Report Number 592 A review of the invertebrate assemblage of acid mires English Nature Research Reports working today for nature tomorrow English Nature Research Reports Number 592 A review of the invertebrate assemblage of acid mires D C Boyce 1 Rosemary Lane Dulverton Somerset TA22 9DP 2004 You may reproduce as many additional copies of this report as you like, provided such copies stipulate that copyright remains with English Nature, Northminster House, Peterborough PE1 1UA ISSN 0967-876X © Copyright English Nature 2004 Acknowledgements The author would like to thank Jon Webb, English Nature’s nominated officer for this project for much help and advice. Contents Acknowledgements 1. Introduction....................................................................................................................9 1.1 Scope of report...................................................................................................9 1.1.1 Taxonomic coverage..............................................................................9 1.1.2 Coverage of mire types ........................................................................10 1.2 Methodology ....................................................................................................13 1.2.1 Defining acid mire associates ..............................................................13 1.2.2 Defining acid mire communities..........................................................14 2. Invertebrates associated with acid mires......................................................................16 2.1 Arachnida.........................................................................................................16 2.1.1 Linyphiidae ..........................................................................................16 2.1.2 Araneidae .............................................................................................20 2.1.3 Lycosidae .............................................................................................20 2.1.4 Pisauridae.............................................................................................20 2.1.5 Dictynidae ............................................................................................21 2.1.6 Liocranidae ..........................................................................................21 2.1.7 Clubionidae ..........................................................................................21 2.1.8 Gnaphosidae.........................................................................................21 2.1.9 Zoridae .................................................................................................21 2.1.10 Philodromidae ......................................................................................21 2.1.11 Salticidae..............................................................................................22 2.2 Odonata............................................................................................................22 2.2.1 Coenagrionidae ....................................................................................22 2.2.2 Aeshnidae.............................................................................................23 2.2.3 Libellulidae ..........................................................................................23 2.3 Orthoptera ........................................................................................................23 2.3.1 Acrididae..............................................................................................23 2.3.2 Tettigoniidae ........................................................................................23 2.4 Heteroptera.......................................................................................................24 2.4.1 Hebridae...............................................................................................24 2.4.2 Gerridae................................................................................................24 2.4.3 Notonectidae ........................................................................................24 2.4.4 Corixidae..............................................................................................24 2.5 Lepidoptera ......................................................................................................25 2.5.1 Satyridae ..............................................................................................25 2.5.2 Geometridae.........................................................................................26 2.5.3 Noctuidae .............................................................................................28 2.6 Trichoptera.......................................................................................................29 2.6.1 Phryganeidae........................................................................................29 2.6.2 Limnephilidae ......................................................................................30 2.7 Diptera..............................................................................................................30 2.7.1 Tipulidae ..............................................................................................30 2.7.2 Dolichopodidae ....................................................................................33 2.7.3 Tabanidae.............................................................................................35 2.7.4 Syrphidae .............................................................................................36 2.7.5 Scathophagidae ....................................................................................37 2.8 Coleoptera........................................................................................................38 2.8.1 Carabidae .............................................................................................38 2.8.2 Gyrinidae..............................................................................................41 2.8.3 Dytiscidae ............................................................................................41 2.8.4 Hydrophilidae ......................................................................................42 2.8.5 Staphylinidae........................................................................................43 2.8.6 Scirtidae ...............................................................................................48 2.8.7 Byrrhidae..............................................................................................49 2.8.8 Elateridae .............................................................................................49 2.8.9 Cantharidae ..........................................................................................49 2.8.10 Chrysomelidae .....................................................................................49 2.8.11 Apionidae.............................................................................................50 2.8.12 Curculionidae.......................................................................................50 2.9 Aculeate Hymenoptera.....................................................................................51 2.9.1 Formicidae ...........................................................................................51 2.9.2 Eumenidae............................................................................................51 3. Invertebrate communities of acid mires.......................................................................52 3.1 Key habitat features for acid mire invertebrates..............................................52 3.1.1 Open Sphagnum lawns (SL) ................................................................52 3.1.2 Grass, rush, sedge tussocks and litter (GRS) .......................................52 3.1.3 Ericaceous dwarf shrubs (EDS) ...........................................................53 3.1.4 Still water (SW) ...................................................................................53 3.1.5 Running water (RW)............................................................................53 3.1.6 Scattered trees and scrub (TS) .............................................................53 3.1.7 Bare peat (BP)......................................................................................54 3.2 Invertebrate communities of hydrotopographical mire types ..........................54 3.2.1 Lowland raised bogs ............................................................................54 3.2.2 Blanket bogs.........................................................................................59 3.2.3 Waterfringe bogs..................................................................................64 3.2.4 Sump bogs (basin mires)......................................................................66 3.2.5 Spring-fed bogs and soakways.............................................................70 3.2.6 Run-off bogs ........................................................................................74 4. Future action for the invertebrate fauna of acid mires in England...............................80 5. References....................................................................................................................82 Appendix 1: Important sites for acid mire invertebrates in England.......................................91 Appendix 2: Summary table for acid mire associated