 |
Gloucestershire Naturalists' Society |
|
Gloucestershire Naturalists' Society |
There have been six new 10km records for Meconema thalassinum (Oak Bush Cricket) which has been under-recorded up to now, as well as several 2km records. The two other widespread and common bush crickets, Pholidoptera griseoaptera (Dark Bush Cricket) and Leptophyes punctatissima (Speckled Bush Cricket) have also been found in several new tetrads and, in the case of Speckled Bush Cricket, in three new 10km squares.
It should be pointed out that Pholidoptera griseoaptera, though very common and widespread in the west of the county, has been found in only four tetrads to the east across the wolds since 1990. It appears to be very sensitive to height and presumably the damp and cold conditions associated with it. A more detailed search for it in the east of the county is required.
The two groundhoppers, Tetrix subulata (Slender Groundhopper) and Tetrix undulata (Common Groundhopper), whilst widespread and reasonably common, are not easy to detect and are therefore probably under-recorded. Both have been found in a new 10km square.
Of the two very common and widespread species of grasshopper, Chorthippus brunneus (Common Field Grasshopper) and Chorthippus parallelus (Meadow Grasshopper), several new tetrads have been added for each species.
The common, but again under-recorded, earwig Forficula auricularia (Common Earwig) has been found in five new 10km squares and is widespread in the county.
The less common, and in some cases rare, species such as Tettigonia viridissima (Great Green Bush Cricket), Stenobothrus lineatus (Stripe-winged Grasshopper), Omocestus viridulus (Common Green Grasshopper), Gomphocerippus rufus (Rufous Grasshopper), Ectobius lapponicus (Dusky Cockroach), Labia minor (Lesser Earwig) and Forficula lesnei (Lesne's Earwig) have not, as yet, been targetted for detailed recording, although several new 10km records for E. lapponicus, L. minor, and F. lesnei in the last two years have resulted in significant extensions to their ranges within the county.
It is hardly surprising that Acheta domesticus (House Cricket), Omocestus rufipes (Woodland Grasshopper), Blatta orientalis (Common Cockroach) and Blatella gemanica (German Cockroach) have not been sighted recently in our area, although A. domesticus was recorded at Redland Green, Bristol in 1995. In Gloucestershire there are only six records in total for these species, the last being in 1976 when B. orientalis was found in Gloucester.
Of the twenty-four species under review, this leaves just four to be dealt with and, in many ways, these are the most interesting. They are Metrioptera roeselii (Roesel's Bush Cricket), Conocephalus discolor (Long-winged Conehead), Conocephalus dorsalis (Short-winged Conehead) and Chorthippus albomarginatus (Lesser Marsh Grasshopper). Climatic change appears to be responsible for the national increase in range in two of them, M. roeselii and C. discolor were recorded in Gloucester V-c 33 for the first time this summer.
M. roeselii was also recorded this year in V-c 34 at Nupdown Farm, again for the first time and just a kilometre or two from the Gloucestershire cording area under review. C. discolor has previously been found in our area (1996 near Kemble) and in V-c 7, North Wiltshire, now an administrative part of Gloucestershire. It will therefore be very interesting to monitor the colonisation of the county by these two species in the next few years. Indicators at present suggest that the insects are tending to follow the lower ground along the river valleys.
Interestingly, both M. roeselii and C. discolor were found at Sherbourne Park Estate water meadows close to the River Windrush. This area is part of a major conservation project whereby the National Trust has entered land into the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) launched by the Countryside Commission (now the Countryside Agency) in the early nineties, but now administered by MAFF. The aim of returning land from intensive cereal production to traditional water meadows seems to be paying off and this area is likely to become an interesting habitat for further study by the GNS.
C. discolor was found near Quenington (SP1402), Little Barrington (SP2012) and near South Cerney (SU0797).
As for Conocephalus dorsalis, this was also found at Sherbourne Park Estate water meadows (SP1815): only the second record away from the River Severn area, the other being at Woorgreens Lake in the Forest of Dean (1997). With its more specialised habitat niche, it will be interesting to monitor this insect's likely spread in the county.
C. albomarginatus also appears to be spreading out from its more traditional habitats and is being found in comparatively rough roadside verges, so it is well worth searching almost anywhere.
My thanks to John Widgery, the National Orthoptera Recorder, for much of the information provided here.
Copyright © Gloucestershire Naturalists' Society: 2010. All rights reserved.
If you have any comments on or experience any problems with this page please contact (robert.theapiary at gmail.com) (You will need to edit the word at)
