Issue 5 November 1998

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 13

AN ALIEN IN SOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE

John Meiklejohn

A telephone call to Trust H.Q. at the beginning of September alerted me to a surprising find here in my own village of Defford. A lady, on returning from a shopping expedition to Pershore, was somewhat surprised when a large insect jumped out as she was opening a half-dozen box of eggs purchased in a High Street store.

An illustation in Marshall & Haes Grasshoppers and Allied Insects revealed that it was an older nymph of the Australian Cockroach Periplaneta australasiae. I made enquiries in the store and these led to a telephone conversation with the supplier of the eggs on a farm in Newent, W. Gloucestershire and an invitation to visit him to see if I could find any more!

The distribution map shows a post 1961 record for VC 34, West Gloucestershie, and a few other vice-counties. It is suggested that the species originated in tropical Africa then spread first with slave ships and then with other forms of trade. Like other non-native cockroach species, it is found in nurseries, warehouses and other heated buildings where it can be a pest.

It is now recorded in the WBRC as a first record for VC 37 (Worcestershire). Is it?

Reference

MARSHALL JA & HAES ECM (1988) Grasshoppers and Allied Insects in Great Britain & Ireland. Harley Books

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 20

WINTERING BLACKCAPS SURVEY – HELP WANTED

Reprinted from Worcestershire Wildlife News No. 82 September 1998. See also Worcestershire Record May 1998 page 14.

Dave Ratcliffe

For those lucky enough to have had wintering Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla in their gardens, they will not be a new phenomena, but just how many are there in Worcestershire during the winter months? This is a question I am going to try and answer by asking interested observers to report their sightings of Blackcaps during the forthcoming winter.

Wintering Blackcaps were last surveyed in Worcestershire during 1978/9 as part of the BTO national survey conducted by Iain H. Leach and reported in Bird Study 28:5-14 March 1981. The total reported for Worcestershire was 39. I am interested to discover what has happened in the twenty years since that survey and will use his methodology, albeit on a county rather than national scale. In addition to a simple count I will be asking for details of place, dates, number, sex, feeding habits and any observations on aggression towards other Blackcaps or other species.

According to the Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain & Ireland wintering Blackcaps arrive in the east in late autumn after the breeding population has left. It is thought that these winter visitors travel from northern and eastern Europe. It seems that in the early winter they manage to survive on the remaining natural food in the countryside, moving to gardens and suburban settings in late December, supplementing their diet with bird table foods and garden berries.

Blackcaps are omnivorous, taking fat, bread, cheese, and I have even seen a male trying suspended birdcake and peanut feeders! Re-trapping has shown that they are able to maintain or even increase their weight during these cold spells which demonstrates just how effective their strategy is. Aggression towards other species as well as other Blackcaps has been recorded, and they seem well able to defend a food source.

A well recorded tendency to winter in built up areas has been noted. Clearly visits to gardens are more likely to he recorded than rural sites, but as Leach noted “nearly all the winter records of Chiffchaff in south -west England are from rural habitats and few are seen in gardens (R.L.Bland and R.D.Penhallurick in litt.) indicates warblers are recorded in rural habitats when present, and hence the bias is less than might be expected”. It is probably worth considering whether this bias has been further diminished by the ‘bird pagers’ and ‘birdlines’ now available. Against this however Andrew Cannon of the British Trust for Ornithology, informs me that there are 72 Worcestershire participants of the BTO Garden Birdwatch survey, which could certainly influence a small scale county survey.

Clearly this winter’s survey can only be “snapshot”‘ of our Blackcap population , but one I hope you can get involved. I would like to receive any records made between October 1998 and March 1999.

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 25

BTO BREEDING BIRDS SURVEY

G H Green
Worcestershire Regional Representative for British Trust for Ornithology

This important national survey has now been running for five years. The principal features of the BBS are:
Random selection of 1x1km squares (national grid) from 83 BTO sampling regions spread across the UK.
Standardised bird counts in each square between April and June
An initial site visit to set up two 1 km line transects and to record habitat and land use.
Two morning visits to count birds of all species seen or heard. Birds are recorded in three categories relating to the transect line.

Field work is organised by BTO Regional Representatives (RRs) who, like most of the recorders, are volunteers. The record forms are collected by the BTO RRs, checked and forwarded to BTO for further checking and analysis
By 1998 just over 2,000 squares were covered nation-wide and the aim is 3,000!

The main objective of the survey is to follow year to year changes for as many species as possible and to publish the results. The results together with other BTO surveys are used to monitor changes and to sound alerts when a species is found to be declining. The BBS gives a much wider picture of more specise of birds than the long-running Common Birds Census

In Worcestershire we now have 51 1×1 km squares to cover and I am very grateful to all those who carry out the fieldwork. The table shows the squares and current recorders and the years in which surveys were made. The serial number represents the order in which the randomly selcted squares appears! Some squares have been difficult to cover.

I expect the BTO will send me more new squares for 1998 and I have a few vacancies so if anyone who like to have a go at this important survey please contact me. Tel 01386 710377, email zen130501@zen.co.uk…..I need you!

In the table: n= not surveyed. y=survey complete. y½= one visit only. – = not included in a particular year, as you can see more are added each year!

Serial no. 10x10km sq 1×1 km sq Current surveyor 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
1 SO93 SO9837 GR Martin n y y y y
2 SO86 SO9861 A Shepherd y y y y y
3 SO96 SO9467 L Brown y y y y y
4 SO85 SO8152 M Stephens y y y y y
5 SO97 SO9878 J Holder n n n n y
6 SO66 SO6665 S Grunsell y y y y y
7 SO93 SO9735 J Wheeler y y y y y
8 SO93 SO9334 J Wheeler y y y y y
9 SO66 SO6067 J Coates y y y y y
19 SO86 SO8469 P & MHumby y y y y y
11 SO87 SO8470 P & MHumby y y y y y
12 SP04 SP0746 N Cotter y y y y y½
13 SO93 SO9630 D Cramp y n y y y
14 SO93 SO9237 MF Williams y y y y y
15 SP04 SP0243 M Hodgson y y y y y
16 SO97 SO9476 B Draper n y y n y
17 SO85 SO8354 J Jones y y y y y
18 SO74 SO7444 J Birkes y y y y y
19 SP04 SP0042 M Hodgson y y y y y
20 SO77 SO7475 M Taylor y y y y y
21 SO84 SO8745 J Hodson y y y y y
22 SO86 SO8462 P Gane y y y y y
23 SO77 SO7374 M Taylor y y y y y
24 SO84 SO8642 G Lowe y y y y y
25 SO77 SO7472 D Evans n y y y y
26 SO77 SO7074 RT Roberts y y y y ?
27 SO84 SO8549 M Stephens y y y y y
28 SO66 SO6566 S Grunsell – y n n y
29 SO97 SO9877 J Holder – n n n y
30 SO94 SO9844 F Peplow – y y y y
31 SO86 SO8865 S Micklewright – y y y y
32 SO95 SO9454 G Farmer – y y y y
33 SO94 SO9647 F Peplow – – y y y
34 SO97 SO9971 J Holder – – n n y
35 SO97 SO9278 J Holder – – – n y
36 SO95 SO9057 P Weekes – – y y y
37 SO94 SO9840 J Lennon – – y y y
38 SO84 SO8249 M Mitton – – y y n
39 SO94 SO9848 D Ratcliffe – – – y y
40 SO75 SO7653 I Duncan – – – y y
41 SO66 SO6160 S Micklewright – – – y y
42 SO76 SO7461 S Miles – – – y y
43 SO66 SO6061 S Micklewright – – – y y
44 SP04 SP0347 N Cotter – – – y y½
45 SO87 SO8976 J Summers – – – y y
46 SO84 SO8947 K Heron – – – y y
47 SO83 SO8935 – – – – n
48 SO77 SO7674 M Taylor – – – – y
48 SO84 SO8847 – – – – n
50 SO77 SO7778 M Cooper – – – – y½
51 SO87 SO8877 M Cooper – – – – y½

The results of BBS are published each year in BTO News (sent to all BTO members) and in yearly reports. The last is: Gregory RD, Bashford RI, Beaven LP, Marchant JH, Wilson AM & Baillie SR. 1998. The Breeding Bird Survey 1996-97. (Report number 3) BTO Research Report number 203). British Trust for Ornithology, Thetford. The report is sent free to all those who take part in the survey and is available from BTO for £5 which is expensive for 16 pages and a card cover!

As we go to press the government have announced that, amongst many criteria for measuring the quality of our lives, the numbers of wild birds is to be a parameter for assessing the quality of our environment. This recognition of the importance of BTO surveys give me great pleasure. All surveyors should feel proud………..! And lots more people should join the BTO.

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 2 This article is outdated and remains for Archive purposes only

THE COMPUTERISATION OF THE BIOLOGICAL RECORDS CENTRE

Martyn Hodgson

The project to computerise the Worcestershire Biological Records Centre (WBRC) data had a somewhat difficult birth. Like many apparently simple problems, ask ten people who understand the basics to devise a method, and you’ll get ten different solutions. Some of them might even work. The trick is to find the best method for you, when the only reference sites have designs for their own specific situation, or the sort of budget you can only dream of.

In the end, the scope of the initial phase of the project was narrowed to cover the computerisation of the records that are currently held by the WBRC. These are on record cards, usually one per species, occasionally a bundle. Using the computer program “Recorder” as the data repository and with just myself keying data a small start was made in 1997.

Almost all databases consist of variable data (generally the information you key in), and fixed data (look up information which is set up initially and then changes little). The bulk of the fixed data the WBRC wanted comes with Recorder, in the form of its species information. However, I needed to set up Recorder so that it knew about every hectad and tetrad in the county. This would have been a big job, until Bert Reid offered me a copy of the Flora Project’s database which had exactly what I needed. Bert was also kind enough to include the Flora Project’s personnel list. To date, this has included about 75% of the people mentioned on the WBRC record cards.

The first group keyed in was mollusca; for no other reason than I had a particular interest in the group, and the 4000 (or so) records was a reasonable test sample. All went well, and with the confidence that the system would work within the confines of the initial scope, Richard Nicol was enlisted to help with the data entry.

Having two people working on data entry presents a significant problem. The data is going into separate copies of Recorder, as we work at home. Thankfully, the latest version of Recorder, with a facility to pass data between copies of Recorder, came along at just the right time. It’s not perfect, but if you’ve ever tried to hack into the internals of a Recorder database to understand how it works, you’ll know why I was relieved not to have to write program to do it!

Richard has the ability to backup large volumes of data on his p.c. so he has become the guardian of the definitive database. When a set of records have been completed these are copied out from Recorder and e-mailed to him. This saves time and effort as we don’t have to meet up. Richard regularly updates the computer at the WBRC.

By modern standards Recorder is not a friendly program to use. Nowadays, most p.c. users expect software to conform to Microsoft Windows standards. Recorder is based on a database system that goes back to the 1960’s (called Pick). I had for some time wondered about writing a dedicated program, to run under Windows, that would allow anyone to key in WBRC records. This became possible with Windows 95 (yes, I’m the person for whom it was worth upgrading), because of the way it runs DOS programs. The resulting program means that our third data entry volunteer, Patrick Taylor, can key in records without a copy of Recorder.

At present, we have about 18,000 records entered. Currently the groups being worked on are Moths, Beetles and Butterflies. There are some very big groups not yet started, but it is only by quietly plugging away that this project will get completed. It certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted, or the easily bored. A draft set of guidelines for entering data is being circulated for comment at the moment. Once these are agreed, we will be looking for other volunteers to key in data. Apart from the obvious requirement to be interested in the project, you also need:
A p.c. running Windows 9x or NT (I can support Windows 3.1 if you wish).
At least 3 to 4 hours per week to spare.
An e-mail address that supports binary data transfer. If you don’t know about, this get in touch and we can check it.
To be able to meet up with John Meiklejohn to collect and return record cards.
I am aware that people have made enquiries in the past about helping with the project. I’m sorry if your offer of help has apparently been ignored. It’s been a long slow process getting the project to this stage where we can support more people keying data. However, hopefully we can now start to expand.

If you have any enquires about the project please get in touch. If you are interested in the program being used to key data without Recorder, I am happy to supply either the program or the source code (written using Visual Basic version 6). If you can, please use e-mail, to martyn_hodgson@compuserve.com.

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 20

IN THE PINK?

Brett Westwood

Shouting helps if you’re searching for Dianthus armeria in Worcestershire.

One evening last September, I joined Phil Wilson by the side of the A449 north of Worcester to view the county’s only colony of this beautiful plant…one of only three sites in the Midlands for a rapidly dwindling species. Phil is an ecologist under contract to the charity Plantlife, charged with surveying sites and recommending management plans for the pink. The traffic was thunderous and we had to holler above its din, but to our surprise so late in the season, Deptford pinks were in flower. They’d been mown earlier in the year and with a resilience you wouldn’t expect of such a fragile rarity, had bloomed again.

Among the withered grass, the vivid magenta flowers were a real surprise….truly shocking pink. They look rather like a daintier version of Sweet William, beloved by cottage-gardeners. We found about 100 plants, some neat shiny rosettes ready for the winter, others desiccated stalks topped by seed-capsules. It had clearly been a good season, but with this plant, you can’t afford to be complacent! Already the bank on which they are growing is being shaded by trees and scrub and some verge maintenance agency has dumped piles of earth onto the vegetation, smothering pinks in the process.

