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Gloucestershire Naturalists' Society |
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Gloucestershire Naturalists' Society |
A quiet year from the point of view of additions to the county list, with four small and easily missed species newly discovered, the last three all by Dave Gibbs from the far south of West Glos Vice County:
Meadowsweet Flea Beetle Aphthona lutescens from Rack Isle, Bibury. This is generally regarded as widespread in Britain but is really more of an eastern species and this is the furthest west that I personally have found it.
Water Figwort Flea Beetle Longitarus rutilus from Netham, Bristol.
Annual Dog’s Mercury Weevil Kalcapion semivittatum from Redfield, Bristol
Tufted Vetch Weevil Oxystoma cerdo, from Avonmouth, Bristol.
The real excitement focuses on wood-decay fauna. The county is increasingly being demonstrated to be the key area nationally for Noble Chafer Gnorimus nobilis – a species of high conservation concern under the UK Government’s Biodiversity Action Plan. It develops in old and hollowing trunks of various fruit trees in the orchards between the River Severn and the Forest of Dean. Major new colonies have been found during 2001 thanks to survey work being funded by the People’s Trust for Endangered Species. The details of the sites are being kept confidential for the moment. If anyone knows of old orchards in this general area please do get in touch with the details.
The orchard work is also finding other important species and so is demonstrating the great interest of old orchards for wood-decay communities – something that has not previously been appreciated.
The more interesting finds during 2001 are as follows:
Mordellistena neuwaldeggiana (Panzer) – Red Data Book Category K (Insufficently Known). Has been reared from Hornbeam and Field Maple logs; adults are attracted to blossom. It has a restricted range across the south and east of England, with most records from relict old forest or wood pasture. Third county record: SO82 Coombe Hill Canal, one at blossom at west end of Reserve, 22.vii.2001, KNAA.
Aphthona lutescens Gyllenhal – Widespread on Meadowsweet across eastern Britain. New county record: SP10 Rack Isle, Bibury, 1.vii.2001, KNAA.
Phyllobrotica quadrimaculata (Linnaeus) – County Rarity. A relatively large and distinctive leaf beetle which feeds on Common Skullcap Scutellaria galericulata – it is orange with four black spots on its wing cases and so unmistakeable. Known from three sites in the Forest of Dean and one in the Cotswolds so the following adds a fifth locality for the county: SO60 Stoney Hill Green Marsh, West Dean, 24.vii.2001, C. Twissell.
Longitarsus rutilus (Illiger) – Nationally Scarce Category A & New County Record. Larvae develop on Water Figwort in wetlands. Very local although widely scattered across southern England. ST67 Netham, female on Scrophularia, 18.ii.2001, DJG.
Prionychus melanarius (Germar) – Red Data Book Category 2 (Vulnerable). Known from four distinct populations in the county: the old orchards through the Severn Vale, Forthampton Oaks, Whitcliff Park and the northern Cotswold scarp area. SO82 Lord’s Hill House, Ashleworth, fragments in wood mould in hollow fruit tree in orchard, 6.x.2001, KNAA.
Kalcapion semivittatum Gyllenhal – County Rarity. Larvae develop in stems of Annual Dog’s Mercury; only in the southern counties. ST57 Redfield, abundant in garden, 8.ii.2000, DJG.
Oxystoma cerdo Gerstaecker – Larvae feed on seeds of Vicia, especially V. cracca, in hedgerows and waste ground; local and best known in northern England and Ireland. ST57 Avonmouth Sewage Farm, 5.vii.2001, DJG.
Ants, bees, wasps, sawflies (Hymenoptera) in 2001
One addition to the county list:
Tenthredo scrophulariae L. – A distinctive yellow and black sawfly with larvae feeding on the foliage of figwort where it grows in marshy situations; widespread in southern Britain. SO70 Stroudwater Canal, Stonehouse, 18.viii.2001, C. Twissell. SP10 Rack Isle, Bibury, 1.vii.2001, A. Taylor.
Bark flies (Psocoptera) in 2001
Three additions to the county list this year:
Peripsocus alboguttatus (Dalman) – Widespread on tree foliage but localised. SO91Dowdeswell Wood, off leylandii, 16.ix.2001, KNAA.
Peripsocus subfasciatus (Rambur) - Widespread on tree foliage but localised. SO80 Stonehouse, on Yew, 18.viii.2001, KNAA.
Trichopsocus dalii (McLachlan) – On tree foliage. SO92 Pittville Park, Cheltenham, off ivy, 16.ix.2001, KNAA.
Dave Gibbs continues to be very active in the Bristol area and has added 45 species to the county list during 2001, demonstrating just how under-recorded we are for this large group of insects. Most are tiny, dark and little known species – fungus gnats, moth flies, dance flies, long-headed flies, leaf-mining flies - and the full list will not be reported here.
Only one addition closer to home, but a pretty species with patterned wings - Tephritis ruralis – the larvae feed in the developing seed heads of Mouse-ear Hawkweed Hieracium pilosella.
The following are the more interesting finds within the modern county:
Villa cingulata (Meigen) - Red Data Book Category 1 (Endangered). This calcareous grassland speciality was rediscovered in Britain only in 2000, from near Daneway. It was seen in the same general area again in 2001 and photographed this time, by David Iliff. The Invertebrate Group have suggested to JNCC that it should be considered for legal protection in Britain as collecting specimens cannot be justified for such a distinctive and very rare species.
Oxycera rara (Scopoli) =pulchella Meigen - County Rarity. A localised species of wet meadows, grazing marshes, ponds, fens, and springs and seepages on coastal cliffs and hillsides. The larvae develop in moss in open seepages and in hoof prints in wet pastures. Last seen in the county in 1924 and thought to be extinct locally, although noted in South Glos by Dave Gibbs this year too. SP01 Chedworth, one dead in swimming pool, 5.vii.2001, DSL.
Myopa extricata Collin - Red Data Book Category 3 (Rare). An increasingly rare species nationally, although apparently still widespread in the west. Very little is known about its habits. It is likely to be a parasitoid of adult bees and most records nationally come from calcareous grasslands across southern England, although it is less associated with calcareous sites in the west. It is most often encountered at dandelion flowers in sheltered sunny situations. SO72 Newent Lake, pair in cop., 21.iv.2001, KNAA. ST67 Staple Hill, 17.ix.2001; Troopers Hill, 23.iv.2001, 26.v.2001, DJG.
Philophylla (Myoleja) caesio (Harris) – County Rarity. A common species in the Midlands, south and east, but much scarcer in north and west; the larvae mine in the leaf petioles of stinging nettle. Last seen in the county in 1947 and thought to be extinct locally. SP01 Chedworth, one in summerhouse, 7.viii.2001, DSL.
Tephritis ruralis (Loew) – Widespread nationally, developing in the flower heads of Hieracium pilosella. New county record. SO80 Bisley Road Cemetery, Stroud, 20.v.2001, KNAA.
Tachina grossa (Linnaeus) - A parasite of large hairy moth larvae, mainly of Oak Eggar and Fox Moth. In Britain most frequent on heaths and in open woods in the north and west, extending some way into the lowlands, especially across the southern counties into Dorset and the New Forest. SO81 Cranham Common, 22.viii.2001, R. Axworthy (GWT Volunteer). 2nd Cotswold record.
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