Dyson Family of Worcestershire
© Jeff Dyson - November 2006
Ron had a number of hobbies and past-times during his life. I should think his greatest love was that of Entomology. The collection of butterflies and moths, or ’bugging’ as he used to call it. I cannot remember a time when he was not collecting. Most summer weekends and our annual holidays were sited so that his collection could be enhanced. I was introduced to a butterfly net at a very early age.
Of the three children I showed the most interest in his hobby and accompanied him on endless collecting excursions. He instilled in me a love of nature and a knowledge of plants, insects, and animals which I still hold today. However he would not just refer to the ‘ name’ of an insect or plant but use its specific Latin name, names which I still recall
Of the three children I showed the most interest in his hobby and accompanied him on endless collecting excursions. He instilled in me a love of nature and a knowledge of plants, insects, and animals which I still hold today. However he would not just refer to the ‘ name’ of an insect or plant but use its specific Latin name, names which I still recall
By the age of about 15 years I had collected all but 6 of the British listed butterflies, and these amounted to rare occasional migrants or butterflies which I considered to be extinct from our shores.
His greatest love was the collection of the ‘blues’ and in particular Lysandra coridon or to you and me the Chalk Hill Blue Butterfly
I recall spending many hours walking the chalk hillsides of the south of England, particularly at Shoreham in search of aberrations of coridon. In fact his prize specimen of this species was taken by me at Shoreham. I recall this occasion, there were about seven collectors present on the bank looking at the many thousands of insects in search of varieties. I netted this extreme specimen with streaks rather than spots on the underside and a coffee colour rather than the expected pale blue on the upper-side. I don’ think he ever forgave me, but it held pride of place in his collection.
In addition to the butterfly collection there was his moth collection, a past time in which I spent less time or interest, mainly because it meant spending many hours out at night watching moths alight on a double white bed sheet over which was suspended a mercury vapour light powered by a portable generator. He attracted the attention of the Police on several occasions particularly when he chose to set up his light at places like the top of the Downs or Dungeness in an attempt to attract rare migrants as they entered the country from the Continent.
His greatest love was the collection of the ‘blues’ and in particular Lysandra coridon or to you and me the Chalk Hill Blue Butterfly
I recall spending many hours walking the chalk hillsides of the south of England, particularly at Shoreham in search of aberrations of coridon. In fact his prize specimen of this species was taken by me at Shoreham. I recall this occasion, there were about seven collectors present on the bank looking at the many thousands of insects in search of varieties. I netted this extreme specimen with streaks rather than spots on the underside and a coffee colour rather than the expected pale blue on the upper-
In addition to the butterfly collection there was his moth collection, a past time in which I spent less time or interest, mainly because it meant spending many hours out at night watching moths alight on a double white bed sheet over which was suspended a mercury vapour light powered by a portable generator. He attracted the attention of the Police on several occasions particularly when he chose to set up his light at places like the top of the Downs or Dungeness in an attempt to attract rare migrants as they entered the country from the Continent.