The Deptford Pink is a plant on the cusp. It’s always relied on its transient habitat of well-drained grassy banks being available, but in today’s neat, agricultural countryside, the sites it likes just aren’t there. So, slowly but surely, it has retreated to a few suitable verges, quarries and railway sidings which give it the warmth and security it needs. In Worcestershire, it’s always been rare and was believed extinct for many years until I found the colony at Hawford in 1991.

Nationally Dianthus armeria continues to decline. It’s just been added to Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act in recognition of its precarious position and Plantlife is a “partner” in helping to boost its numbers. Hence Phil Wilson’s journeyings around Britain, which should lead to an action plan to protect it nationally.

In the meantime, I’m waiting to become a “guardian”. As soon as the adoption papers come through, it’ll be up to me to keep an eye on the plants and maybe do a little judicious “gardening ” . Over the next few years, the Highways Agency, who maintain trunk road verges, will be involved to avoid too much mowing and invasion by trees. And with luck, the pink may not be on red alert for long.

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 1

BRC DEVELOPMENT

by Geoff Trevis, Management Advisory Group Chairman

As previously, there is little to report about the record centre except for the work being done by Martyn Hodgson, Richard Nicol and others in getting the historical records on to computer using the Recorder software. Martyn has written about this separately and I can only add how much this effort is appreciated by the management advisory group.

As most of you will be aware, other aspects of the development of our centre have been held up pending decisions at national level regarding our acceptance as a pilot site for the Linking Record Centres Project. First we applied to become one of the three demonstration sites and were rejected on the grounds of size and not covering a sufficient range of habitats (particularly coastal); then we expressed interest in becoming one of the second tranche of development sites but we now know we have again been rejected. This second rejection is on the grounds that we are not yet sufficiently resourced and established to take on the work. Naturally there is a sense of disappointment but now we know where we stand we can start to make decisions on our own future. It seems clear that further growth in the national network is some way off and that until the second tranche sites have been established and working for months or even a year or two we will get little help with the operating procedures, quality standards and legal issues.

Hopefully by the time this report is in print a meeting of the management advisory group will have been arranged, if not have taken place. We need to decide on our priorities, how these can be achieved within the framework of a business plan and, most importantly, how the centre can be resourced. Clearly we will need more hardware and software and, ultimately, some paid staff time to assist with managing the centre and the data base.

However, the practical side of the business – collecting and storing data can go on. I would like to see more projects initiated by the BRC or individuals to utilise the data and get it published in the form of reports on the county’s wildlife. We have a huge amount of information of great scientific value and this should be publicised to raise the profile of the centre and demonstrate to potential financial supporters and users that investment in it is worthwhile. I look forward to receiving any ideas. We will continue to plan field meetings and the annual recorders “get together” and we look forward to another effective year in 1999. Perhaps as the active recorders you might like to give some thought to projects which we can take on. We will need fairly simple and easily defined projects to involve the public and, I believe, we should also be looking in the longer term to monitor key species as indicators of the health of the county’s wildlife.

A key objective of the Records Centre will be to encourage and help new recorders. Any suggestions for training days, and more importantly, any offers to run one will be gratefully received by Tessa Carrick. The continuing high standard of wildlife recording and survey, which has been very much a feature of British natural history work, will be largely dependent on volunteer effort for many years as there are not enough professionals to undertake the task and with this in mind recruitment of new (and dare I say younger) recorders is essential. If you have the opportunity to bring a new person to the annual meetings or to the field meetings please make every effort to do so. I know some people feel intimidated and believe these events are only for the experts. We must dispel this idea whenever we can and get as many volunteers as possible enthused about studying particular groups in depth and contributing to the growing data base.

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 18

DORMICE IN WEST WORCESTERSHIRE – BUT WHERE?

Bronwen Bruce Worcestershire Biodiversity Action Plan Officer

The dormouse is protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 5. Sites with dormice are therefore protected by law. However we do need to know where they are in order to enforce this law. Records for dormice are pretty good in the Worcestershire Biological Records Centre. However most are from the early 1980s, around about the time of the 1983 Mammal Atlas (unpublished). To update our conservation strategy regarding this biodiversity priority species new records are required.

Some sites can be pin-pointed today. We know that they occur at the Knapp & Papermill, Ravenshill and Monkswood Wildlife Trust reserves. Forest Enterprise kindly informed me of populations in Ribbersford Wood – only discovered around five years ago – and in parts of the Wyre Forest. The Biological Records Centre has recent records for Old Storridge Woods (SO750515), and the records it has from the 1980s are a good starting point to begin looking for additional records in the 1990s. English Nature has additional 1990s records from woods at the Malvern Hills, and sites near Bewdley.

Access to most of these sites is not a problem as nearly all are linked by the Worcestershire Way footpath and a network of associated footpaths. Even though you are unlikely to see an animal it is easy to look along the footpaths for dormouse-nibbled nuts under hazel trees and shrubs. Dormice have adapted to do this efficiently and leave behind a characteristic pattern not mimicked by any other species in Britain. The resultant hole is completely round – unlike squirrel-cracked nuts – and feels very smooth – unlike nuts nibbled by other mice or bank voles.

Harry Green and I have looked at a number of sites and have began to yield interesting results. Hedgerows throughout the west Worcestershire area may be acting as important corridors linking woodland fragments. Dormouse signs were spotted along the hedgerow that runs down from Ravenshill wood to Crews Hill. Dormouse signs were found at Tinkers Coppice and on the Abberley Hills. These records can now be seen as definite sites rather than presumed/probable sites. Other sites did not yield positive results, for example the country park at Ankerdine Hill (where they were recorded in 1983) but this does not mean that they are not here, just that further inquiries are needed. Finding out exactly where dormice exist is a first step in promoting their recovery by focusing on places where habitat re-creation is necessary and likely to be successful.

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 12

DRAGONFLY ROUNDUP – 1998

By Mike Averill, County Dragonfly Recorder

This year was rather disappointing for dragonfly watchers due to the return to what is perhaps our more usual damp and unpredictable weather. However there were notable highlights.

Earlier in the year, the Club-tailed Dragonfly Gomphus vulgatissimus, perhaps Worcestershire’s most important dragonfly, was re-surveyed on the River Avon. In 1993 this dragonfly was not found emerging upstream of Evesham but in May it was found in every 1 Km square beyond Evesham, all the way to Marlcliff and just in to Warwickshire. This constitutes the first breeding record for this species in Warwickshire. It is interesting to note that only one month before this, the River Avon had experienced its worst floods in memory.

In late May Alan Shepherd collected an exuviae (shed larval case) from a pool at Grimley which was later identified as a Club-tailed Dragonfly. This would not have been unusual except for the fact that this species is only very rarely found breeding in still water. Strangely this habit does occur on the continent but not in the British Isles. Here it has only been noted once before and that was on the River Thames, but in that case it was in a pool which gets occasional flood water whereas the one at Grimley was 1 Km away from the river and not in the floodplain.

In June a number of Four-spotted Chasers Libellula quadrimaculata were seen at pools including the same pool at Ombersley where a colony of Marsh Frogs were found. This year the pool was very productive as one of the Skimmers found was the form praenubila Newman which is the variation where there is an additional dark patch on the wing below the pterostigma. It is this dragonfly which has been adopted as the logo of the British Dragonfly Society.

Black-tailed Skimmers seemed more numerous than ever, being particularly found at gravel pits, and one pit at Upton-on-Severn had hundreds flying in August. One exuviae of this species was collected at a pool near Grimley which was 12 metres away from the water proving that if you are looking for larval cases you should also look well away from the water.

On one of the Worcestershire Naturalists meetings at Ripple Pool in mid July, several exuviae of the White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes were found. This is unusual because it is a river species but nothing like as unusual as the Club-tailed Dragonfly in the same circumstances. This pool used to be a very good site for the Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma najas but since the plant that it laid eggs in to, Water Bistort, has been removed the species is much reduced in numbers.

No Black Darters Sympetrum danae were seen this year in the County and it probably means that those seen last year came in from outside the area. One of the pools where Black Darters were seen last year, at Mamble, again provided a valuable record with only the second proven breeding record for the Common Darter Aeshna juncea in Worcestershire.

Most notable was the discovery of the Red-veined darter in the County. Two species of red darter dragonflies have sporadically visited the British Isles since the 1900’s, the Yellow-winged Sympetrum flaveolum and the Red-veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombei. Since the mid 1990’s these two have become much more regular visitors and it was only a matter of time before both were found in Worcestershire. The first to arrive in large numbers was the Yellow-winged Darter which appeared in 1995 and was seen in 13 localities. Despite the large numbers seen nationally and locally there has been a poor count in the following years and this particular insect looks as though it will be a long time before it becomes established.

The Red-veined Darter has made annual incursions in to the British Isles ever since 1995 and has finally shown up in the south of our county at the Kemerton Estate. Up to nine individuals were seen from 25/7/98 and the last adult was seen on the 22/8/98. The numbers are small and may not sustain themselves but they did show signs of breeding. The origin of the group is uncertain as it is not known whether they arrived as migrants or whether they were the result of egg laying last year.. However, the former is probably the case as over forty exuviae were collected from the pool but none were of the Red-veined Darter. Several other sites where this species were seen were in the south and east of England in Kent, Dorset Cornwall, London and also The Isle of Man. That they do successfully breed in this country has been shown at Dungeness and in Dorset. Whether they bred or not it is nice to add another dragonfly to the list making 25 so far in this County.

The Red-veined Darter is similar in size and colour to other darters and is best distinguished by the red veins along the leading edge in the basal half of each wing. In the females these veins are yellow. There is very little black marking on the sides of the abdomen compared to the Common Darter. The place to watch out for this insect is at gravel pits especially following strong south westerly winds. On the continent this species is mainly found in southern European countries.

Lastly a word of warning. While you may be out trying to decide whether the emperor type dragonfly you just saw might perhaps be a Vagrant Emperor Hemianax ephippiger or a Lesser Emperor Anax parthenope, there is now a new complication because this September the first American dragonfly, a Green Darner Anax junius flew in to Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly. This emperor dragonfly is very numerous in the States and so it was only a matter of time before it arrived in the Country!

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 19

THE NATIONAL FOX SURVEY

In conjunction with the Mammal Society and BBC Wildlife Magazine Researchers at the University of Bristol are planning a national survey of the rural fox population, to take place during February and March 1999. They are currently looking for people willing to take part in the survey. Volunteers will be asked to walk along all linear features (e.g. hedgerows, banks, walls) within a 1x1km square, collecting and recording the position of any fox scats. This needs to be done twice within a 2-4 week period. Observers will also be asked to record the habitat types within the square, and the position and size of badger setts and rabbit warrens.
Volunteers are also needed to help with collection of scats throughout the year, and with the collection of fox carcasses. Analysis of the scats enable researchers to work out population levels and to find out what foxes are eating

Help is also needed with bait-marking trials. The researchers have a machine which produces sausages irresistible to foxes containing harmless plastic chips. If you are feeding wild foxes they would like you to feed them special sausages for a while!. They will then visit you and search for the marked scats. The results will help work out how many scats per fox and the size of territories If you would like to help with any of these projects, or if you require further details, please contact: Charlotte Webbon or Dr Phil Baker, The National Fox Survey, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol BSS lUG Tel: 0117 9287593. email ccwebbon@hotmail.com

A useful account of the survey is given in November 1998 BBC Wildlife Magazine Vol 16, no 11 p25

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 27

GRAFTON WOOD RECORDING DAY

Results of WBRC recording day 11th July 1998

The weather was awful – wet and rather cold – but the enthusiasm was high and a lot of new records were obtained. They are listed below. A list of Diptera will follow later. Although we added a lot of records to the Grafton Wood list there are obviously still huge gaps in knowledge of the invertebrate fauna. Don Goddard’s list of beetles shows that the wood and its evirons are important for dead wood associated beetles, and therefor other dead wood invertebrates.

The wood lies in two tetrads and we have kept records separate as far as possible.

