Leicestershire Entomotogical Socibiy

U LEICESTERSHIRE ENTOMOTOGICAL SOCIBIY

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of the LeicestershireEcology Unit LeicestershireEntomolog ical Society

INTRODUCTION

The Wildernessis a smallarea of woodlandincluded in the estateof Staunton HaroldHall in north-westLeicestershire (SK379207). As earlyas 1706a wilderness areais shownon an engravedview of StauntonHarold by Kipand "The Wilderness" is namedon the OrdnanceSurvey map of 1882which indicatesthe presenceof deciduousand coniferoustrees and marshyareas. Latein the 1950sthe areawas clearedand replantedin part with poplars. Cluesas to whatthis ancient,wet woodlandmight have been like are providedby coppicestems arising from ancient lime stoolsand occasionalyew trees. The woodlandflora is botanicallyrich and reflectsthe mapevidence that it is a siteof woodlandof someantiquity, the species presentsuggesting a moistcalcareous type. The ancientwoodland indicator speciesinclude dog's mercury, bluebell, wood anemone and primrose. Ornamental plants,such as dwarf bambooand periwinkle,have invaded. Theselatter are not controlledand in someparts of the siteare a threatto indigenousground flora.

THE1995 SURVEY

At the requestof ChrisBurnett Associates, acting on behalfof the managersof the estate,the LeicestershireEcology Unit was approachedto undertake,primarily, an invertebratesurvey of The Wilderness.The helpof membersof the Leicestershire EntomologicalSociety (which includes staff at the LeicestershireEcology Unit) was soughtin aidingthis survey work. a (- - The report presentedbelow is based upon that producedby the Leicestershire EcologyUnit for theirclient and is reproducedwith their permission.. The LES is gratefulfor this opportunityto disseminatethis datato a wideraudience as part of their policyto publishinvertebrate data in Leicestershireand Rutlandfor research purposes.

[t should be noted that the site is privatelyowned and access is only by arrangement.]

CONTRIBUTORSTO THISREPORT

Mothtraps were run by GrahamFinch, Anona Finch, Jane McPhail, Ray Morris and Adrian Russell. Beetlerecords were collectedby Derek Lott whilst other records, particularlyof the flora,were gatheredby John Mousley,Steve Grover and Jane L McPhail. l ,:i ;l '{;s :q ECOLOGICALSURVEYS OF THESITES USED FOR MOTH TRAPPING :

trapswere run in threeparts of The Wildernesson two occasions(24th June :{ Moth $ and15th July 1995) with two light traps being run on thefirst occasion and three on g the second. The surveyfor beetleswas conductedon 23rdJune 1995. Floral i surveyswere conducted on severalother occasions. The mapbelow indicates the ,d positionof the lighttraps on the sitewith the beetlesurvey area also being shown. { I

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1,2,3 Mothtrapping sites 4 Beetlesurvey area

The Wlderness, StauntonHarold t 3 Moth trap site 1: the western-mostcorner of the woodlandwith a mixtureof mature tree species.Oak is dominantwith horsechestnut, ash, yew, Norway spruce, pine andbirch. The shrublayer is dominatedby elderwith holly, hawthorn and sycamore whilstsnowberry occurs along the paths. Commonnettle is the dominantspecies in the groundflora with frequentred campion. Also presentare wood anemone, bluebell,lesser celandine, bramble and germanderspeedwell together with patches of woodmeadow grass and creepingsoft-grass. Other plants in the vicinityof the trap were enchanter'snightshade, common figwort, comfrey and ivy-leaved speedwell.Trapping took place here on bothoccasion.

Moth trap site 2: this is an area of mixedwoodland with a patchycanopy due to removalof diseasedelm trees. Speciespresent included yew, sycamore, ash and oakwith a shrublayer of hawthorn,elm scrub, young sycamore, ash, horse chestnut, elder and snowberry.In the groundflora thereare patchesof dog's mercury, ramsons,ivy, lessercelandine, bramble, garlic mustard, cuckoo pint, enchanter's nightshade,herb robert,white dead-nettle,common lime and commonnettle. Trappingwas carried out here only on24th June 1995.

Moth trap site 3: this areais at the south-easternpart of the woodand bordersthe boundaryroad. Mainlya poplarplantation with some young oak anddense elder. The groundflora is dominatedby grassesparticularly creeping soft-grass. Locally abundantor frequentare commonnettle, bramble, rosebay willowherb and dog's mercury.There is a patchof coppicedhazel with bluebelland woodanemone. Silverbirch, hawthorn, common hemp nettle, creeping soft-grass, lesser celandine and blackthornare interspersedin the hazelcoppice. Trapping took placehere on bothoccasions.

