234 NINETA INPUNCTATA (Reuter, 1894) (Neu.: Chrysopidae): A
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Ent Rec 124(5):Layout 1 04/10/2012 14:55 Page 234 234 Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 124 (2012) NINETA INPUNCTATA (rEUtEr, 1894) (nEU.: CHrYSoPidaE): a SECond BritiSH iSlES rECord 1 CHRIS R. S HoRtALL & 2 CoLIN W. P LANt 1 Insect Survey, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ. 2 14 West Road, Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 3QP. abstract the second British Isles example of Nineta inpunctata (Reuter, 1894) (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae), is reported. A minor correction is made to a published identification key. Keywords : Nineta inpunctata , British Isles, distribution. introduction A single female example of the large, green lacewing Nineta inpunctata was recently found in the sample for 23 September 2012 from a 12.2 metres (40-foot) Rothamsted Suction trap (Macaulay, 1988) at Brooms Barn, near Bury St Edmunds in West Suffolk (VC 26; o.S. grid reference tL 7565; 75 metres asl). this is only the second occurrence of this lacewing in the British Isles; the first example was also a female. discussion Nineta inpunctata was added to the British fauna by Plant (1996) on the basis of a single female at mv light in Eastend Wood, Elsenham, North Essex (VC 19: grid reference tL 5621) on 26 June 1989. Consequently, this species does not feature in the published distribution atlas of British lacewings and allies (Plant, 1994). It is apparently unknown outside the Western Palaearctic Region and is apparently rare in Europe. the latest published distribution map in Aspöck, Aspöck & Hölzel (1980), shows only eleven localities in Central Europe, involving Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary and Italy, together with four localities further north in Poland (one locality), Finland (one) and Sweden (two). Since then it has been reported from a single locality in Slovenia (Devetak, 1984) and from two in Norway (Greve, 1985) and more recently from the Rhine Valley in Germany (Schmitz, 1993), Switzerland (Duelli, 1994), Britain (Plant, 1996) and France (Canard, 1998). there are no additional data available on the Fauna Europaea web site ( www.faunaeur.org ), where the page for this species has not been updated recently. the insect is evidently scarce numerically as well as being extremely local in distribution, since almost all the reports relate to single examples and the early stages are unknown. Adults are now recorded at altitudes from 75 to 1400 metres and are considered likely to be arboreal in habit (Plant, 1996). Deciduous oaks ( Quercus spp.) feature at most capture sites. the Suffolk trap operates in an arable landscape; the nearest woodland edge is approximately 1 kilometre away, though there are small copses closer, the nearest being approximately 50 metres from the trap. the discovery of this second British example is of some interest. the locality is not especially far from that of the first example and this may indicate a resident population, existing at low population density, suggesting that the British situation Ent Rec 124(5):Layout 1 04/10/2012 14:55 Page 235 Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 124 (2012) 235 may not differ from that in mainland Europe. Perhaps the species is simply hard to record? Both examples were female and it is this sex that is most likely to disperse, including via migration. Immigrant Lepidoptera are reviewed annually in the pages of this journal and the data presented may be used to obtain an overview of the wider insect immigration picture. For the year 1989, Bretherton & Chalmers-Hunt, (1990), noted that immigrant moth numbers were small until mid-July, but then rose progressively through August and September; this statement, plus an examination of data presented, does not provide evidence for insect immigration on or just before 26 June in that year. Data for 2012 are perhaps more conclusive. there was significant immigrant moth activity in September, associated with the transatlantic depression that held tropical air and brought a selection of immigrants from the south. In particular there was a significant arrival of species such as Nomophila noctuella (D.& S.), Agrius convolvuli (L.) and Agrotis ipsilon (Hufn.) at Bawdsey, Suffolk, recorded by Matthew Deans, on the same date, 23 September, as the Suffolk inpunctata specimen (Sean Clancy, pers. comm.). recognition Plant (in Plant & Harvey, 2007), provided a modification to the keys in Plant (1997) to incorporate all of the European species of Nineta . In the light of this new specimen, however, the new couplet 17c in that corrected key requires modification by deletion of the words “ – never with reddish brown markings”. the key works well in all other respects. references Aspöck, H., Aspöck, U. & Hölzel, H., 1980. Die Neuropteren Europas . Goeke & Evers, Krefeld. Bretherton, R. F. & Chalmers-Hunt, J. M., 1990. the immigration of Lepidoptera to the British Isles in 1989. