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Where am I? Home › Knowledge Building › Insect reports
Insect Reports
2006 Summary
Date: 15/02/2007
Railway Land Insect Report No. 22 (2006)
Compiled by Peter J. Hodge
15th January 2007
Terrestrial recording
In October 2006 the dreaded Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyrydis made a sudden appearance in the Lewes district. Large numbers of adults were found on the leaves of Stinging Nettles growing under the trees along the western margin of the water meadows. This supposedly unwelcome arrival from Continental Europe is believed to predate upon other ladybirds when its preferred diet of aphids are scarce, but only time and further monitoring will tell us whether this species is causing the decline of our native species.
The recording of terrestrial insects during summer 2006 produced 10 species new to the reserve list. This included two previously very rare, but now increasingly common species (the RDB1 picture-winged fly Campyglossa malaris and the RDB appendix “extinct” rhopalid bug Stictopleurus abutilon) and three recent colonists to Britain that are expected to spread rapidly (the picture-winged fly Tephritis divisa, the lygaeid bug Nysius senecionis and the capsid bug Deraeocoris flavilinea). There is surely a good case for considering these species as examples to illustrate our changing fauna caused by “global warming”.
Aquatic surveys
It is pleasing to report that a total of 91 species of water beetles have now been found in the Railway Land since recording began in 1987.
Spring and Autumn ditch monitoring
The Spring monitoring produced one additional species of water beetle: a single male Helophorus granularis found in Ditch 203 west of the railway line. This tiny species, found in grassy pools and ditches, is infrequently recorded, perhaps in part because it is difficult to identify.
The Red Data Book 3 water beetle Hydrochus ignicollis, found in Ditch 108 in Chilly Brook in 2005, was recorded again, this time in Ditch 102, suggesting that its sudden appearance was not as a casual vagrant.
The Heart of Reeds aquatic insect monitoring
The Autumn monitoring produced several Haliplus fluviatilis in the Heart of Reeds. This water beetle is generally found in flowing water and has not previously been recorded from the Railway Land.
It is worth noting that the Heart of Reeds showed a reduction in species diversity when compared with the 2005 results. This should not be taken as an indication that we are doing something wrong as it is probably too soon to consider long term trends.
Summary
The updated Railway Land LNR species totals are shown below.
Table 1: Summary of species recorded 1987 - 2006
Compiled by Peter J. Hodge
15th January 2007
Terrestrial recording
In October 2006 the dreaded Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyrydis made a sudden appearance in the Lewes district. Large numbers of adults were found on the leaves of Stinging Nettles growing under the trees along the western margin of the water meadows. This supposedly unwelcome arrival from Continental Europe is believed to predate upon other ladybirds when its preferred diet of aphids are scarce, but only time and further monitoring will tell us whether this species is causing the decline of our native species.
The recording of terrestrial insects during summer 2006 produced 10 species new to the reserve list. This included two previously very rare, but now increasingly common species (the RDB1 picture-winged fly Campyglossa malaris and the RDB appendix “extinct” rhopalid bug Stictopleurus abutilon) and three recent colonists to Britain that are expected to spread rapidly (the picture-winged fly Tephritis divisa, the lygaeid bug Nysius senecionis and the capsid bug Deraeocoris flavilinea). There is surely a good case for considering these species as examples to illustrate our changing fauna caused by “global warming”.
Aquatic surveys
It is pleasing to report that a total of 91 species of water beetles have now been found in the Railway Land since recording began in 1987.
Spring and Autumn ditch monitoring
The Spring monitoring produced one additional species of water beetle: a single male Helophorus granularis found in Ditch 203 west of the railway line. This tiny species, found in grassy pools and ditches, is infrequently recorded, perhaps in part because it is difficult to identify.
The Red Data Book 3 water beetle Hydrochus ignicollis, found in Ditch 108 in Chilly Brook in 2005, was recorded again, this time in Ditch 102, suggesting that its sudden appearance was not as a casual vagrant.
The Heart of Reeds aquatic insect monitoring
The Autumn monitoring produced several Haliplus fluviatilis in the Heart of Reeds. This water beetle is generally found in flowing water and has not previously been recorded from the Railway Land.
It is worth noting that the Heart of Reeds showed a reduction in species diversity when compared with the 2005 results. This should not be taken as an indication that we are doing something wrong as it is probably too soon to consider long term trends.
Summary
The updated Railway Land LNR species totals are shown below.
Table 1: Summary of species recorded 1987 - 2006
| RDB + Notable | All Species | |
| Beetles | 73 | 594 |
| Earwigs | 0 | 1 |
| Flies | 18 | 244 |
| Bugs | 3 | 143 |
| Bees and wasps | 9 | 98 |
| Butterflies | 0 | 22 |
| Moths | 0 | 28 |
| Scorpion flies | 0 | 1 |
| Lacewings | 0 | 12 |
| Dragonflies | 0 | 9 |
| Grasshoppers & Crickets | 0 | 9 |