MOTHTRAP RESULTS

The total numberof mothspecies trapped at The Wildernesson the two occasions was 134 of which42 were "micro"species. The speciesrecorded were mainly t._ It commonand their presencewas to be expectedin a woodlandwith the floral diversityexhibited by The Wilderness. One species,Triaxomera fulvimitrella is the thirdspecimen for Leicestershireas far as recordsindicate (McPhail, 1993) the previousrecords being one from Leicesterin 1883(Sang 1883) and anotherby Adrian Russellfrom Great MerribleWood in 1985. For some species,The Wildernessseems to be a new localitye.g. Batialunaris, Epinotia subocellana.

Thefollowing list details the speciesrecorded at The Wildernessduring 1995.

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* 0014 Hepaialushumuli Ftequentand widesPread o

Commonand widesPread ..4 0017 Hepialuslupulinus * il 014E Nemophora degeerella FervPrevious records 0225 Triax omera fulvim itretta Third county record d - I 0246 Tinea semifulvelb Sixth countYrecord g - 0410 Argy re sthia broc keella Fifth countYrecord I ; 0425 Ypnomeuta padella ommonand widesPread l - * Ypsobpha parentesella Widespreadbut ?under-recorded 0460 il ' 0640 Batia lunaris FourthcountY site ,q .: @47 H ofm an no p hi I a pseudosprefe/Ia Commonand widesPread * 0658 Carcina quercana Commonand widesPread - 0937 Agapeta hamana Cornmonand widespred