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 102 : 153-159 & 215-224. Canard, M., Cloupeau, R. & Leraut, P., 1998. Les Chrysopes du genre Nineta Navás, 1912, en France (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae). Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France . 103 : 327-336. Devetak, D., 1984. Megaloptera, Raphidioptera and Planipennia in Slovenia. Neuroptera International 3: 79-87. Duelli, P., 1994. Rote Liste der gefährdeten Netzflüger der Schweiz . In: Duelli, P. (Ed.) Rote Listen der gefährdeten Tierarten der Schweiz , p. 64-65. Bundesamt für Unwelt, Wald und Landschaft, BUWAL-Reihe Rote Listen, EDMZ, Bern, Schweiz. Greve, L., 1985. Nineta inpunctata (Reuter, 1894) in Norway (Planipennia, Chrysopidae). Neuroptera International . 3: 139-141. Macaulay, E.D.M., tatchell, G.M. & taylor, L.R. (1988) the Rothamsted Insect Survey ‘12 metre’ suction trap. Bulletin of Entomological Research , 78 , 121-129. ohm, P., 1984. Rote Liste der Netzflüger (Neuroptera). In: Blab, J., Nowak, E., trautmann, W. & Sukopp, H. (Eds) Rote Liste der gefährdeten Tiere und Pflanzen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland . Kilda Verlag: Greven. Plant, C. W., 1994. Provisional Atlas of the Neuroptera, Megaloptera, Raphidioptera and Mecoptera of the British Isles . Huntingdon, Institute of terrestrial Ecology. ISBN 1 870393 18 x. —, 1996. Nineta inpunctata (Reuter, 1894) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae): a green lacewing new to Britain. Entomologist’s Gazette 47 : 115-120. —, 1997. A key to the adults of British Lacewings and allies (Neuroptera, Megaloptera, Raphidioptera and Mecoptera. this was initially published in Field Studies 9: 179-269 and later bound as a book by FSC in their AIDGAP series – ISBN 1 851532 01 3. Ent Rec 124(5):Layout 1 04/10/2012 14:55 Page 236 236 Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 124 (2012) Plant, C. W. & Harvey, M. C., 2007. Nineta pallida (Schneider, 1846) (Neu.: Chrysopidae), a lacewing new to the British Isles. Entomologist’s Record and Journal of Variation 119 : 77-82. Schmitz, o., 1993. Die Netzflüger (Neuroptera s.l.) des Naturschutzgebietes “Ahrschleife bei Altenahr” und angrenzender Wienbergsbrachflächen. Beitr. Landespfl. Rheinland-Pfalz 16 : 429-444. Phyllonorycter sagitella (Bjerkander) (lep.: Gracillariidae) in Kent on the 31 July 2012, I met with Philip Jewess, Sean Clancy and others with the intention of searching for the larvae of Sciota hostilis (Pyralidae) in the orlestone Forest complex in Kent. Whilst searching in Burnt oak Wood, a Kent Wildlife trust nature reserve, I noted a couple of Phyllonorycter mines on the Aspen Populus tremula . Being somewhat puzzled as to what these could be, I retained them. Fortuitously, both emerged on 13 August. Reference to Bengtsson & Johansson (2011. Nationalnyckeln till Sveriges flora och fauna. Fjärilar: Bronsmalar- rullvingemalar. Lepidoptera: Roeslerstammiidae-Lyonetidae. ArtDatabanken, SLU, Uppsala) indicated they could be P. sagitella ; however, if that was the case then they were well away from their known British distribution. Dissection showed them both to be females and they compared favourably with the illustration of P. sagitella given in Bengtsson & Johansson. Additionally, the pupal cremaster matched the figure on the British Leafmines website (www.leafmines.co.uk ). one possible alternative option remained; that they could be P. comparella (Duponchel, [1843]) on a previously unrecorded foodplant, as that species is not covered by Bengtsson & Johansson. Dr Phil Sterling kindly provided material of P. comparella and dissection of a female ruled that possibility out. P. sagitella is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan species which was thought to be restricted to the West Midlands and parts of North Wales, being recorded from Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Denbighshire. However, in 2008 mines were found in Cambridgeshire, with an adult reared (Langmaid & Young, 2011. Microlepidoptera Review of 2010. Entomologist’s Rec. J. Var. 123 : 249-277). the Kent and Cambridgeshire discoveries raise the possibility that this species may be overlooked elsewhere, although the Kent find could also represent a new colonisation from the Continent, particularly as this has been a reasonably well worked area in the recent past. Butterfly Conservation has produced a factsheet on Aspen, which includes a picture of the mine of P. sagitella ; that can be downloaded from http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/uploads/aspen%20factsheet(1).pdf I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ian Rickards of the Kent Wildlife trust for permission to visit Burnt oak Wood and my colleague, tony Davis, for drawing my attention to the recent Cambridgeshire record. Butterfly Conservation would like to take this opportunity to thank Natural England for their continued support of BC’s Action for threatened Moths Project. — MARK PARSoNS , Butterfly Conservation, Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Dorset BH20 5QP..