MOTHS: compiled by ANB Simpson & JW Meiklejohn

SO 9654 (south end of wood)

Barred Straw Eulithis pyraliata
Beautiful Golden Y Autographa pulchrina
Blood Vein Timandra griseata
Brimstone Opisthograptis luteolata
Buff Arches Habrosyne pyritoides
Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata
Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria
Common Footman Eilema lurideola
Common Wainscot Mythimna pallens
Common Wave Cabera exanthemata
Double Square-spot Xestia triangulum
Drinker Philudoria potatoria
Engrailed Ectropis bistorta
Flame Axylia putris
Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana
GreenPug Chloroclystis rectangulata
Heart & Dart Agrotis exclamationis
July Highflier Hydriomena furcata
Large Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe quadrifasiata
Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba
Light Emerald Campaea margaritata
Minor Shoulder-knot Brachylomia viminalis
Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis
Peppered Moth Biston betularia
Scallop Shell Rheumaptera undulata
Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata
Small Yellow Wave Hydrelia flammeolaria
Straw Dot Rivula sericealis
Swallow-tailed Ourapteryx sambucaria
Uncertain Hoplodrina alsines
Yellow-tail Euproctis similis
Yellow Shell Camptogramma bilineata
Acleris ferrugana
Acrobasis repandana
Agapeta hamana
Archips rosana
Archips xylosteana
Batia unitella
Cnephasia incertana
Cnephasia stephensiana
Chrysoteuchia culmella
Cydia splendana
Gypsonoma dealbana
Dipleurina lacustrata
Elachista pulchella (E.cannapennella)
Epiblema roborana
Epiblema uddamanniana
Eudonia mercurella
Eucosma cana
Hedya nubiferana (H.dimidioalba)
Lobesia abscisana
Orthopygia glaucinalis
Pandemis heparana
Phalonidia manniana
Phycita roborella
Pseudosciaphila branderiana
Spilonota ocellana
Ypsolopha ustella
SO 9656 (North End of Wood)

Blood Vein Timandra griseata
Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria
Common Wave Cabera exanthemata
Small Fan-footed Wave Idea biselata
Straw Dot Rivula sericealis
Stigmella plagicolella mine, Prunus spinosus
Infurcitinea argentimaculella l+a on Lepraria sp.
Caloptilia syringella mine, Ash
Parornix devoniella mine, leaf fold, Ash
Acrocercops brongniardella mine, Oak
Phyllonorycter coryli mine, Hazel
Phyllonorycter nicellii mine, Hazel
Argyresthia goedartella
Argyresthia brockeella
Paraswammerdamia lutarea
Digitivalva pulicariae mine, Fleabane
Coleophora gryphipennella
Coleophora serratella
Coleophora lutipennella
Coleophora glaucicolella
Depressaria ultimella stems Ap.nodiflorum
Agonopterix arenella thistles
Diurnea fagella Oak, Birch
Teleiodes vulgella
Syncopacma larseniella
Mompha epilobiella Great Hairy. Willowherb
Cnephasia stephensiana
Cnephasia incertana
Olethreutes lacunana
Bactra lancealana
Epinotia immundana Birch
Gypsonoma dealbans
Eucosma cana
Spilonota ocellana
Chrysoteuchia culmella
Pleuroptya ruralis
Phycita roborella
Zeiraphera isertana

Other Invertebrates: Compiled by JW Meiklejohn

SO 9656 (north end)

Isopoda

Oniscus asellus
Philoscia muscorum
Trichoniscus pusillus
Diplopoda

Cylindroiulus brittanicus
Chilopoda

Lithobius forficatus
Opiliones

Lacinius ephippiatus
Opilio saxatilis
Araneae

Enoplognatha ovata
Linyphia triangularis
Tetragnatha extensa
Mollusca

Arion ater
Aegopinella nitidula
Azeca goodali
Cochlicopa bubrica
Cochlicopa lubricella
Cochlodina laminata
Columella aspera
Discus rotundatus
Helix nemoralis
Oxychilus alliarius
Oxychilus cellarius
Trichia hispidus
Trichia striolata
Zonitoides nitidula
Hemiptera

Aphrophora alni
Capsus ater
Evacanthus acuminatus
Philaenus spumarius
Trapezonotus arenarius
Troilus luridus (K McGee)
Hymenoptera

Bombus hortorum
Orthoptera

Chorthippus brunneus
Leptophyes punctatissima
Meconema thalasinum
Pholidoptera griseoaptera
Tetrix subulata
Tetrix undulata
Diptera

Dasyneura pustulans
Dasyneura ulmariae
Harmandia globuli
Coleoptera

Abdera biflexuosa (Notable B)
Adalia bipunctata
Agonum assimile
Aphthona euphorbiae
Apoderus coryli
Axinotarsus marginalis
Clivina fossor
Curculio nucum
Loricera pilicornis
Malthodes minimus
Notiophilus substriatus
Pterostichus madidus
Rhagonycha fulva
Rhynchaenus avellanae
Scaphidium quadrimaculatum
Staphylinus olens
Stenus picipennis
Strangalia maculata (K McGee)
SO 9654 (south end)

Isopoda

Oniscus asellus
Porcellio scaber
Diplopoda

Glomeris marginata
Tachypodoiulus niger
Chilopoda

Lithobius forficatus
Araneae

Araniella cucurbitina
Enoplognatha ovata
Opiliones

Leiobunum rotundum
Nemastoma bimaculatum
Mollusca

Aegopinella nitidula
Candidula intersecta
Cochlicopa lubrica
Cochlodina laminata
Discus rotundatus
Helix nemoralis
Limax maximus
Oxychilus alliarius
Oxychilus cellarius
Trichia hispida
Dermaptera

Forficula auricularia
Hemiptera

Aphrophora alni
Evacanthus acuminatus
Philaenus spumarius
Hymenoptera

Bombus hortorum
Diastrophus rubi
Orthoptera

Leptophyes punctatissima
Pholidoptera griseoaptera
Diptera

Harmandia globuli
Coleoptera

Aphodius rufipes
Athous haemorrhoidalis
Deporaus betulae
Grynobius planus
Oedemera lurida
Pterostichus madidus
Rhagonycha fulva
Strangalia maculata (K McGee)
Tachyporus nitidulus
Lepidoptera

Buff Tip moth Phalera bucephala
Painted Lady
Purple Hairstreak
Odonata

Ischnura elegans
Notes on Grafton Wood Recording Day

D.G.Goddard
Coleoptera

From field hedges leading to wood:
Beaten from old ash at S0968557
Tillus elongatus (L) Notable B AW3
From hedgerow oaks at SO 966557, and in wood at SO 97/55
Agrilus laticornis (Illiger) Notable B
Abdera biflexuosa (Curtis) Notable B AW3
Hemicoelus fulvicornis (Sturm)
Grynobius planus (F)
Anobium punctatum (Degeer)
From hedgerow oak at SO 965557
Opilo mollis (L) Notable B AWI

From mixed oak/hazel along woodland rides So97/55
Athous haemorrhoidalis (F)
Malthinus flaveolus (Herbst)
Malthodes marginatus (Latreille)
Grammoptera ruficornis (F)
Strangalia maculata (Poda)
Polydrusus pterygomalis Boheman
Curculio nucum L.
Calvia 14-guttata (L)
Epurea florea (Erichson)
Rhynchaenus stigma (Germar)

From dead twigs on old oak SO 973556
Alphitobius laevigatus (F)
Trachodes hispidus (L) Notable B AW3

From hogweed SO 974558
Alosterna tabicolor (Degeer)

From aspen SO 974557
Chalcoides nitidula (L) Notbale B
C. fulvicornis (F)

From hazel SO 974556
Cantharis nigra (Degeer)

A remarkable visit considering the weather and the short time I was there. Six nationally notable, that is scarce, beetles including four ancient woodland indicator species, three AW3 “mild” indicators and one AW1 “strong” indicator strangely enough beaten from old oaks in the surrounding hedgerow . Grafton Wood seems as though it is going to be a very good ancient woodland site and certainly warrents further survey at different times and for all faunal and floral groups.

Chalcoides nitidula is a flea beetle associated with aspen and grey poplar, preferring younger trees.

Tillus eloneatus an ancient woodland species predatory on woodworm beetles especially Ptilinus pectinicomis on beech, also recorded from oak, hazel, black poplar, holly and ivy and also now from ash.

0pilio mollis an ancient woodland and pasture woodland indicator, again a predator of woodworm beetles especially the death watch beetle Xestobium rufovillosum, recorded from elm, oak, willow, poplar, beech, sycamore and Norway spruce.

Trachodes hispidus an ancient woodland indicator preferring small dead branches emphasising the importance of keeping dead wood on trees.

Abdera biflexuosa an ancient woodland indicator again breeding in dead twigs attached to trees, especially oak..

Agrilus laticornis a broad-leaved woodland beetle breeding in dying rather than dead branches of oak.

Butterflies observed in the rain!

various observers
Gatekeeper
Green veined white
Large skipper
Large White
Meadow brown
Painted lady
Purple hairstreak
Red admiral
Ringlet
Small white
White admiral

Odonata

Southern Hawker
Black-tailed skimmer
Common darter
Emperor
Vertebrates

records mainly from John Tilt and Alan Shepherd
Birds

Seen in spring and early summer 1998 (not all breeding).
Blackbird
Blackcap
Blue tit
Buzzard
Carrion crow
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff
Coal tit
Collared dove
Cuckoo
Dunnock
Garden Warbler
Goldcrest
Great spotted woodpecker
Great tit
Green woodpecker
Jackdaw
Jay
Kestrel
Lesser Redpoll
Lesser Spotted woodpecker
Lesser Whitethroat
Long-tailed tit
Magpie
Marsh tit
Mistle thrush
Pheasant
Robin
Song thrush
Sparrowhawk
Stock dove
Swallow
Tawny Owl
Tree creeper
Willow warbler
Wood pigeon
Woodcock
Wren

Mammals

Hare
Rabbit
Fox
Badger
Muntjac
Roe
Mole
Pipistrelle (at the church)
Amphibians and Reptiles

Great-crested newt (at the church)
Common frog
Common toad
Slow-worm
Grass snake
Flowering Plants and Ferns SO 9654 (tetrad S) (South end) Dryopteris dilatata
Dryopteris filix-mas
Acer campestre
Agrostis capillaris
Agrostis stolonifera
Ajuga reptans
Alopecurus geniculatus
Alopecurus pratensis
Anthriscus sylvestris
Arctium lappa
Arrhenatherum elatius
Bellis perennis
Betula pendula
Brachypodium sylvaticum
Bromopsis ramosa
Carex flacca
Carex otrubae
Carex pendula
Carex remota
Carex riparia
Carex spicata
Carex sylvatica
Centaurium erythraea
Centaurium pulchellum
Cerastium fontanum
Chamerion angustifolium
Circaea lutetiana
Cirsium arvense
Cirsium palustre
Clematis vitalba
Cornus sanguinea
Corylus avellana
Crataegus laevigata
Crataegus laevigata x monogyna (C. x macrocarpa)
Crataegus monogyna
Crepis capillaris
Cynosurus cristatus
Dactylis glomerate
Dactylorhiza fuchsii
Daphne laureola
Deschampsia caespitosa
Dipsacus fullonum
Epilobium ciliatum
Epilobium hirsutum
Epilobium montanum
Epilobium obscurum
Epilobium parviflorum
Epipactis purpurata
Euphorbia amygdaloides
Festuca gigantea
Festuca rubra agg.
Filipendula ulmaria
Fragaria vesca
Fraxinus excelsior
Galium aparine
Galium palustre
Geranium dissectum
Geranium robertianum
Geum urbanum
Glechoma hederacea
Glyceria fluitans
Hedera helix
Heracleum sphondylium
Holcus lanatus
Hordeum secalinum
Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Hypericum hirsutum
Hypericum huniifusum
Hypericum perforatum
Hypericum tetrapterum
Hypochaeris radicata
llex aquifolium
Juncus articulatus
Juncus bufonius
Juncus conglomeratus
Juncus effusus
Juncus inflexus
Lactuca serriola
Lapsana communis
Lathyrus pratensis
Ligustrum vulgare
Lonicera periclymenum
Lotus comiculatus
Lotus pedunculatus
Lychnis flos-cuculi
Lysimachia nummularia
Malva moschata
Melica uniflora
Mercurialis perennis
Milium effusum
Myosotis arvensis
Odontites vemus
Phleum pratense
Plantago major
Populus tremula
Potentilla reptans
Potentilla sterilis
Primula veris
Primula vulgaris
Prunella vulgaris
Prunus spinosa
Pyrus pyraster
Quercus robur
Ranunculus repens
Rosa arvensis
Rosa canina agg.
Rubus caesius
Rubus fruticosus agg.
Rumex sanguineus
Sagina procumbens
Salix caprea x cinerea (S. x reichardtii)
Salix cinerea ssp. oleifolia
Sambucus nigra
Scrophularia auriculata
Scrophularia nodosa
Senecio aquaticus
Senecio jacobaea
Solanum dulcamara
Sonchus asper
Stachys officinalis
Stachys sylvatica
Tamus communis
Torilis japonica
Trifolium campestre
Trifolium dubium
Trifolium pratense
Trifolium repens
Urtica dioica
Veronica serpyllifolia
Viburnum lantana
Viburnum opulus
Vicia sepium
Vicia tetrasperma

Additions for SO 9656 (tetrad T) (north end)

Agrimonia eupatoria
Allium ursinum
Angelica sylvestris
Arctium minus
Callitriche stagnalis
Cardamine flexuosa
Carex riparia
Cirsium vulgare
Euonymus europaeus
Malus domestica
Mentha arvensis
Myosotis laxa
Picris echioides
Pimpinella major
Potentilla anserina
Prunus domestica
Pulicaria dysenteica
Veronica beccabunga

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 10

ASILUS CRABRONIFORMIS HORNET ROBBER FLY

By David M. Green

A. crabroniformis L. is a large spectacular predatory fly with much of the end half of the abdomen bright yellow, of wide ranging habitat including rough grassland and heath. In Worcestershire the adult fly was found by Brett Westwood during 1996 inhabiting pony pasture on the edge of Kidderminster and has not been seen since, but the site has been seldom surveyed and apparently remains in suitable condition.

