The first Sherwood Forest find in 2008 was totally accidental. The beetle was found resting on a grass stem and photographed. Identity was not determined on site, but later by examining the photographs which were taken at the time on our return home.

Left:- Female Cryptocephalus coryli, photographed in May 2008.

The three records at Sherwood Forest NNR in 2008, were the first records of C. coryli in Nottinghamshire for at least 70 years.

Historical records of Cryptocephalus coryli in Nottinghamshire and the UK

Many years ago, C. coryli was a widespread species across the southern counties of England, but it declined greatly during the last century and is now one of the UK's most rarest insects. It's decline is thought possibly to have coincided with the reduction in coppicing. Since 1970 it has been found at only three single sites - in Berkshire, Lincolnshire and Surrey (Ref: Natural England)

Sherwood Forest was once regarded as being good for C. coryli by collectors in the early 1900's, when over a dozen specimens would be taken on each visit to this locality , with the beetles being beaten or picked from young Birches and Oaks during June . In the south of the UK, it occurs on hazel along woodland edges, rides and hedgerows , but in the north prefers a heathland habitat with Birch scrub or young trees.

J.W.Carr in his book 'The Invertebrate Fauna of Nottinghamshire' lists the following records of C. coryli.

1899 Langford Moor near Newark. A single specimen beaten from Birch June 29; 1899 taken by (Thornley); 1903 Sherwood Forest. Two males and six females, by beating Birches and Oaks in June (Taylor); 1904 Sherwood Forest. Taken again (Taylor and Hardy); 1905 Sherwood Forest. 15 adults of both sexes on young Birches in June 1905 (Taylor); 1906 Sherwood Forest. Females only in June; 1907 Sherwood Forest. In some numbers by beating Birches, June 21-25; 1907 (Donisthorpe and in same area by Bedwell)

The NBN Gateway also lists the following Nottinghamshire records, but does not provide details of a recorder or determiner.

1938 Sherwood Forest 22nd May, 5th, 6th and 12th June.

There are also three records which are labelled as 'Sherwood'. Although the grid reference is given as SK66 (the correct grid square for Sherwood Forest NNR) the records are shown on the map as being in the suburban area of Sherwood , Nottingham and with a date range of between 1900-2001. We have only included these records for the value of listing all known Nottinghamshire records of C. coryli on this page.

The favoured Birch was just less than a metre tall, but just over a metre wide and was situated immediately alongside the path running between C13 and C14. Adjacent scrub was predominantly Oak of various sizes and a single small Hawthorn. Across the path there is an area of open, grassy heathland, in which there are several small areas of Birch scrub. These could be utilised as suitable sites for egg-laying females, but may be situated too far from the woodland edge.

It is possible that the Oak scrub were ignored by the females, due to being severely frost damaged after leaf emergence. By the time the Oaks had recovered, the C. coryli emergence/breeding period was over. The Birch also held numbers of Sloe Bug Dolycoris baccarum and Formica sp ants. No prolonged observations were made at the time to determine whether these two insect species had any adverse effects on the female coryli presence, but any effects must have been minimal given the female's lengthy duration of stay.

A full survey for C. coryli is currently being carried out by Allan and Annette Binding, who have located an additional four adults.