Pandemiscerasana Commonbut westerndistribution ! 0970 .g 0972 Pandemis heparana Widespreadand common 0980 Archipsxyhsteana Southerndistribution 0989 Aphelia paleana Widespreadand frequent 0993 C/epsis speclrana Maintysouth-west and Rutland 0994 Clepsis consimiliana Widepreadand frequent 1011 P seuda rgy rotoz oa conw agana Widespreadand frequent,southern 1014 lsofnas recfrfascrana Fifth county record :a 1021 Cnephasia interjectana Widespreadand frequent E 1024 Cnephasiainceftana Fifth county record 't033 Tortrix virdana Commonand mainlywestern { 1036 Croesia Forsskabana Commonand widespread 1076 Obthreutes lacunana Commonand widespread 1083 Hedya nubiferana Widepreadand common 1086 Hedya salbella Fairlywidespread g 1093 Apotomis betuletana Frequent but westerly q 1115 Ancylisachatana Frequentbut westerly 1132 Epinotia subocellana Fourth countyrecord, third site f, 120'l Eucosma cana Commonbut southern I 1293 Chrysoteuchia culmella Commonand widespread 1302 Crambus perlella Commonand widespread ! 'I3 1304 Agtiphila straminella Commonand widespread 1 1333 Scopaia pyraleila Sixth countyrecord 1334 Scopaia ambi1ualis Commonand widesPread 1338 Dipleuina lacustrata Widespreadbut not common 1376 Eunhypara hortulata Commonand widesPread 1388 Udea lutealis Commonand widespread 1392 Udea olivalis Commonand widesPread 1405 Pleuroptya ruralis Very cornmonand widesPred 1413 Hypsopygia costatis Very commonand widespread 1428 Aphomia sociella Widespreadand common 1513 Pteroplnrus pentadactyla Commonbut mainlywesterly 1Am Phidoia potatoria Commonand widesPread !- 4 o 1652 Thyatia batis Frequentand widespread 1653 Habrosyne pyrffies Common and widespread 1654 Tethea ouhris Frequentand widespread 1666 Geometa papilionaria Frequentand widespread 1669 l'lemittpa aestivaria Frequentand widespread 1674 JodE bctearia Frequnetand widespread 1682 TMragiseata Common and widespread 1690 Scopubimitarh Frequentand widespread 1702 ldaea bbehta Frequentand widespread 1708 Haea dimkiiata Frequentand widespread 1713 Haea aversata Commonand widespread 1726 X anthorhoe quad rifa sc iata Frequentand widespread 1727 Canthorlne montanata Commonand widespread 't728 Xanthorhoe fluctuata Commonand widespread 1738 Epinhoe altemata Common and widespread 1758 Eulithis pyraliata Frequentand widespread 1762 Chbroclysta citrata Frequentand widespread 17il Chbroclysta truncata Commonand widespread 1765 Citaia fulvata Frequentand widespread 1773 Ebctrophaes corylata Commonand widespread 1776 Cohsty g ia pectinataria Commonand widespread 1777 Hydrbmena furcata Commonand widespread 1778 Hydrbmena impluviata Frequentand widespread 1802 PerZoma affinitatum Commonand widespread 1803 PerEoma abhemilkta Cornmonand widespread 1809 PerZoma didymata Cornmonand widespred 1834 Eupithecia vupata Commonand widespread 1860 Ch btoc ly stis rectangulata Frequentand widespread 1887 Lomaspilismarginata Commonand widespread 1906 Op isthognptis luteolata Very commonand widespread \} 1917 Selenia dentaria Commonand wftlespread 1921 Crocallis elinguaria Cornmonand widespread 1922 Ourapteryxsambucaria Commonand widespread 1931 Biston betularia Commonand widespread 1937 Perib atodes dnm boil aia Cornmonand widespread 'ff,d-1 Abis rcpaNata Cornmonand widespread 194:7 Ectropb bistoftata Commonand widespread 1955 Cabera pusaria Cornmonand widespread 1958 Lomographa temerata Commonand widespread 1961 Campaea margaritata Cornmonand widespread '1962 Hylaea fasciaria Frequentand widespread 1994 Phalen bucephala Commonand widespread 2000 Not&nta dromedaius Commonandwidespread 2006 Pheosia gnoma Commonand widespread 2007 Pheosia tremula Commonand widespread '11: ::iinna:.:.:.:{f .i:f .i:ii 'r iii 1:sttllFj::i:i:'ri:iffiHffi:iit:r:;i::l:::::l:r:..l;:i:.::i:j.i....:i.i:jji::.:ii:iii::il;ii.'iii:l:ii.lC 2011 Pterostomapapina Common and widespread 2030 Eupr@t'ts similis Common and widespread 2031 Leucoma salicis Frequentand widespread 2050 Eilema lurdeola Common and frequent 2061 Spilosoma luteum Commonand widespread { 2W P hr agm atob ia fu lE irp sa Frequentand widespred 1 2077 Nola cucullatella Frequentand widespread 2089 Agrotis exclamatiuis Very conmon and widespread 2098 Axylia putris Cmrmon and widespread 2102 Ochrophura pbcta Cqnmon and widespread I 2107 Noctua pronuba Very cornmonand widespread 2114 Graphiphora augur Freguentand widespread 2120 Dhrsia medica Cqnmon and widesoread 2126 Xestia c-nprum Cornmonand widespread { 2128 Xestia triangulum Frequentand widespread L 2138 AnaplectoiJesprasina Wrdespreadbut not cornmon 2160 Lacanobia obracea Cqnmon and widespread 2193 Mythimna fenago Frequentand widespread 2198 Mythimna impun Frequentand widespread 2225 Brachylomia viminalk Frequentand widespred 2278 Acronicta megacephala Frcquentand widespread 228y' ' Auonbta psi Cqnmon and widespread 2305 Euplexia lucipara Fre$pnt and widespread 2306 Phlogophora metbubsa Ccrrnon and widespread 2314 Enargia ypsilbn Frequentand widespread 2318 Cosmia trapezina Frequentand widespread 2321 Apamea monogSpha Cqrmq| and widespread 233/. Apamea sordens Canmon and widespread 2337 Oligia strigilis Cornmon ad witespread 2338 Qlpia versicobr Cqrmqr andwilespread OliTia latruncula 2339 l Frequed zd wilespread z3/'O Oli1iafasciuncula Cqnmon andwidespread 23/.5 Photedes minima Frequent ard wilespread 2381 Hopbdina alsines Ftequent and witespread 2421 Bena prasinana Freqert an

2443 Autographa jota l Frequerf and widespred 2450 Abrostola triplasia Cornmonand widespread 2469 Scolbpteryx libatrix Frequentand widespread 2477 Hypena proboscklalis Common and widespread 2489 Herminia tarsipennafis Cornmonand widespred 2492 Herminia nemoralis Common and widesoread e t BEETLERESULTS TheWilderness was visited on 23rdJune 1995 when three beetle communities were surveyed(area 4 on maP).

Beetlesite {: a wetlandcommunity associated with the seasonallydry southernend of the lake (SK380206to SK380207)surveyed by timedhand-collecting at six stations. The collectionpoints ranged from bare shadedmud at the bottomof a shallowditch through stands of yellowflag to Carexfen rightat the edgeof the lake.

