Shropshire Entomology – April 2011 (No.3) A bi-annual newsletter focussing upon the study of insects and other invertebrates in the county of Shropshire (V.C. 40) April 2010 (Vol. 3) Editor: Pete Boardman [email protected] ~ Welcome ~ Welcome to the 3rd edition of the Shropshire Entomology newsletter. By the time you receive this the recording season should be under way and hopefully those cold and miserable winter days will be but a mere memory. Also underway will be the Invertebrate challenge programme of training days, a three year project funded by The Heritage Lottery Fund and The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, which will be running around 100 events in total concentrating on the identification of some of Shropshire’s most under-recorded and under-studied invertebrates. It will also enable Shropshire Entomology to continue for the next three years, as well as enable my involvement with the SEDN as manager of the invertebrate database. Many thanks once more to everyone who has contributed to this edition. It can only function as a ‘newsletter’ if people contribute articles of news and views, so please do consider submitting articles that relate to entomology in Shropshire or entomology in general. The deadline for submission of content for Vol. 4 is Friday 16th September 2011. Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to anyone you feel might be interested in it. Note – past newsletters will soon be able to be downloaded as PDF’s from www.invertebrate-challenge.org.uk. ~ Contents ~ The Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum coerulescens (Fabricius, 1798) on the Long Mynd : Caroline Uff Solitary Wasps in Shropshire – Part 1 : Ian Cheeseborough ‘The unkindest cut of all’ : ‘Rear Moth’ Pantilius tunicatus (Fabricius, 1871) in Shropshire : Pete Boardman The hoverfly Platycheirus discimanus (Loew, 1871) discovered in Shropshire : Nigel Jones Welcome to the new Shropshire County Recorder for Odonata : Sue McLamb The Bilberry Bumblebee Bombus monticola (Smith) on the Long Mynd : David Williams Hunting for tigers in Shropshire! Nephrotoma crocata (Linnaeus, 1758) : Pete Boardman Will the Alder Leaf beetle Agelastica alni (Linnaeus, 1758) be new to Shropshire in 2011? : Don Stenhouse Preserving insect specimens – an unusual solution: Nigel Jones Update on the SEDN database : Pete Boardman A record of the nationally scarce bark beetle Hylesinus orni Fuchs, 1906 from Acton Scott during 2010 : Don Stenhouse Entomology for girls : Morgan Bowers A further record of the Guelder-Rose Leaf Beetle Pyrrhalta viburni (Paykull, 1799) in Shropshire : Pete Boardman The RDB2 cranefly Arctoconopa melampodia (Loew, 1873) new to Shropshire : Pete Boardman A review of the 2nd Annual Shropshire Entomology Day : Pete Boardman What’s in your carpets? : Pete Boardman The County Recorder network Dates for your diary 1 Shropshire Entomology – April 2011 (No.3) The Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum meters from a public footpath, it is amazing that they have remained undiscovered for so long. It coerulescens (Fabricius, 1798) on the is only the second confirmed breeding site Long Mynd currently in the county, with a well established population at Catherton Common being the On a sunny day last July the National Trust held other (Natural Shropshire website /county a heathland flower public event on Wildmoor, recorder). Long Mynd. Whilst checking out the bog plants on a peaty runnel, we noticed some slender, The stream and associated vegetation on this pastel blue dragonflies skimming the water and small part of the Long Mynd has quite a resting on the soft rush. My first thought was distinctive character to it. Unlike other streams that some of the Black-Tailed Skimmers, known on the hill, it is quite slow flowing, with a series to breed nearby on Wildmoor pool had drifted of small shallow pools stained brown by peat (all over, but closer inspection revealed them to be of which were being used by the skimmers). the less common Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum Marsh St. John’s-wort and Marsh Violet, both of coerulescens. A second visit rewarded us with which are uncommon elsewhere on Long Mynd observations of ovipositing as well as newly wetlands, were locally frequent here, and other emerged (teneral) adults and larval shed skins species such as Sundew, Butterwort, Bog (exuviae), confirming that they were successfully Asphodel, Lousewort and Lesser Skullcap were breeding on the site. Around a dozen adults also recorded nearby. The site is surrounded by were noted. high bracken. The Keeled Skimmer has a largely western distribution nationally, and is known to favour acid pools and streams on wet heathland sites. It is hoped that this summer a more detailed study can be made of the extent of the population and the habitat characteristics of this site. Caroline Uff Solitary Wasps in Shropshire – Part 1 This article will only cover the Superfamily - Apoidea, which contain the species