Current status. In UK A. crabroniformis is widespread throughout Wales and in the southern half of England, with records from about 37 vice-counties, but has sharply declined since 1970 from being in 111 10km squares to only 48 10km squares by the early 1990s. Areas of loss are much of east England, and the previous strongholds of Devon, Dorset, and Hampshire; elsewhere there is a sharp contraction of distribution. (Clements and Skidmore 1998.) This fly is categorised as Nationally Notable (scarce)(Falk 1991, JNCC 1997), and is on the “short list” of Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP list 1) species, recognising a decline in distribution and the need for more detailed information on ecological requirements and conservation management.

Research. Considerable on-going field study (and observation of captured flies) has yet failed to reveal the food of the larva, that grows large, lives 2-3 years, and which has not yet been found wild, at least recently, in UK. The larvae is associated with surface-dry dung (of stock typically cow dung, or mounds of rabbit dung) for nearby oviposition in soil during August-September. The larvae is probably free-living in soil, and appears possibly associated with dung beetle larvae for food. The adults take a wide range of insect prey – grasshoppers, beetles, moths, butterflies, bees and wasps (social and solitary), and flies – most frequently dung beetles Aphodius, secondly flesh flies Sarcophaga. Crusted dung is much used for perching in the sun and for feeding platforms. (Clements and Skidmore 1998, Pinchen et al 1998.)

Deterioration of current sites could be caused by
Shading out of bare ground, or sparsely vegetated ground by natural growth such as filling in of scrub areas or increasing bracken cover.
Loss of areas with short vegetation, to infill of scrub or long vegetation owing to reduction of grazing by stock or rabbits.
Use of parasiticidal compounds such as ivermectins causing reduction of dung fauna, or the sub-lethal effects of ivermectin residues.
Loss of dung of herbivores on site owing to changes in grazing stock or changes in rabbit population.
Loss of suitable roosting habitat such as nearby woodland.
Climate change.
Species-rich pasture is not a required vegetation type.

Survey – your help wanted

The known Worcestershire site is on private land and CCW request we delay in approaching owners until EN and CCW arrange some agreement with national representatives of affected parties and produce a leaflet. There is immediate need to look for more sites in Worcestershire on heathland but especially rough grazed grassland such as pony pasture, as a habitat the fly could be making increasing use of. Sheltered sites with some areas of short grassed areas are preferred, such as open areas, exposed to sun, sheltered within scrub or bracken, maybe on a south facing incline. Pony pastures around Birmingham are possible new sites that definitely should be surveyed, and places rough-grazed by travellers’ ponies may be fruitful. Look on dung with dried surface for the remains of prey items. Scan dried dung or other pale or reflective surfaces, from nearby perhaps with binoculars, for flies sunning themselves. Generally robber flies, including other other species in the robber fly family, Asilidae, are attracted to such surfaces such as a white nets or polythene. They could be found resting on bracken at edge of a clearing. When the sun goes in the flies could take some cover possibly in plants around dried dung. Active at temperatures above 16C. Flight period late July-early October. Asilus crabrobiformis is large 20-25mm with obvious clear yellow on about 4 segments, more or less the end half, of the abdomen. Any sightings contact the WBRC. Observations of behaviour are useful. Collect any prey remains.
References and Bibliography:

CLEMENTS David K and SKIDMORE Peter 1998 The autecology of the hornet robber fly Asilus crabroniformis L. in Wales, 1997. CCW Contract science report No. 263. CCW.
COOKE AS 1997 Avermectin use in livestock [leaflet]. EN
FALK Steven 1991 A review of the scarce and threatened flies of Great Britain (part 1). Research and survey in nature conservation No. 39.JNCC
JNCC 1997 Recorder 3.2 [database biological recording software]. JNCC
OLDROYD Harold 1969 Tabanoidea and Asiloidea. Diptera, Brachycera section (a). Handbks Iden. Brit. Insects vol.9 pt.4. RES
PINCHEN BJ, DENTON JS, and BIRD DR 1997 The hornet robber fly Asilus crabroniformis L. – adult behaviour at selected sites in Dorset, Hampshire and Surrey in 1997. English Nature Research Reports No. 274. EN
Abbreviations
CCW, Countryside Commission for Wales
EN, English Nature
JNCC, Joint Nature Conservancy Council
RES, Royal Entomological Society

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 17

KEEP HUNTING THE LAND CADDIS – ENOICYLA PUSILLA

G. H. Green

Since our appeal for records in the May 1998 Worcestershire Record we have received a few more earlier records from Clent Hills, Kinver Edge, and West Malvern. I have plotted all the records received for the period 1978 to present day on the map on the basis of 1×1 km squares of the national grid. This map shows (as far as I can determine) the known national distribution of Enoicyla pusilla! It is, of course, a provisional distribution map as land caddis almost certainly occur in many other places. It would be useful and interesting to discover the true extent of their range. Winter is a good time to look for them! Please go and look!

As mentioned in the previous articles, land caddis larvae are most abundant in most years in woodland leaf litter from December to March. At the beginning of this period they are only about 2-3 mm long and eventually grow to about 8 mm in the summer. As they grow bigger they become less numerous. David Harding’s most recent paper gives more information (Harding 1998). Small land caddis (according to David Harding!) look like “animated All Bran”! I mentioned this on local radio recently and someone only heard part of what I said and though I said “like bran”. Shortly afterwards they were in a wood when the spangle galls were falling from oak leaves and turning brown – just like bran flakes! Sadly, not caddis! Also tube-forming microlepidoptera larvae have occasionally been mis-identified as land caddis

We do hope that many recorders will go out and look in woods, particularly in the north and NW of Worcestershire and in neighbouring counties. If you could look in woods within 1×1 km squares where there are no records that would be helpful. We also need negative records. Shaking out litter over a white tray or polythene sheet and then searching will usually reveal caddis if they are present.

Acknowledgement

Thanks to all those who have sent records to D Harding in the past, and to D Hollis, PF Whitehead,, M Taylor, B Westwood, and D M Green for more recent records
Reference:

HARDING DJL 1998 Distribution and population dynamics of a litter-dwelling caddis Enoicyla pusilla (Trichoptera). Applied Soil Ecology 9:203-208

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 24

BTO LAPWING SURVEY

Harry Green

As you can see from the table very few lapwings were found breeding in Worcestershire in 1998. I gather that the national results are even worse that expected

This was a repeat survey of tetrads covered in 1987 – see Worcestershire Record November 1997. I had hoped to give the results for 1987 for comparison but so far, despite several searches of mounds of paper in my loft, I can’t find my 1987 file. BTO will of course publish the national results in due course

The decline in lapwings is related to agricultural practice, especially the lack of bare ground for nesting amongst crops in spring (due to widespread autumn sowing), lack of nearby damp feeding sites, and probably shortage of invertebrate food in intensively cultivated areas. Dave & Jane Scott (near Larford) and John Tilt (near Grafton Flyford) told me of successful breeding lapwings in maize stubble followed by maize. This regime, although quite intensive seem to provide a suitable window of habitat for lapwings to breed. The only lapwing chicks I saw this year were amongst very young sugarbeet.

 

10×10 km square Tetrad Lapwing Curlew Recorder
SO66 SO6262 0 0 R Maskew
SO74 SO7046 not done
SO75 SO7850 0 0 R Bishop
SO76 SO7468 0 0 M Taylor
SO77 SO7070 2 2 M Taylor
SO83 SO8030 3 2 S Barker
SO84 SO8640 0 0 P Jones
SO85 SO8652 0 0 P Jones
SO86 SO8066 4 0 D & J Scott
SO87 SO8676 0 0 S Micklewright
SO93 SO9832 0 8 J Wheeler
SO94 SO9240 0 0 D Ratcliffe
SO95 SO9658 0 0 D Ratcliffe
SO96 SO9664 0 0 J Tilt
SO97 SO9276 0 0 B Westwood
SP04 SP0846 0 0 N Cotter
Totals 15 tetrads 9 12

One tetrad not surveyed
No redshank or other waders seen.

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 6

LONGHORN BEETLES IN WORCESTERSHIRE, 1998 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae)

By Kevin McGee

Until recently, I have concentrated most of my fieldwork into recording ornithology, lepidoptera and odonata. All of these groups involve conspicuous species. By and large, it is a fairly straightforward matter to be reasonably accurate in identifying a particular species with the multitude of quality field-guides now available to the naturalist. However, this is not always the case when it comes to safely identifying less ‘popular’ groups, which is very frustrating if you find a particularly handsome ‘bug’ or beetle or whatever.

Following a couple of chance encounters with two of the more unusual ‘Longhorn’ Beetles during 1997; which I was able to safely identify from my photographs, I became very interested in finding out further information on this family. In one respect the study of the Cerambycidae is not unlike the study of British Butterflies. There are approximately, (according to most sources), 70 species on the British Butterfly list, and the same number on the British Cerambycidae list. Of the Butterflies, 60 species can be seen in any one year if you are lucky and prepared to travel considerable distances at key times. This includes the commoner migrants! As most of you are aware, to see 30 of these species locally in a single year, you will have done extremely well! From my initial research, the pattern for the Cerambycidae is somewhat similar. About 20 out of the 70 on the British list are either believed extinct or are extremely rare Red Data Book (RDB) species. Only about 20 out of the remaining 50 are described as either common or ‘local’. So, roughly equal to the Butterflies, one could expect to see 20-30 cerambycidae species in a single year.

The similarity with Butterfly recording ends here! Most of the Cerambycidae are only associated with ancient woodland remnants, unlike the many and diverse habitat requirements of Butterflies. The need for dead or decaying timber is essential for most of the Cerambycidae as the larval stage is spent gnawing galleries through the interior of dead wood for between 1-2 years. The species of trees involved differs between each species of Longhorn, although both oak and pine are very important. Some of the Cerambycidae do specialise in using larval host-plants other than tree-species, e.g. Agapanthia villosoviridescens utilises various herbaceous plants including thistles and hogweeds.

Also unlike Butterflies, the optimum ‘season’ for seeing adults of the Cerambycidae is relatively short, the peak period being between the end of April to the end of June, with hot, sunny weather proving to be most beneficial. Many species will feed on pollen as adults, so a good ground flora in woodland rides and at wood margins is very attractive to them, particularly umbelliferous plants such as hogweeds in my experience. Like Butterflies, I consider all of our Cerambycidae to be spectacular, and once located, most can usually be approached quite readily for photography or observation. But some species can be infuriatingly illusive and difficult to approach. These are those that do not normally feed at pollen sources and should best be searched for at log-piles or amongst decaying branches of standing timber.

There are a few books available as guides to the Cerambycidae, but none that I know of illustrate in detail all of just the British species. The two books that I refer to most are ‘A field-guide in colour to Beetles’ by K.W. Harde, published by Octopus in 1984, and ‘Longhorn Beetles (Coleoptera Cerambycidae) of Fennoscandia and Denmark’ by S. Bily; Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica, Volume 22.

In Worcestershire we are fortunate to have a lot of high quality habitat suitable for the Cerambycidae. It was with this in mind that I set out to see what I could find at my favourite ‘patches’ during 1998. I recorded and photographed 22 species, so bringing my ‘personal list’ for Worcestershire to 23 species, following my 1997 record of a single Leptura rubra at Tiddesley Wood, which I did not see in 1998. The following lists the species I have so far recorded, and photographed:-

Aromia moschata. normal size range 13-34 mm.
Anaglyptus mysticus normal size range 6-14 mms.
Tetrops praeusta mormal size range 3-6 mms.

1. Asemum striatum

Nationally : LOCAL
25.5 Pair in-cop plus a single male photographed at Tiddesley Wood.
30.5 4 pairs copulating plus 5 singles distributed throughout Tiddesley. Most were found towards the bases of mature Scots-Pines with a few at the bases of oaks. (with Scots Pine nearby).
2. Rhagium mordax

Nationally : COMMON
16.5 One photographed on a log pile at the Knapp & Papermill. Reserve managers, Stuart and Tina, told me of about “half a dozen at the same site yesterday”.
1.6 Two at Monkwood. Both at the log pile.
3. Stenocorous meridianus

Nationally : LOCAL
This large species appears to be quite widespread in Worcestershire, I have found it fairly easily at most sites visited. Some books refer to it as the ‘Variable Longhorn’, most I have found locally are of a constant golden-brown colour, however, there is a population of very dark, almost black specimens, in Grafton Wood
5.7 Recorded in one’s and two’s at Tiddesley, Drakes Broughton Orchards, Malvern Hills, Monkwood, Knapp & Papermill, Bredon Hill and Grafton Wood. Look for them on blossoms of bramble, dog-rose, meadowsweet and hogweed.
4. Grammoptera ruficornis

Nationally : COMMON
This small, dark species is easily found at the blossoms of hawthorn, dog-rose and bramble pretty well everywhere, even in lightly-wooded localities. Approximately 20 were counted at Tiddesley Wood on 4.7.
5. Alosterna tabacicolor

Nationally : LOCAL
Quite commonly found in the County, but less so than the previous species which is often seen alongside it, especially in major woodlands such as Monkwood. I have found the species to be very fond of Field-Maple blossom, e.g. Tiddesley Wood on 25.5.
6. Leptura livida

Nationally : LOCAL
This species is unusual in that the biology of the life-history is not fully understood. A report by Svácha and Danilevsky (1986) states that the larva lives freely in the soil with mycelium of the fungus Marasmius oreodes, which apparently is the food component; (Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica, Volume 22).
As yet, I have only found small numbers of this species at hogweed flowers along the track to Tiddesley Wood from the new car-park, and alongside the nearby Bow Brook to the west of the woodk on four dates between 14.6 to 7.7.

