Insect news 2010

First Sherwood record of Acleris logiana since historical times On March 18th, an Acleris logiana was trapped at MV light, during a trapping session at Sherwood Forest CP, which was the first site record in over a 100 years.

Acleris logiana was formerly only known from Birch woodland Scotland, but has been recorded in recent years from sites in the south of the UK, where it was initially regarded as a migrant.

We also recorded this attractive Tortix at Lound Wood Eakring, in August 2007, so it is very likely to be expanding it's range northwards.

Corticeus unicolor found in the Eakring recording area The nationally rare beetle Corticeus unicolor has been found at a new site away from it's Sherwood Forest stronghold. This is an extremely rare beetle (even in Nottinghamshire) with the entire UK distribution of Corticeus unicolor believed to be confined to Nottinghamshire and in particular the Sherwood Forest area, where this beetle has proved to be common to find underneath young Bracket Fungus by torchlight at night. This new site represents a very surprising record away from Sherwood Forest and came on 11/03/10, when we found a single adult under the bark of a long dead Elm at Hare Hill Wood near Kersall.

Corticeus unicolor is an RDB3 species (Species with small populations which are localised or thinly scattered, but not at present qualifying for RDB1-2. Found in 15 or fewer 10km squares since 1980).

Jewel Beetle at Eakring Meadows NR The characteristic 'D' shaped exit holes of the Jewel Beetle Agrilus sinuatus, were found on the branches of a dead Hawthorn at Penny Pasture Common in early March. This is a new species for the Eakring area. Further searches in the Eakring Meadows and Hare Hill Wood area have so far proved negative, but we have found exit holes at Clipstone Old Quarter (10/03/10) Agrilus sinuatus was also discovered for the first time at Sherwood Forest CP by Keith Alexander in 2009 and has been recorded previously in Nottinghamshire at Attenborough NR. It is likely to be quite widespread throughout the southern half of the county.

Amongst a range of other coleoptera found underneath the bark of felled Willow logs, were several adults of Chrysolina polita, single Oulema obscura, two Pediacus dermestoides, Pterostichus niger, Agonum viduum and Agonum fuliginosum.

First active Psychidae larvae of 2010 The first active Psychidae larvae have been recorded at two Sherwood Forest sites. An as yet unknown larva (probably Dahlica inconspicuella) was found making it's way up a Birch at Sherwood Forest CP on February 20th.

Then nearly a week later, numerous semi-active larvae were found on the algae covered trunk of a large Pine at Clipstone Old Quarter on February 25th. These look like fairly typical Narycia duplicella cases, one of which is shown in the accompanying photograph on the right.

All have been retained for rearing through to adult.

Some recent Sherwood Coleoptera A recent visit to the Edwinstowe end of Sherwood Forest CP on February 14th, provided records of over-wintering beetles in the form of Sepedophilus bipunctatus, Cychrus caraboides, Nebria brevicollis, Pterostichus oblongopunctatus (common) Harlequin Ladybird (five over-wintering inside a litter bin) and Othius subuliformis, Quedius cruentus and Atrecus affinis.

First record of Neriene montana for Sherwood A female Neriene montana, which was found under loose bark at Sherwood Forest CP on February 14th, was new to the Sherwood list. N. montana is a common spider and this first record came as something of a surprise.

Two new Rove Beetles for Sherwood Forest from 2009 The difficulties in identification of Rove Beetles (Staphylinidae) meant many months in determining the identification of three species, taken at two Sherwood sites in 2009. The three species concerned include Gauropterus fulgidus, Ocypus aeneocephalus (both from Budby South Forest) and Philonthus laminatus (Clipstone Old Quarter) Both G. fulgidus and O. aeneocephalus were new to Sherwood, with P. laminatus being the first record since the late 1800's.

Gauropterus fulgidus

Ocypus aeneocephalus

Philonthus laminatus

First Sherwood Coleoptera of 2010 A short walk on Budby South Forest after most of the snow had melted on January 17th, produced two species of Ground Beetle (Carabus problematicus and Nebria brevicollis) and Pine, 7-spot and Striped Ladybirds.

Carabus problematicus is the least recorded of the two Violet Ground Beetles at Sherwood and was our first record personally. C. problematicus is perhaps best distinguished from C. violaceus by the more structured elytra, with raised areas forming distinct grooves at times.

The Striped Ladybird was found at the end of the previous year's growth on a semi-mature Pine and was our first record of an over-wintering site for this species.