also up the top,  more level
end of the meadow as well).

Many others came across the sie without stopping and it would be no
exaggeration to say there were easily 50+ in the 5 acre area and possibly
more than 100.  Both on the drive to the site this morning and on the way
back to Battle early this afternoon,  I counted another 15-20 flying across
the road over the 10 mile distance.  I saw another 5-10 on the ege of Battle
town centre while collecting the kids from school.  About an hour after Mark
left the site,  I also saw a rapidly moving Clouded Yellow [Colias croceus]
(a large male) and possibly the same one was seen a few minutes later
feeding on a Meadow Butercup.  I also saw 2-3 Red Admirals just in front of
the barn at Herstmonceux.

The general migration movement was SSW to NNE,  but there was also a W to E
and S to N movement.  I suspect that this current invasion is quite
widespread,  and probably from Kent all the way along Dorset and probably
well inland by now.  Interestingly, at least 50%-70% of the specimens when
seen close-up were in very good condition.