The speciesrecorded at this site are typicalof undisturbedwetland habitats. In manyways it is similarto the rangeof beetlespecies which may be foundin wetfen and carr which tendsto dry out duringthe summerleaving large amounts of vegetablelitter. One of the species recorded,Cercyon convexiuscttltts, is a nationally(Nb) scarcebeetle which is widespreadin Leicestershirehaving been recordedfrom 37 1kmsquares (Lott, 1995). Bembidiondoris, however, occurs at only a few sitesin the countybeing particularly abundant at SaddingtonReservoir (Lott,1995).

Beetlesite 2: the deadwood community was surveyedby TulgrenFunnel extraction from a sampleof deadwood in a largerotten log at SK380205and by beating flowersand dead branches between SK380205 and SK380247.

Therewas a rich rangeof speciesfound in this part of the beetlesurvey with all speciesbeing both widespread and characteristicof twigsand smallbranches or logsin advancedstages of decay. Althoughthe extensivestand of poplarswas not sampled,it is likelythat as thesedecay a furtherrich assemblageof dead-wood specieswill come to light.

Beetlesite 3: the woodlandfeeders and predatorswere surveyedby beatingand sweepingalong the networkof pathsbetween SK380205 and SK380207.

The speciesrecorded at this site weretypical of such habitatswith only Dorytomus I - toftrix,a speciesassociated with poplars,being of interest. Recentrecords of this beetlehave apparently only come from Buddon Wood and PickworthGreat Wood.

The accompanyinglist of speciesindicates local rarity using a geometricindex where1 is widespreadand 64 is rare. Thisindex is basedupon the occurrenceof a speciesin 1kmsquares in Leicestershireand adjacentareas.

\- C Carabidae Agonumahipes 1 Site 1 Agonumfuli1ircsum 1 Site 1 Amara plebej 1 Site 1 ! ' Bembidbndentefum I Site 1 Bemblliondorb 16 Site 1; three other countysites Bemb*tbnlunulatum 1 Site 1 BembidbnharpahiJes 4 Site 3 q :i Elaphruscupreus Site 1 I c Ptercs{ahusminor 2 Site 1 :i Hydrophilidae Anacaenagbbulus 1 Site 1 t s Cercyonconvexiusculus Nb 2 Site 1;commonin Leicestershire i Staphylinidae Amischaforcipata 8 Site 1 Anotylusrufosus I Sile 1 Athetaelongatula . 2 Site 1 Athetafungi 1 Site 1 Athetagraminboh I Site 1

Atheta malbus .\r :. rr.r,r !,._ :zi:.,,1.!r:. 2 Site 1 Atrecus affnis 4 Site 2 Carpelimus bilineatus . 2 Site 1 Carpelimus corticinus 2 Site 1 Carpelimusmpressus 1 Site 1 Carpelimus rivuhis 1 Site 1 Chiloporata longitarsis 1 Site 2 Gabius splendidulus 4 Site 2 Lathrobium brunnipes 1 Site 1 Lesteva heeri 2 Site 1 Pachnhta nigella 4 Site 1 Phibnthus vaius 2 Site 1 Quediusmaurorufus Site 1 - *i 2 ,'" i. -, !.' 3 i. Stenus bifoveolatus 4 Site 1 Stenus bimaculatus 1 Sile't Sfenus boops 1 Site 1 Sfenus fibvpes 4 Site 1 : Stenusjuno 1 Site 1 l Scirtidae Cyphoncoarctatus 8 Site 1 t Mbrocara lesfacea 4 Site 1 Chrysomelidae Chaetocnemaconcinna 2 Site 1 Donacia simpbx I Site'l Oulema melanopa 2 Site 1 Phaedoncochbariae 2 Site 1 Histeridae Abraeusgbbosus 4 Site 2 Piiliidae Ptinetlaenabunda 4 Site 2 Elateridae Dentbollis linearis 8 Site 2 Agriotes pall*lulus 2 Site 3 Cantharidae Rhagonycha li7nosa 4 Site 3 c Chrysomelidae Chaboilestutvbomis 2 Site3 Phybtreta unduhta 4 Site3 Curculionidae Dorytomustortrix 32 Site 3 Polydrususpterygomalis 8 Site3 Scraptiidae Anasprsmaculata 2 Site2 Anasps reghnbarti 4 Site2

REFERENCES

Lott,D (1995).Lerbesfershire Red Data Books- Beefles.Leicestershire Museums, Arts& RecordsService and Leicestershire & RutlandWildlife Trust. a-j I - McPhail,J (1993).Provisional atlas of the Leicestershiremicrolepidoptera. Leicesfersh ire En to m o I og ic a I Socr'efyO cc a sion a I Pu b I i c ati ons Sen'es,7.

Sang, J (1883). Argyresthiaglaucinella near Leicester. Entomologist., 16,262.