7. Leptura rubra

Nationally : UNCERTAIN
This was once a RDB species but has spread from the east of the country in recent years.
My only record so far is of a single male I photographed on the blossom of Rosebay Willowherb in Tiddesley Wood on 19.7.97. I doubt that it was actually feeding at the plant as it just seemed to ‘crash-land’ on it, an observation I have made with other Longhorn species.

8. Judolia cerambyciformis

Nationally : LOCAL
1.6 two at Monkwood
12.6 one at the Knapp & Papermill
20.6 one at Monkwood
All of the above were found taking pollen at hogweed blossoms.
9. Strangalia maculata

Nationally : COMMON
This rather large and striking beetle may be very familiar to many of you as the ‘Spotted Longhorn’. It is very common in the county and readily encountered in numbers of 20 or more at the flowers of hogweeds, angelicas, brambles, dog-roses and meadowsweets. A later species, with the bulk of my records during July and August, e.g. 30+ at Grafton Wood on 5.7.
10. Strangalia melanura

Nationally : LOCAL
A rather similar species to the commoner Alosterna tabacicolor, but once known it is rather more robust and of a deeper, stronger orange-brown colour. I have found it only at Tiddesley Wood and Monkwood in small numbers. Look for it at hogweed blossom and the flowers of both dog-rose and guelder-rose (Tiddesley 30.5.).
11. Strangalia quadrifasciata

Nationally : LOCAL
An unmistakeable species that I have so far only found at Monkwood:
A single at angelica blossom on 27.7.97
A single at angelica blossom on 5.8.98
This is also quite a ‘late’ species.
12. Molorchus minor
Nationally : NATURALISED ALIEN HOST PLANT

25.5, 4 at Tiddesley Wood on cut logs of Douglas Fir.
30.5, 7 at Tiddesley Wood on cut logs of Douglas Fir.
13. Molorchus umbellatarum

Nationally : Notable A
21.6 one at Drakes Broughton Orchard on flowers of hogweed.
26.6 four at Tiddesley Wood on flowers of hogweed.
4.7 one at Tiddesley Wood on flowers of hogweed.
A nationally rare species whose host-plants include Crab-apple and Pear, so should be present at sites with old orchards in the vicinity, i.e. the vale of Evesham!
14. Aromia moschata

Nationally : Notable B
This truly magnificent Longhorn is commonly known as the ‘Musk Beetle’. I was lucky enough to encounter a large specimen at the Tiddesley Wood ‘log-pile’ along the main ride during the early evening of 4.7.
Look for it in the vicinity of ancient pollarded willows, e.g. the Bow Brook.

15. Clytus arietis

Nationally : COMMON
A common insect which many of you will know as the ‘Wasp Beetle’. It is easily found in a variety of situations, whether at log-piles or amongst ground flora. Present at all the sites I visited with peak numbers of 20+ at Tiddesley Wood on 30.5. and 20+ at Monkwood on 1.6.
16. Anaglyptus mysticus

Nationally : Notable B
I first encountered this attractive beetle amongst stems of hogweed in a hedgerow near Eckington Bridge on 27.5.97. I have since found it at two more localities.
24.5 six at Monkwood ‘log-pile’.
30.5 one female at Tiddesley Wood ovipositing in a cut birch log.
1.6 four at Monkwood ‘log-pile’.
17. Pogonecherus hispidulus

Nationally : LOCAL
This is a rather small but robust species with incredible camouflage! I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of movement amongst a log-pile at the Knapp & Papermill which made me take a closer look. The date was 7.6., a closer search revealed another specimen. I suspect traditional ‘beating with a tray’ would prove to be far more successful when searching for this species.
18. Leiopus nebulosus

Nationally : LOCAL
Another beautifully camouflaged species, and not normally associated with flowering plants. However, I found one taking pollen at hogweed just before darkness set in at the Knapp & Papermill on 12.6. Two more records were made:
14.6 one on a poplar at Tiddesley Wood.
20.6. one at the Monkwood ‘log-pile’.
19. Agapanthia villosoviridescens

Nationally : LOCAL
One of the few species of the Cerambycidae that is not strictly associated with ancient woodland remnants. I found seven of these large, handsome beetles on stems of hogweed at the margins of Moors Pool, Upton Warren, on 21.6. It is known to utilise hogweed as a larval host-plant as well as robust species of thistle. Look for it in similar lush meadow environments near wetlands.
20. Saperda populnea

Nationally : LOCAL
23.5 one at Tiddesley Wood on Aspen
30.5 one at Tiddesley Wood on Aspen
1.6 one at Monkwood on Aspen
Almost wholly reliant on the Aspen tree, I found these sitting around on the leaves of lower branches. It is also present in Trench Wood, where I photographed one in 1996.
21. Stenostola dubia

Nationally : Notable B
29.5 one at Swinyard Hill, Malverns, on branches of a very old, decaying hawthorn.
1.6 one at the Monkwood ‘log-pile’. Unlike the typical ‘blue’ version at the Malverns, this specimen was of an iron grey colouration, so proving to be rather unusual.
22. Phytoecia cylindrica

Nationally: Notable B
10.5 two found at Monkwood, on emergent hogweeds.
28.5. two at Bredon Hill amongst stems of Rough Chervil.
Another species that does not require dead wood as a host plant, it is associated with plants of the Apiaceae. Quite an early beetle in my experience.
23. Tetrops praeusta

Nationally: LOCAL
Only found at Drakes Broughton orchard so far, and there it is limited to only two old crab-apples as host trees. A small species and easily overlooked, it should be present in many similar localities in the County. Up to 10 at Drakes Broughton between 17.5. and 1.6.

I would be very interested to hear from anyone who has any records of Longhorn Beetles in Worcestershire that they would like to share with me. Or perhaps, you may like to join Geoff Trevis and myself in expanding our local ‘Invertebrate Recording Group’, we are attempting to gain more recruits who are interested in the less popular and under-recorded Insects and Invertebrates within Worcestershire.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Paul Whitehead for kindly confirming the identities of some of the more difficult species from my slides, particularly the following:-
Strangalia melanura, Tiddesley Wood, 30.5.
Molorchus umbellatarum, Tiddesley Wood, 28.6.
Pogonecherus hispidulus, Knapp & Papermill, 7.6.
Stenostola dubia, Monkwood, 1.6.

References:

BILY, S 1989 Longhorn Beetles (Coleoptera Cerambycidae) of Fennoscandia and Denmark Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica, Volume 22. (like all of the series this is written in English)
HARDE, KW 1984 A field guide in colour to beetles. Octopus Books
Editor’s note:
The following bilingual (English & German) book is also useful:
BENSE, U 1995 Longhorn beetles. Illustrated key to Cerambycidae and Vesperidae of Europe. Ulrich Bense: Margraf
There is also Norman Hickin’s little Shire Publications Book on Longhorns which is quite useful in illustrating many British Longhorns but at the moment I can’t find my copy to give you a full reference.

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 25

LAPWING AND GOLDEN PLOVER SURVEY WINTER 1998-99

Harry Green

The BTO is collecting casual records this winter of flocks of golden plover and lapwings when there are over 100 of either species. The information required is:
Date of record
Name of locality
Grid reference
number of golden plover
number of lapwings
Notes (feeding, roosting, type of habitat, other species present
Forms are available -I can provide photocopies. Please send results back via myself so we can keep a copy locally. Before undertaking a national survey BTO are carrying out intensive work in areas where both species occur to obtain a better understanding of how wintering flocks behave. Help is required to make regular (monthly or more frequent counts) within an area chosen by you because the birds are there. If you would like to join in this work write to Simon Gillings, British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU as soon as possible as the survey runs from October to March.

More information:

Fuller, Rob & Gillings Simon 1998 Casual records for wintering golden plover and lapwing are required. BTO News 218 (Sept-Oct 1998)

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 12

RECORDS OF MARBLED WHITE MELANARGIA GALATHEA

by Geoff Trevis

riar Hill Coppice and the Droitwich Community Woodland have supported a thriving colony of Marbled Whites for many years. In 1996 and 1997 counts were in the hundreds. 1998 has been disastrous. This year not a single specimen has been recorded. I assume this has been due to the unusual weather with the very warm spell in February followed by a return to very cold conditions in early spring.

However, I have been interested in casual reports of this species turning up m places where it has not previously been recorded. For example, I have myself seen a few specimens on the road verges outside the Alexandra Hospital Redditch, which I have been recording for the 12 years since I moved there from the old hospital at Bromsgrove. These are the first records of this species at the site. I mentioned this on a few occasions and have since received more reports of Marbled Whites in new locations. I would be interested to gather additional data and if anyone can help I would like to know where the species has been seen, if it is an old or new site and, if possible, a rough estimate of numbers. Should the general picture be one of established colonies continuing to thrive I will have to look for an alternative explanation for the loss at Briar Hill.

Information can be left for me at Lower Smite Farm.

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 14

MOLE CRICKET

By Harry Green

In Worcestershire Record number 2 April 1997 pages 8-9 we published a national request for information about mole crickets, a fast disappearing species. There was mention of recent records near Pershore and very recent records near Malvern.

I though it would be interesting to check the Worcs BRC to see if any old records had been entered and on so doing I was very pleased to find a record (the only one) for 1902 with reference to the Transactions of the Worcestershire Naturalists Club 22nd May 1902. I dug out the old Transactions and found a report of a field meeting to “Stanford Park, Tenbury, Broadheath, and Hanley Dingle” It says “…..the members started from the Victoria Institute, Worcester, at 10.15; the President having previously exhibited to members some nice examples of Gryllotalpa vulgaris (the Mole Cricket) which he had that morning received from The Worthys’, Kings Worthy, near WINCHESTER. It was, as they all knew, a destructive Orthopteron to the roots of plants, and well deserved its name from the heaps it caused and the configuration of the insect’s forelegs. The carriages then conveyed members through Hallow, Holt……….”

Unfortunately, this record had been mis-entered as a true Worcestershire record at Stanford! Perhaps a temporary lapse of concentration by a bored person on a Man Power Services team?

In trying to trace the Pershore records John Meiklejohn spoke to national recorders and obtained the information that the observations had been made by one Dr RW Paine. It so happened that I knew Dick Paine, lately of Worcester Royal Infirmary, who had retired a good few years ago to the sunny climes of Devon, and I had his address because he had written to me when I retired not so long ago! I wrote to him He replied:

“Alas, I have not kept my notes or correspondence re Mole Crickets – so will have to rely on recollection. My first encounter was a dusk on a warm summer evening in 1975 at 85 High Street, Pershore (where we lived at the time) when a loud persistent stridulation was audible in the house. I went into the garden to seek the source of the sound which was difficult to localise, but eventually located a large insect on the external wall of the kitchen where I examined it closely over 20 minutes or so. Subsequent study of insect reference books led to its identification. I heard the same stridulation on subsequent warm evenings in 1975.

In 1976 we build a new house at Wyre Piddle on the site of an old farmyard at Avonbank Farm, adjacent to the river. The identical stridulation was regularly heard from 1976 to the mid-1980s, but not thereafter, usually starting at dusk and continuing until quite dark, but I did not see the insects. I wonder whether its disappearance was due to the change of management of the large meadow across the river at Wyre – from semi-permanent grass, followed by turf-stripping, and subsequent cereal monoculture. Brown hares and barn owls were regularly seen when it was under grass, but not subsequently..

Also! I did not photograph the Pershore insect nor tape record the Wyre insects. I was not really aware of its significance until after the publication of my short note in The Countryman when Dr Haes wrote to me from retirement in Cornwall – he felt there might be a small relict population in the Avon Valley – only then did I realise its significance and rarity”

Despite a couple of forays round Pershore in 1998 by John Meiklejohn, and Gary & Nicki Farmer no recent records of mole crickets have been forthcoming.

I have not been able to locate any information about the supposed Malvern records.. If anyone has information we should like to know.

Marshall & Haes (1988) say that Mole Crickets were widespread in Britain before extensive land drainage in 17th & 18th C destroyed much suitable habitat. These insects spend several years burrowing in wet soil. Males produce their distinctive nocturnal stridulation at burrow entrances on warm nights in early spring and summer. It is normally a wetland insect confined to water meadows and wet heathlands.

Is there some corner of Worcestershire where Mole Crickets still occur – perhaps in a hidden patch of wet meadow along the rivers or in Longdon Marsh? They are now extremely rare and endangered insects . Can you find any?

Reference:

MARSHALL JA & HAES ECM 1988 Grasshoppers and allied insects in Great Britain and Ireland. Harley Books

orcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 19

A MOUSE IN YOUR HOUSE

Aidan Marsh

The Mammal Society is launching a new questionnaire designed to help us learn more about which mice enter our homes and why. “A Mouse In Your House?” is short, straightforward and very simple to fill in. If you have any mice in your house, whatever the species, we would like you to take part.

The questionnaire has been inspired by The Mammal Society’s National Yellow-Necked Mouse Survey where many people have been writing in to report having this species in their homes. The wood mouse is probably the commonest household intruder, although some of you will have identified other visitors such as the house mouse or yellow-necked mouse, particularly those of you with cats! We want to establish how common these species are in our homes, which houses they are most likely to occupy and whether or not patterns of house occupancy are similar across the country.

