A selection of notable records reported to us or found on iRecord. Includes older, but newly recognised vice county records. ‘The region’ is VC58, 59, 60 plus Cheshire, Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester. All photos are copyright of the recorder unless stated otherwise.

March 2026 brought a familiar mix of cool nights and brighter conditions across the North West. A strong theme this month was phenology, with early-emerging bees, flies, and butterflies appearing on cue, alongside several notable additions to county and vice-county lists.

Coleoptera – Beetles

Rove Beetle Stenus brevipennis (Staphylinidae)
Recorded by: Richard Gallon
Determined by: Clive Washington
Date: 12 October 2025
Site: Goodber Fell, Cumbria (VC60)

This upland record of Stenus brevipennis appears to be new for VC60. The species is a specialist of wet Sphagnum-rich habitats, typically found at altitude where bog pools and seepages provide suitable conditions.

Atomaria zetterstedti (Cryptophagidae)
Recorded by: Clive Washington
Determined by: Clive Washington (confirmed by Andrew Duff)
Date: 22 September 2025
Site: Quinta Nature Reserve, Cheshire (VC58)

This discreet cryptophagid beetle represents a new species for the North West. Found in rotting hay bales, the record is notable both for its rarity and for the habitat in which it was discovered. Atomaria zetterstedti is typically associated with sallows in fen habitats.

Hemiptera – True Bugs

Pachybrachius fracticollis (Lygaeidae)
Recorded & determined by: Phil Brighton
Date: 18 March 2026
Site: Little Woolden Moss, Greater Manchester (VC59)

This record of Pachybrachius fracticollis is new to VC59. Distributed locally and patchily across England and Wales, inhabiting bogs, fens and wet heathland, frequently in association with cotton grass, bog myrtle and various sedges.

Diptera – Flies

Trigonometopus frontalis (Lauxaniidae)
Recorded & determined by: Phil Brighton
Date: 18 March 2026
Site: Little Woolden Moss, Greater Manchester (VC59)

Also new to VC59, Trigonometopus frontalis is a small but distinctive fly, often overlooked due to its size and rapid movements. Adults typically run across open ground rather than flying for sustained periods and are most readily encountered in early spring. Typically found in marshy areas with stands of pond sedge.

Dung Fly Phthitia longisetosa (Sphaeroceridae)
Recorded & determined by: Phil Brighton
Date: 18 March 2026
Site: Little Woolden Moss, Greater Manchester (VC59)

Completing a notable trio of VC59 additions from the same site and date, Phthitia longisetosa is associated with decaying organic matter, including dung and rotting vegetation.

Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major (Bombyliidae)
Recorded & determined by: David Costello
Date: 17 March 2026
Site: Kerr’s Field, Moreton, Wirral, Merseyside (VC58)

One of the first regional records of the Dark-edged Bee-fly this year, this unmistakable spring species is always a welcome sight. Adults are commonly seen hovering low over bare ground and early flowers, often where mining bees are active.

The timing fits well with its typical March emergence during settled weather. The species is a brood parasite of Andrena solitary bees, and its appearance often closely follows that of its hosts.

Hymenoptera – Bees

Tawny Mining Bee Andrena fulva (Andrenidae)
Recorded & determined by: Peter Kinsella
Date: 4 March 2026
Site: Alexandra Park, Crosby, Sefton, Merseyside (VC59)

This striking mining bee was among the first spring solitary bee records of the year. Females are instantly recognisable by their vivid orange-brown thorax and abdomen, making them conspicuous among early-emerging mining bees. Urban parks with areas of short turf provide excellent nesting habitat, and early March appearances are typical in mild springs.

Large Sallow Mining Bee Andrena apicata (Andrenidae)
Recorded & determined by: Nicola Garnham
Date: 24 March 2026
Site: Crag Bank, north Lancashire (VC60)

This record comes from the only known area in Lancashire where Andrena apicata is currently found. This widespread but localised spring-flying species is strongly associated with flowering sallows (Salix spp.)

Lepidoptera – Butterflies & Moths

First Butterflies of the Year (from the North West Invertebrates WhatsApp Group)

Date: 3 March 2026

• Peacock Aglais io (Nymphalidae) – Peel Park and The Coppice, Greater Manchester (VC59); Robert Gabryszak
• Comma Polygonia c-album (Nymphalidae) – Risley Moss, Cheshire (VC58); Gary Hedges
• Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae (Nymphalidae) – Kerr’s Field, Moreton, Wirral (VC58); David Costello

The first butterflies of the year were reported following a brief mild spell in early March. All three species overwinter as adults and are typically the earliest butterflies seen basking in spring sunshine.

iRecord – Top 10 Species Recorded (March 2026)