Report summary [AI generated]

This report reviews the status of the nationally rare shorebug Chiloxanthus pilosus in north-west England and presents the results of a preliminary survey of its distribution on the Ribble Estuary. The species is a saltmarsh specialist of muddy, sparsely vegetated mid- to lower marsh and is designated Nationally Rare and Near Threatened in Britain. Historical and recent records show C. pilosus to be widespread in Cumbria but very sparsely recorded in Lancashire and Cheshire, with most reliable Lancashire records originating from the Ribble Estuary. Targeted surveys undertaken in summer 2025 using direct searching, vacuum sampling and sweep-netting confirmed the continued presence of the species on the Ribble Estuary, with a single nymph recorded on Banks Marsh. Several other shorebug species were also recorded, including the Nationally Scarce Halosalda lateralis. The findings indicate persistence of C. pilosus at historically occupied sites but highlight the need for wider, systematic surveys of suitable saltmarsh habitat along the Lancashire coast to clarify its true distribution and conservation status.

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Published January 2026