loosely called Orthetrum coerulescens (Caroline Uff) ‘solitary wasp’. The other two Superfamilies, Chrysidoidea Breeding Keeled Skimmers have not been (including ruby-tailed wasps) and Vespoidea recorded from the Long Mynd before. However, (including spider-hunting wasps and social a dead specimen was found in the area in 2005, wasps) will be looked at in later newsletters. suggesting that they have probably been here for some time. Given that the Long Mynd is such a Shropshire boasts a wealth of habitats which well studied site, and that they are breeding just provide a rich resource for aculeate 2 Shropshire Entomology – April 2011 (No.3) Hymenoptera - bees, wasps and ants. Of these, importance or of interest in a Shropshire context lowland and upland heath, limestone quarries, (according to our records!). sand quarries, and open woodland have proved to be the most productive. If the following resources are available at a site then there is potential for a good assemblage of species: 1. Aerial nesters require dead wood (preferably standing) or a variety of broken plant stems, along woodland edge or hedgerow in sunny, sheltered situations. 2. Soil nesters need bare ground or short turf with a southerly aspect for warmth. Philanthus triangulum at Morville Quarry (Nigel Jones) The easier it is to dig, the better. Sandy areas are perfect, a major reason why A large number of the species recorded within heathland and sand quarries are so the county are considered to be common or important. widespread, but we do have a number of 3. All wasps require suitable hunting nationally important species. The status of the grounds where their particular prey is species given, apart from the BAP species, is found – flies, aphids, spiders, bees, beetle taken from the Archer status values for Solitary larvae, moth and sawfly larvae to name a Wasps and Bees (BWARS newsletter, Autumn few. These are hunted amongst flowers, 2007). This is a more up to date account, when on the foliage of trees or on the ground compared to other publications, of what is etc. known country wide from all of the records held 4. Flowers in order to provide nectar for the by the Bee Wasp and Ant Recording Scheme active lifestyle of the adults. The prey (BWARS). taken is used to rear the larvae. Uncommon Shropshire species; It is important to remember that wasps as well as Rare. Crossocerus walkeri bees are surprisingly opportunistic and will use sites or parts of sites that do not appear to offer Scarce. Crossocerus binotatus, Pemphredon much quality at all in terms of forage or nesting. morio, Diodontus insidiosus, We have surveyed a large number of sites over Diodontus tristis and Nysson the past 10 or so years throughout the county dimidiatus. and to date have recorded a total of 121 species of wasp. (112 solitary, 9 social) Shropshire Ammophila pubescens and Of these 63 are in the Superfamily Apoidea. Philanthus triangulum. (both are The species mentioned are some of the large and as a result easy to highlights, nationally scarce or above in terms of record but are restricted to the Bridgnorth area. 3 Shropshire Entomology – April 2011 (No.3) The 121 species (2010), recorded from stocked with flies. Shropshire, compare well with what is known Crossocerus # # Generally black (16) wasps of varying from surrounding counties. The figures in sizes (some have brackets are the dates when the species lists were yellow markings) last updated. Most species prey on flies although Worcestershire 127 (2009) some collect aphids and small mayflies Staffordshire 129 (2002) etc Warwickshire 141 (2009) Ectemnius (7) # Medium to large black and yellow The British wasps are classified from wasps preying on many families of Superfamily (3) through Family (9) to Sub-family flies (22) then genera (78) and finally species. (The Lindenius (1) # Nests are stocked above classification does not include the families with small flies and Dryinidae, Embolemidae and Bethylidae). hemipteran bugs We are fortunate enough to have 51 of the 78 Entomognathus # Small black and (1) yellow wasps. genus and members from 16 of the 22 sub- Nests are stocked families! This offers the chance to study/observe with small adult the multitude of different lifestyles that make the leaf beetles wasp the most fascinating group of insects to Rhopalum (2) # Small wasps. Prey learn about. consists of small flies and Below is a table that shows 24 of the 34 genera hemipteran bugs that make up the Superfamily, Apoidea that we Oxybelus (1) # Beautifully marked have recorded in Shropshire so far. The numbers wasps associated in brackets represent the number of species. with sandy soils. Females can be seen returning to Genus Ground Aerial General their nests with nesters nesters information flies impaled on Ammophila (1) # A large red and their stings. black caterpillar Mimumesa (1) # Black wasps found hunter. The nesting in dead abdomen is very wood. Prey consists long and thin of leaf and plant Tachysphex (1) # A species which hoppers.