While the wood mouse and house mouse are found throughout Britain, the distribution of the yellow-necked mouse is an enduring enigma. Predominantly a woodland rodent, the yellow-necked mouse is found along the Welsh border, and in southern and south-eastern England. However, the species is noticeably absent from the far south-west, and from central and north areas. While the yellow-necked mouse is of particular interest (results from the national survey will be available next spring) the questionnaire will explore the importance of all three species and it is vital we have a good response from all areas of the county.

Maybe you see mice in your house, maybe your cat catches them, maybe you use the occasional snap trap in the kitchen, or maybe you catch them in live-traps and remove them. Whatever your experience with mice in your home, we would like you to fill in one of our questionnaires. Please send for a questionnaire to the address below enclosing a stamped addressed envelope.

A Mouse In Your House? The Mammal Society, 15 Cloisters House, 8 Battersea Park Road, London SW8 4BG

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 21

NIGHTINGALES IN WORCESTERSHIRE, SUMMER 1998

G H Green

Following public appeals etc. the following records were received during 1998. It is noticeable that the records are nearly all in the south of the county. and along the Gloucestershire border. The one exception is the Redditch record. All the central and northern woods are now without nightingales. 25 years ago the 10×10 km square SO95, which includes Trench Wood and all the neighbouring woods, was the county stronghold with at least 50 pairs – now there are none. The county strongholds are now Langdale Wood adjacent to the Three Counties Show Ground, and new scrub habitat near Strensham Sludge Pits.

 

Grid reference Name of site Number of singing males 1998 Remarks
SO 776473 Assarts Road, Malvern Wells 1  
SO 790430 Langdale Wood, Malvern 10, possibly more
SO 791396 Castlemorton Common 1
SO 778395 Castlemorton Common 1
SO 829485 Old Hills, Callow End, Worcester 1 Regular site for years
SO 878452 High Green 1
SO 880315 The Boat House Lower Lode Lane, Tewkesbury 1 Glos
SO 887337 (approx) near Tewkesbury 1 Glos
SO 893427 Marsh Covert near Baughton 3
SO 898478 Narrow Wood, Wadborough 1
SO 911409 North Covert, Stdensham 1
SO 913481 near Caldwell Mill, Wadborough 1
SO 918400 Stdensham Sludge PITS 5
SO 924433 Defford 1
SO 793316 Gadbury Bank, Eldersfield 2 (possibly 4) Up to 8 in past
SO 887475 near Croome Court 1
SO 914477 Deerfold Wood, Wadborough 1
SP 054362 Wormington Brake 3 (6 last year – 1997) Glos
SP 060361 Laverton Meadow Farm, Broadway 1 Glos
SP 061663 Ipsley Pool, Redditch 1
SP 064366 Rushbrook Wood, Broadway 1 Glos
SP 079374 Peasmore Farm, Childswickham 1
SP 095396 Collin Lane, near Broadway 1
SP 095393 Collin Lane, near Broadway 1

Table 1. Sites from which records were received during 1998

 

10×10 km square (or part) 1976 1980 1998
SO 56 1 0 0
SO 66 0 0 0
SO 73 2 0 4
SO 74 6 3 11
SO 75 2 0 0
SO 76 1 0 0
SO 77 0 0 0
SO 83 1 0 2
SO 84 2 9 7
SO 85 0 0 0
SO 86 3 5 0
SO 87 1 0 0
SO 93 0 0 0
SO 94 10 14 9
SO 95 50 24 0
SO 96 2 8 0
SO 97 0 0 0
SP 03 6 6 8
SP 04 0 1 0
SP 05 1 10 0
SP 06 1
SP 07 0
SP 13 0
SP 14 0

Table 2. Numbers of nightingales recorded in 10×10 km squares during the BTO 1976 and 1980 surveys, and reported in 1998

Table 2 gives the results of the BTO surveys in 1976 and 1980 together with the response to a general appeal for records of nightingales in 1998. The totals in the survey reports, Hudson (1979) and Davies (1982). are slightly different because the BTO received some information which escaped me, and Worcester & Hereford were lumped together, and slightly different boundaries were used. The downward trend remains the same and actually appears greater from the survey reports. These results with illustrative maps were published in Worcestershire Wildlife News (Green 1994)

Although considerable efforts were made in the two BTO surveys it is likely that the totals are lower than the actual numbers of birds simply because it was difficult to visit every likely site in early summer in one year. Similarly the 1998 results are from a simple appeal for information made in Worcestershire Wildlife News, Worcestershire Record, and through press releases taken up by the media and local radio. The media take-up was good because we made use of the BTO’s National Nightingale Appeal to gain publicity. It is quite likely than the actual county coverage was better in 1998 that in the earlier years! In 1993 I guessed a population of about 20 pairs but 1998 rseults suggests a somewhat better situation.

In 1976 SO 95 way a key square with nightingales in most of the woods. In 1980 best woods were Trench (9), Goosehill (8), Grafton (6), Round Hill (5), Old Yew Hill Wood (5), Tiddesley Wood (9).

It is obvious that the county’s nightingale population, as estimated by singing males, has decreased by at least half over the 22 year period. Nightingales were once much commoner in Worcestershire but have long been less frequent in the NW and W of the Severn. They have gradually decreased, disappearing first from the N and W. In this context is interesting to quote Harthan’s comments:

 

from The Birds of Worcestershire published 1946

86. NIGHTINGALE. Luscinia megarhyncha megarhyncha Brehm.
A summer resident which is not so widely distributed as formerly. Tomes wrote in 1900 that “the Nightingale is plentiful in the valleys of the Severn, Avon and the Teme, and such parts of their tributaries as run through low and fertile places; the higher and comparatively barren region of the county are not frequented by this un-rivalled songster. But in even the most favoured spots the number of Nightingales varies greatly from year to year.” As Worcestershire lies at the western limits to which the Nightingale extends, it is riot surprising that the number of birds should vary. It is found in the southern parts of the county up to a line running from Bewdley in the west to Redditch in the east. It is uncommon west of the Severn and between Worcester and Kidderminster its distribution is very patchy. The Nightingale is most abundant in the low hills that extend from the Lenches, north of Evesham to Feckenham, thence westwards to Bromsgrove. It is also fairly common near the Severn below Worcester, but strangely scarce around Bredon Hill. In May 1934 1 counted singing birds in an area of 5 by 4 miles in the Lenches. Thirty were heard in bushy land fringing woods, five in rough gardens, and six in roadside spinneys. In the north-west upland the Nightingale is rare. Thirty years ago there were 8-10 pairs in Wolverly parish but now not more than one (Beeston). It is said to occur rarely at Stanford on Teme, and is unknown around Tenbury further west. A century ago the Nightingale was said ” to abound in the parish of Great Witley.” In 1911 the Nightingale was thought to be increasing, but the contrary has occurred. A good example of its gradual decrease is given by Mr. Grubb, from Alvechurch, who writes, ” From 1900-1910 it was not uncommon to hear four or five birds singing from my garden. A pair always nested in Cocks Croft Wood, two or sometimes three pairs in a spinney at Withybed Green, another pair in Scorsfields Dingle (near Alvechurch Station), and others in pits and spinneys between there and Tardebigge. There was always a nest between Lower and Upper Bittell, and sometimes another near the Arrow Pools. Before I left the district in 1924 I think all these had gone, but the process was gradual.” Thus, the Nightingale has disappeared from many of its old haunts around the Lickey Hills, and also in the built-up areas north of Stourport on Severn; elsewhere it probably occurs as frequently as in 1900.

from A revised list of Worcestershire birds 1961

203.-Nightingale. Numbers vary each year, but has decreased since 1946. Commonest cast of the Severn, but 14 heard singing in an area of 4 square miles around Great Witley in 1948, when only one pair was found in Wyre forest some ten miles further north.

A census of nightingales in South Worcestershire in 1934

[The following evocation of Worcestershire in the early 1930’s brings me near to tears – think what we have lost! – Ed]

During May 1934 I made a careful census of singing nightingales in a rectangular area approximately 5×4 miles, including some 12,000 acres. The area is NW of Evesham in South Worcestershire comprising the south portion of low hills rising to 300 feet, which extend from Birmingham and lie between the Severn and Avon valleys. Geologically the country consists of Blue Lias clay with surface drift of Keuper Marls. The steep banks facing the river valleys are wooded with oak as the predominant tree, and skirted with thickets of low bushes with thorn and gorse.

The are contains about 1,000 acres of woodland, represented by ten large woods and fourteen spinneys under one acre in area. The thorny scrubland surrounding the wooded hill slopes is about 300 acres. Probably two-thirds of the land under farming is pasture.

Altogether forty nightingales were heard singing. Each bird was checked three times between May 4th-25th and many were checked more often. The following details of distribution were noted:

Thirty birds in scrubland and gorse bushes
Five birds in gardens attached to houses. One garden lies in the centre of a village, and this is the first year nightingales (two) have been heard there.
Five birds in roadside spinneys under one acre in area
Nineteen birds sang from territories adjacent to streams of running water. The others were short distances from pools of stagnant water which, I imagine, dry up quickly.

Divided into categories there appear to be:

 

In the whole area – one nightingale in 300 acres
In woodland in any adjacent thickets – one in 23 acres.
In open, thorny thickets – one in 10 acres

This suggests that, in this area, Nightingales show a very marked preference for open sunny thickets of thorn, with patches of tufty grass between. Their liking for this type of territory was shared by about a dozen nightjars and grasshopper warblers. Mention of these two latter species will, perhaps, give a better idea of the area than can be expressed in words.

Some half dozen pairs used to frequent spinney woodland bordering a small estate adjacent to the town of Evesham. As the pasture near these spinneys has been ploughed up for vegetable growing , nightingales have decreased, though the spinneys remain. One was present last year, but I have heard none this year.

It is probable that the numbers of nightingales in the area is as great, or larger, than any other area of similar size in the country, owing to the large area of derelict land they favour. Perhaps other bird watchers will undertake similar surveys to afford figures for comparison.

It was repeatedly noticed that nightingales sang during the sunset chorus of other birds, but fell silent until they began again between 10.30 and 11.30 pm.

The first survey and check of the results of results obtained was done on foot or bicycle. the third check was done by bicycle and car. All took place between 11 pm and 2.30 am. The weather was calm and the birds could be heard singing from a distance of up to half a mile. A J Harthan

Comment

These reports ad emphasis to the fact that nightingales are probably mainly scrubland rather than woodland birds. The derelict countryside of the 1930’s agricultural depression with over-grown hedges, woods with scrubby margins and rough pasture tumbling down to scrub undoubtedly suited them very well. Coppiced woodland, with which they are often associated, probably makes a reasonable alternative. These two factors explain their liking for Harris Woods (like Trench, Roundhill etc.) and woods decimated by forestry in the 1950s (like Tiddesley) For a period all these woods were mainly extensive scrublands.

The decline in Worcestershire, and England, is perhaps likely to be due to a much tidier, water-free, landscape, now virtually free of scrub and scrubby hedges, and also much drier: several thousand of the small pools found on Worcestershire maps early this century have gone. There also may be unknown large scale land-use or climatic factors at work in Europe or African winter quarters which are causing a reduction of nightingales of the NW edge of their range.

Acknowledgements

Very many thanks to everyone who sent in records for 1998 – please help again in 1999

References:

DAVIES PG 1982 Nightingales in Britain in 1980 Bird Study 29:73-79
GREEN GH 1980 Nightingales in Worcestershire. Worcestershire Nature Conservation Trust Newsletter January 1980 p5
GREEN GH 1981 Nightingales 1980. Worcestershire Nature Conservation Trust Newsletter January 1981 p5
GREEN GH 1994 Focus on nightingales. Worcestershire Wildlife News No 69:14-15 April 1994
HARTHAN AJ 1934 A census of nightingales in S Worcestershire British Birds 28:50-52.
HARTHAN AJ 1946 The Birds of Worcestershire. Worcester: Littlebury
HARTHAN AJ 1961 A revised list of Worcestershire Birds. Trans. Worcs. Nat. Club p 167
HUDSON R 1979 Nightingales in Britain in 1976 Bird Study 26:204-2`12

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 10

A RARE OIL BEETLE MELOE RUGOSUS

By David M. Green

Oil beetles are a distinctive shape (but there are some similar families) of various colours including green yellow blue (rugosus is dull black). The elytra (wing cases) in the Meloe genus of 7 or 8 UK species are unusual, as they overlap substantially on the front half and are parted towards the apex, over a bulbous abdomen as shown in drawing from Joy 1932 illustrating another species and Harde 1984.

Jake Poloni sent over a live oil beetle found in his garden in Netherton near Bredon Hill. Identification keys Joy 1932, and Buck 1954, indicated Meloe rugosus Marsham, which is rare RDB3 (Hyman and Parsons 1982) with known post-1970 distribution S Devon, E Kent, S Essex, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, E and W Gloucestershire, and Worcestershire, the latter records by Paul F Whitehead (1991)(Broadway, Bredon Hill, Cotswolds) who confirmed my identification. There is another UK similar species M. mediterraneus Mul. (Whitehead 1992) that is not in either of the keys, and is known in Britain from 19th century October records in S Essex, considered in the extinct category (Hyman and Parsons 1984), although may be an unnoticed resident. A few days after the find in Netherton, David Poloni found a similar beetle in Guiting Power, Cotswolds, in Gloucestershire, but a connection with log movements between the two sites seems unfounded, because Meloe could not remain clinging to logs during chain-sawing and then throwing into a pickup.

