Hunting Tissues


The Tissue (Triphosa dubitata) is a species of moth that can sometimes be found hibernating during the winter months in caves and out-buildings. I have yet to see one, so I thought it was about time to put that right. I know of a line of Second World War pill boxes that adorn the western-most heights of Ranmore (above White Down), looking out southwards across the flat hinterland towards the Sussex South Downs. Hitler, fortunately, didn't make it. These concrete boxes remain intact and mute, reminders of a conflict that is quickly slipping away from the living memory. I checked four pill boxes in all. Each allowed easy access and were surprisingly free from rubbish and signs of any unsavoury human bodily functions. The passage of time is all too obvious here, as the observation slits in these defences look out into thick beech woodland, and not the open vistas to which they were positioned for.

Pill Box at TQ1211749330 Having the most open exterior aspect of the four.
One Peacock butterfly found on the southerly wall.

Pill Box at TQ1200149143 The smallest and draughtiest.
No Lepidoptera present.

Pill Box at TQ1167448991 Set back further into the wood.
A group of three Peacock butterflies and six Herald moths, all huddled together on the southern wall, (image top.)

Pill Box at TQ1144948861 Set back in the wood.
Seven Peacock butterflies and two Herald moths, sprinkled throughout the building, mostly on the ceiling (unlike the other boxes.)

So, no Tissue. Not even a soiled one...

Comments

Stewart said…
Thats excellent Steve, what a great find seeing that clump of Heralds and Butterflies like that! We have a few pill boxes up here but have not found anything in them, except....
6 January 2020 at 19:30
Steve Gale said…
I was missing the ‘except....’ which was just as well!
6 January 2020 at 20:02
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