| Many years
ago, Cryptocephalus coryli was a widespread
species across the southern counties of England, but it
declined greatly during the last century to become one of
the UK's rarest insects. It's decline is thought to have
coincided with the reduction in coppicing. In the south
of the UK, it occurred on hazel growing along woodland
edges, rides and hedgerows, but in the north preferred a
heathland habitat with Birch scrub or young trees. Historically, Sherwood Forest was
always regarded as being good for C. coryli by
collectors in the early 1900's, when over a dozen adults
could be taken on each visit to this locality, with the
beetles either being beaten or picked from young Birch
and Oak during June. C. coryli was rediscovered
at Sherwood Forest CP in 2008, the first time it had
reliably been found there since the 1930's. There are also records from
Clumber Park in 2014 (Binding, A. and Binding, A,) and 2023 (Brownley,
N. and Brownley, S.). More can be
read about this beetle and it's current status, by
clicking the link at the bottom of this page.
|