Meloe are sufficiently big to probably identify alive, usually 10-40mm, and worth looking out for as they are all rare, endangered, or extinct, except M. violaceus (scarce), and may be present in yet unknown localities of relict populations, left since the opening of Straits of Dover 7000 years ago (Whitehead 1991). Habitat – grassland often sheltered and south facing (requiring grazing or cutting to maintain open conditions). They seek shelter during harsher weather; are usually found in autumn; females ovipositing December in soil. They avoid predators by being toxic, by feeding on highly toxic plants such as yew (Whitehead 1991); when handled they exude toxic red haemolymph (insect blood) from joints as a deterrent, as did my specimen, hence “oil beetle”.

Meloe are parasitic: M. rugosus parasitises bees nests (mining bee Andrena, and Anthophora haemorrhoa at the colony at Broadway seem evident hosts observed Paul Whitehead 1991). Eggs are laid dug into soil, this is well known. Apparently after hatching and in warmer conditions, the larvae in this stage (triungulin – about 3 mms long) is very active in low plants, from which they hitch onto bees by gripping the hairs (possibly some unfortunately attach themselves to hairy flies – the larvae apparently reacts to any presented hair); many die during this phase, however the female lays many eggs. (Fowler 1891). Drawing of larva in Cooter 1991

Look out for this distinctive family, capture alive any found, and contact.

Acknowledgements:

Thanks to Jake Poloni for the beetle, David Poloni for the further record, and Paul F Whitehead for confirming identification.
References:

BUCK F D 1954 Coleoptera: Lagridae … Meloidae. Handbks Ident. Brit. Insects 5(9). Roy.Ento.Soc.
COOTER J 1991 A coleopterist’s handbook. 3rd edition AES
FOWLER WW 1891 The coleoptera of the british islands 5:93-5. London, Reeve.
HARDE KW 1984 A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles. London. Octopus Books.
HYMAN PS and PARSONS MS 1992 A review of the scarce and threatened Coleoptera of Great Britain 1. JNCC
HYMAN PS and PARSONS MS 1994 A review of the scarce and threatened Coleoptera of Great Britain 2. JNCC
JOY Norman H 1932 A practical handbook of British beetles 1,2. London,Witherby (reprint 1997 Classey).
WHITEHEAD Paul F 1991 The breeding population of Meloe rugosus Marsham 1802 (Coleoptera: Meloidae) at Broadway, Worcestershire, England. Elytron suppl. 5(1):225-229. Bulletin of the Euro.Assn.of Coleopterology. Barcelona
WHITEHEAD Paul F 1992 Meloe (Eurymeloe) mediterraneus Muller 1925 (Coleoptera: Meloidea) new to the British fauna. Ento.Gazette 43: 65.

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 2

WBRC ON THE WEB (This article is now very out of date)

By Martyn Hodgson

Recently, Geoff Trevis and I were discussing getting the WBRC on the World Wide Web. In a moment of madness, I said that I thought could manage something. In fact, when I thought about it further, I only had a basic idea how to start. However, I did know that my monthly subscription to Compuserve entitled me to some space on the Web. As it turned out, once I’d found the right bit of software to send my Web pages to Compuserve (which took much longer than it should have), the rest was remarkably simple (really!).

The upshot of this is that the WBRC now has a place on the World Wide Web. The site is very experimental, and unless you know where to look you won’t find it (until I find how to register the site).

The home page is at: ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/martyn_hodgson.

At present the site has the articles from previous issues of Worcestershire Record, and a few other bits and pieces. As time goes on, and with feedback from visitors I’ll modify its appearance (which is a bit basic at present) and add to its content. If you have access to the Web, please drop by and have a read. Comments (hopefully constructive ones) will be gratefully received, preferably by email to martyn_hodgson@compuserve.com.

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 3

RECORDS FOR BIODIVERSITY PRIORITY SPECIES

By Bronwen Bruce, Biodiversity Plan Officer, based at Worcestershire Wildlife Trust

Following the publication of the Worcestershire Red Data Book in December 1998 the Worcestershire Biodiversity Action Plan will be out at the start of the New Year. All counties have to take into consideration national BAP lists for species highlighted as a ‘priority’ for nature conservation/the biodiversity process in the UK. According to the Worcestershire Red Data Book the following priority species are presently found in Worcestershire (table 1) or could be found in Worcestershire (table 2).

The Biodiversity process would benefit from any further records on the species listed and particularly any records on those shown in table 2.

(Note: when these lists were originally published they were swapped around. The lists presented here are correct.)

 

FUNGI Boletus satanus devil’s bolete Nationally vulnerable beech woodland
STONEWORT Tolypella intricata tassel stonewort Endangered alkaline pools
COLEOPTERA Gnorimus nobilis noble chafer Vulnerable orchards, old timber
COLEOPTERA Limoniscus violaceus violet click beetle Endangered veteran Trees
COLEOPTERA Lucanus cervus stag beetle Nationally notable-Nb dead, partially rotted wood
LEPIDOPTERA-BUTTERFLY Argynnis adippe high brown fritillary National high priority woodlands
LEPIDOPTERA-BUTTERFLY Boloria euphrosyne pearl-bordered fritillary National high priority woodland/scrub with bracken
LEPIDOPTERA-MOTH Minoa murinata drab looper Nationally notable-Nb older woodlands on spurge
LEPIDOPTERA-MOTH Pechipogo strigilata common fan-foot Nationally notable-Nb woodland
LEPIDOPTERA-MOTH Polia bombycina pale shinning brown Locally notable calcareous open ground
LEPIDOPTERA-MOTH Rheumaptera hasta argent and sable Nationally notable-Nb coppiced and young birch woodlands
CRUSTACEAN Autropotamobius pallipes freshwater white-clawed crayfish Globally threatened clean, shingle streams
MOLLUSC Margaritifera margaritifera a freshwater pearl mussel Rare fast-flowing soft-water rivers
MOLLUSC Pisidium tenuilineatum freshwater pea muscle Rare canals/rivers
MOLLUSC Pseudanodonata complanata depressed river muscle Rare rivers
AMPHIBIAN Triturus cristatus great crested newt Nationally important ponds and surrounding vegetation
FISH Alosa alosa allis shad Nationally important rivers
FISH Alosa fallax twaite shad Nationally important rivers
BIRD Acrocephalus palustris marsh warbler High concern wet scrub/rough grassland
BIRD Alauda arvensis skylark High concern open countryside
BIRD Carduelis cannabina linnet High concern scrub/hedges/weedy fields
BIRD Coturnix coturnix quail High concern farmland
BIRD Emberiza schoeniclus reed bunting High concern wet areas/farmland
BIRD Miliaria calandra corn bunting High concern open farmland
BIRD Muscicapa striata spotted flycatcher High concern woodland, parkland, gardens
BIRD Passer montanus tree sparrow High concern throughout county
BIRD Perdix perdix grey partridge High concern farmland
BIRD Pyrrhula pyrrhula bullfinch High concern throughout county
BIRD Streptopelia turtur turtle dove High concern farmland, scrub
BIRD Turdus philomelos song thrush High concern throughout county
MAMMAL Arvicola terrestris water vole Red Data Book wetlands
MAMMAL Myotis bechsteinii Bechstein’s bat Red Data Book woodlands
MAMMAL Lepus europaeus brown hare Red Data Book farmland
MAMMAL Lutra lutra european otter Red Data Book rivers and other wetlands
MAMMAL Muscardinus avellanarius dormouse Red Data Book woodland, scrub, hedgerows
MAMMAL Pipistrellus pipistrellus Pipistrelle bat Red Data Book woodland and urban
VASCULAR PLANTS Alisma gramineum ribbon-leaved water plantain Critically endangered shallow water in pools
VASCULAR PLANTS Arabis glabra tower mustard Vulnerable on dry sandy soils
VASCULAR PLANTS Centaurea cyanus cornflower Endangered arable land
VASCULAR PLANTS Dianthus armeria Deptford pink Vulnerable dry pastures
VASCULAR PLANTS Fumaria purpurea purple rampling-fumitory Nationally scarce arable land/hedge banks
VASCULAR PLANTS Gentianella anglica early gentian Nationally scarce limestone grassland
VASCULAR PLANTS Scandix pecten-veneris shepherd’s needle Nationally scarce arable land

Table 1: Priority species presently found in Worcestershire

Group Scientific name Common name RDB Status Habitat
FUNGI Hygrocybe calyotriformis pink meadow cap Nationally Vulnerable unimproved grasslands
FUNGI Hygrocybe spadicea date-coloured waxcap Nationally Vulnerable calcareous grassland
HYMENOPTERA Bombus distinguendus great yellow bumblebee Nationally notable Nb herb-rich grasslands
HYMENOPTERA Bombus humilis brown-banded bumblebee Locally notable herb-rich grasslands
HYMENOPTERA Bombus ruderatus large garden bumblebee Nationally notable Nb herb-rich grasslands
HYMENOPTERA Bombus subterraneus short-haired bumblebee Nationally notable Na herb-rich grasslands
HYMENOPTERA Bombus sylvarum shrill carder bee Nationally notable-Nb herb-rich rough grasslands
ORTHOPTERA Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa mole cricket Endangered water meadows and wet heathland.
COLEOPTERA Byctiscus populi a leaf-rolling weavil Rare associated with poplars and aspen
COLEOPTERA Cicindela sylvatica heath tiger beetle Nationally notable Na sandy soil in heathland or conifers
COLEOPTERA Donica bicolora a reed beetle Vulnerable associated with branched bur-reed
LEPIDOPTERA-MOTH Cosmia diffinis white-spotted pinion Nationally notable-Nb large trees, particularly elms
LEPIDOPTERA-MOTH Hypena rostralis buttoned snout Nationally notable-Nb on hops
LEPIDOPTERA-MOTH Trichopteryx polycommata barred toothed stripe Nationally Notable-Na on wild privet
DIPTERA Asilus crabronformis hornet robber fly Notable on herbivore dung in grasslands
MOLLUSC Segmentina nitida shinning ram’s-horn snail Endangered small weedy ponds/drainage ditches
MOLLUSC Vertigo moulinsiana Desmoulin’s whorl snail Rare calcareous wetlands
VASCULAR PLANTS Mentha pulegium Pennyroyal Vulnerable ephemeral pools

Table 2: Priority species not presently found in Worcestershire

Whilst some groups such as birds and vascular plants are pretty well covered others, most notably the Hymenoptera, are not. Most Hymenoptera RDB records are from the Devil’s Spittleful and Hartlebury Common nature reserves: the rest of the county is seriously under-represented. The bee species listed have not been seen since 1979, most records are probably from the 1950s. All bumble bees (Bombus) have declined in this time, but it is possible that important populations of the bee species listed in table 1 may be found within the county and it is particularly important to note any records of these and other national RDB bee species.

The Hornet Robber Fly has been seen recently in 1996 but only ever at this one site and not since. This is included as it could occur in other suitable sites in the north-west of the county but may be over-looked. The Devil’s Bolete has not been seen since the turn of the century but is still included in table 1 as the fruiting body does not appear every year, therefore it is a fungus species which could be over-looked. Other species such as the white-spotted pinion moth that favours large elm trees and pennyroyal, last seen in a pool at Castlemorton Common, are probably extinct, but you never can tell if someone will find a species, sometimes in a habitat you’d least expect it.

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 15

DIPTERA – SOME SCARCE FLIES RECENTLY IN WORCESTERSHIRE

David M. Green

Hoverfly – Herringia (Neocnemodon) brevidens (Egger)(Syrphidae) – Bishops Wood, near Stourport-on-Severn – June 1998. Hover fly course.

Hoverflies in the woodland were identified using Alan Stubbs (1983, 1996) – all were widespread common species. At the end of the day we caught more flies to take home. Hoverflies are noted for their bright markings, but there are some genera of smallish blackish flies that for this reason are less recorded. A possible way of finding them is general sweeping with a net in rideside vegetation with flowers; – of those captured I identified a male Heringia (Neocnemodon) brevidens, the male distinguished by a small tab on the basi-tarsus of forleg see drawing from Stubbs & Falk). A key to the male genitalia (Speight & Smith 1975) helped confirm identification. A seldom recorded species, probably under-recorded, national category Notable (scarce), possibly reflecting that under-recording, rather than rarity, provides few records. The draft UK hoverfly atlas states records post-1960 in only seven 10x10km squares (Alan E. Stubbs pers comm 1998). Stubbs (1983) gives records: 1949, on flowers in SW London; a park with a pond, N London; 1983, a wood in Warwickshire (P. Withers). Nearest known site to Worcestershire is Solihull, Birmingham (draft atlas). Larvae of Heringia (that now includes Neocnemodon as a subgenus, not a genus) are predaceous on arboreal aphids on Ulmus, Populus, & Malus according to Rotheray 1993. Rearangement of genera reflects a trend for groupings of species and genera based on the immature stages of flies, as well as on the adult forms that were described relatively long ago, before the larvae were taxonomicised. Chandler 1998, Diptera check list, just published, gives name Heringia (Neocnemodon) brevidens (Egger 1865), as a species added to the British list by Stubbs 1980.

Crane fly – Limonia masoni (Edwards) Limoniidae – Tiddesley Wood, Pershore – late May 1998.

A visit to the south end of Tiddesly wood, which probably involved some general sweeping within the trees and shrubs (the wood is opening out at ground level naturally over the years) resulted in a small very shining brown and black crane fly, with wings slightly yellow at the leading edge, with also three small brown spots along this edge (more or less) and tip of the wing narrowly black. Allan Stubbs 1998 test key to Limoniinae describes it as an extra-smart species, and the key indicated Limonia masoni (Edwards), a rare, RDB3 species, that Alan Stubbs has just confirmed. A fly of alkaline soils.

Crane fly – Tipula helvola Loew (Tipulidae) – Mill Meadow, Drakes Broughton – late June 1998.

I often visit this small meadow, that is almost boggy at one end, enclosed on three sides with limited woodland, with a small pond. There are some small oaks that have been pollarded by WWT at about 1.5m (to keep the small meadow open); some have died from this treatment and the fungi is a source of beetles, while others have become micropollards. In Worcestershire, and Britain generally I would think, meadows surrounded by woodland are uncommon, and are interesting conservation features. Black Meadow in Chadesley Woods, which I saw this spring teaming with insects, would be worth surveying in detail. At Mill Meadow I probably found the female fly on tall nettles near the pond; I took it home and did not clearly identify it at the time, and largely forgot about it, which was easily done because it was nondescript, of average size, lacking in character, until I showed my collection to Alan Stubbs last week & he pointed out it was Tipula helvola, a notable species, that is mentioned next.

Crane fly – Tipula helvola Loew (Tipulidae) – at a moth trap on Craycombe Hill, near Evesham – June 1998.

A mainly mixed wooded hill with some garden ponds near Wood Norton, near Evesham. As well as moths, flies are attracted to light, but most of them, apart from a limited number of usually the larger crane flies, fail to become trapped within the trap because they fly around the light on the top or find their way out even if they do enter inside, unless the trap is fitted with a fan. However we were using ordinary moth traps, and I pooted a selection of flies from around the light and we netted a few crane flies – hence 26 species of fly of 14 families;- including a male Tipula helvola Loew (Tipulidae), a notable (JNCC 1997, Falk 1991) species of nondescript appearance, of average size, with the identifying feature of a whitish blister-like swelling of certain size on the genitalia. Alan Stubbs’ test keys (Stubbs [?]) enabled accurate identification. The old RES key Coe 1950 contains some alternative description but more persistence is required to come to a less certain conclusion. Because of drab nondescript appearance this fly is possibly under-recorded. There are 17 post-1960 sites (S England, Kent & Cornwall, to as far north as Wiltshire, and sites in N Wales)(Alan Stubbs pers. com.); appears associated with gravelly soils; and the larvae are thought to be in dry soil; somewhat unusual for a crane fly (Falk 1991); but I have found this species at Mill Meadow, which is a rather damp area so perhaps the habitat of this fly is wider-ranging. Has not been recorded around this part of England before. Light trap fly surveying is a little-used technique. I have yet to compare the Malaise fly trap (a tent like structure) with the light-suction trap. Next year I am planning to suspend a light suction trap in woodland canopy. Light traps with fan-suction are also good for lightweight micromoths I have observed, because unlike typical Noctuids, micromoths do not immediately dive down the funnel without the force of air flow.

Acalypterate fly – Sapromyza bipunctata Meigan (Lauxanidae) – church-side footpath to Grafton Wood – early August

Intending to beat insects out of vegetation inside the wood. Fortunately forceful beating broke the stick down to about 30cm – suitable for beating mixed hedges around fields around the wood. Maximum yield was in south facing corners. Technique is to press the beating tray into the hedge someway down from the top, and hit the hedge above. Organic debris and invertebrates fall onto the tray; many flies fly, but one noticeable specimen fell onto the tray & sat there, as perhaps characteristic of many Lauxanidae, that seem often reluctant to fly; possibly they are more active at night. Some of them are pale and obvious and found immobile on leaves. This species was Sapromyza bipunctata Mg., according to use of Colin 1947 (key), and very local, with records Cambs, Suffolk (common at edge of Breck district), and Essex only according to this old key. Now considered Notable (JNCC 1997, Falk 1991); quite possibly under-recorded through disinterest. Larvae of some known to mine dead leaves, a special case of the primitive compost feeding larvae (Oldroyd 1964). Adults generally quiet living in shady conditions (Colyer & Hammond 1968). Of genus Sapromyza, apicalis (R-D) reared from garden earth; basalis Zet. from leaf litter; obsoleta Fall. from rotting vegetable matter; sordida Haliday from wrens’ nests. Lauxanidae worldwide – 1500 species; Britain – 46 species. None appear to have any economic importance, an explanation of entomological neglect of a large family. (Smith 1989.)

Hover fly – Rhingia rostrata (L) – Tiddesley Wood, Pershore – late September 1998.

Harry Green found two hover flies with orange-brown abdomens, & projecting conical lower faces (for feeding in tubular flowers). The usual key Stubbs 1983 indicated Rhingia rostrata (L.)(notable = scarce), and Rhingia campestris (Meigan)(widespread). The separation of the species is that the very edge of the side of the abdomen of rostrata lacks any black line. R. rostrata used to be considered RDB2 and vulnerable (Shirt 1987), but is not as rare as first thought. The Wealden counties, S. Chilterns, and parts of Wales are among the areas with moderate numbers of records; usually seen September; and is double brooded (Stubbs 1996). R. campestris breeds in cow dung as described by Coe 1942 who followed the life history. The adults oviposit onto the undersurface of small plants such as clover overhanging fresh dung, the eggs hatch, and the larvae creep down onto the dung surface, or drop down if there is a gap, and search for a crevice in the crust, and live and feed within the pat, finally pupating in the tangled roots at the base of the dung remains. However R. campestris is found so far from cow dung that there seems reason to believe alternative food for the larvae is used. Collecting badger dung might reveal something and possibly even R. rostrata.

Acknowledgement

Thanks to Alan E Stubbs for confirming my identifications of Sapromyza bipuctata, Tipula helvola, Limonia masoni, & providing information on T. helvola & Heringia (Neocnemodon) brevidens.
References:

CHANDLER Peter J 1998 Diptera. Checklists of insects of the British Isles (1). Handbk Ident.Br.Insects 12(1). RES
COE RL 1950. COE RL, FREEMAN Paul, MATTINGLY PF. 1950 Nematocera: Tipulidae to Chironomidae. Diptera (2) Handbk. Ident.Br.Insects 9(2). RES
COE RL 1942 Rhingia campestris Meigen (Dipt., Syrphidae): an account of its life history & descriptions of the early stages. Ent. mon. Mag 78:121-30
COLLIN JE 1947 A short synopsis of the British Sapromyzidae (Diptera). Trans. Roy. Ent. Soc. Lond. 99: 225-42
COLYER Charles N & HAMMOND Cyril O 1968 Flies of the British Isles. Frederick Warne & Co.
FALK Steven 1992 A review of the scarce and threatened flies of Great Britain (1). Research and survey in nature conservation 39. NCC.
JNCC 1997 Recorder 3.2 [Database software for species recording]. JNCC
OLDROYD Harold 1964 The natural history of flies. The world naturalist. Weidenfield & Nicolson, London.
ROTHERAY Graham E 1993 Colour guide to hoverfly larvae (Diptera, Syrphidae) in Britain & Europe. Dipterists Digest 9. Derek Whitely, Sheffield. ISSN 0853 7260
SPEIGHT MCD & SMITH KGV 1975 A key to males of the British species of Neocnemodon Goffe (Dipt.: Syrphidae). Entomologists Record 87:150-3.
SMITH KGV 1989 An introduction to the immature stages of British flies. Diptera (14). Handbks Ident.Br,Insects 10(14). RES
STUBBS Alan E & FALK SA 1983 British Hoverflies. BENHS
STUBBS Alan E 1996 British Hoverflies. second supplement. BENHS.
STUBBS Alan E 1998 Test key to subfamily Limoniinae. Cranefly recording scheme. [With] Bulletin of Dipterist Forum 43.
STUBBS Alan E [????] Keys to Tipulidae [test]. Crane fly recording scheme. [With] Bulletin of Dipterists Forum [?] Abbreviations:

BENHS – British Natural History & Entomological Society.
JNCC – Joint Nature Conservation Committee; NCC – Nature Conservancy Council.
RES – Royal Entomological Soc.

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 17

RECORDS FOR PHOLCUS PHALANGIOIDES, THE DADDY LONGLEGS SPIDER 1998

John Partridge

Many thanks to all those people who have sent in records is response to my appeal. When I started this search, we had three county records, and I had expected to find some sort of north-south divide in the distribution. As you can see from the map, there is probably not a divide at all, with the spider being distributed all over the county, although we still need more records to show this convincingly. As well as being found in houses, we have records from a school, two pubs, a garden centre, and Stanbrook Abbey – so there are plenty of places to look. If we have recorders in the empty areas, please keep your eyes open, or I may have to go on a prolonged tour of public houses to fill in the gaps! Some evidence has appeared that the spider can travel in furniture, having been found in a desk, and under a table.

Thanks to David Oakley for the only county record of Scytodes thoracica, in Redditch in 1971. No reports have been received of any of the other spiders listed in the last newsletter (April 1998).

Please send your records to me: John Partridge.

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 16

THE RESULTS FROM THE GREAT STAG BEETLE HUNT IN WORCESTERSHIRE

Bronwen Bruce

Biodiversity Action Plan Officer

The public survey for the stag beetle, Lucanus cervus carried out in the summer of this year was quite a success! After agreeing to co-ordinate the survey locally on behalf of the People’s Trust for Endangered Species I was amazed at the response I got to requests for records. The last BRC record for the species was in 1990 at Upton-upon-Severn and not surprisingly most of the records came from here. However the staff at the Worcestershire Woods Countryside Centre let me know about records from Perry and Nunnery Woods, these were identified by the country park staff as definitely stag beetles. Other likely Worcester records include a log pile within a school grounds.

Many of the Upton records were confirmed by people sending in whole or parts of dead beetles. There seemed too many records for the beetles to be emerging from one specific site such as a single tree stump so in August Harry Green and I followed up the records by meeting some eye witnesses to try and determine where the beetles were emerging from.

The records seem to come form two distinct areas so may represent two distinct colonies. The first centres around the Parish Church with adults emerging from rotting stumps in gardens and from deadwood in the old hedgerow that runs along back alleys and the allotment. It is possible that larvae may be present in large copper beeches, horse chestnuts and a large robinia tree in the area. As you may have guessed stag beetles are not fussy about whether the tree is indigenous to England just so long as it is partially rotted/colonised by fungi.

The second area used to incorporate extensive allotments, a walnut orchard and grounds of the Old Hall and stable block (dating back to the 1770s). It is possible that the two populations were linked, but since this second area is now a housing estate the stag beetle population is hanging on to the old remaining wood features. Stag beetles have been seen emerging from an old beech stump in front of the Old Hall (now flats) and from holly tree logs taken from the village boundary hedge (now in a garden). Other habitat possibilities include in a mature Evergreen Oak Pollard (near the Beech Stump) and along the boundary hedgerow (where the holly logs came from).

Next year we hope to focus recording on Worcester to try and find out where the adults are emerging form, and in countryside surrounding Upton. The Upton records do come from rather urban areas where it would be easy to spot the Stag Beetle, but the beetles may have been overlooked in suitable habitats close to Upton.

This year there were also isolated sightings from Pinvin and Cleeve Prior. The recorders were confident of identification but we have no way of confirming these record without further study. Several people sent us records which were in fact probably cockchafers. We also received pupae found in rotton wood which were of the commoner Lesser Stag Beetle Dorcas parallopipedus.

Worcestershire Record No. 5 Nov 1998 p. 20

STONEWORT UPDATE

Bert Reid

In the last Worcestershire Record I reported finding Tolypella intricate, tassel stonewort, between Church Farm and Grafton Wood. I sent a specimen to Nick Stewart, the national referee and have had a reply confirming my provisional identification.

Tassel stonewort is a rare plant of sporadic appearance in Britain. It is on the ‘Mddle List” of the government’s Steering Group Report on Biodiversity and has been the subject of a 1998 survey of all its more recent sites, organised by Plantlife. The current status is one site in the Inglestone Common area of Gloucestershire with about seven colonies, one site in Cambridgeshire with four colonies, one site in Suffolk with only two plants and one Norfolk site in 1996 but not found in 1998. So the Worcestershire site is the fifth extant record with all of the populations small.

The Worcestershire site is a small pond only about 15m. x 5m. and when I returned on July 11th I found that it had completely dried out and was just a large cattle-trampled mud patch. This probably suits the tassel stonewort, which behaves as a winter or spring annual producing ripe spores as early as April or May. The drying out in summer will reduce competition from aquatic macrophytes and help the population to survive.

Tassel stonewort (or other Tolypella species) may well exist elsewhere in the County. The pool in which I found it is not an obviously rich plant site and botanists tend to look at water habitats later in the year when Tolypella has long disappeared. I hope that at least some of you will keep an eye open next spring and send me any stoneworts you may find. Just pop a handful in a plastic bag, seal it and send it to me at WBRC.