Devil’s Hole, Formby is an enormous blowout with steep slopes on all sides, resembling a crater, and covering an area of 3.5ha. The basins within contain species rich dune slack and fixed dunes habitat, and is home to the Northern Dune Tiger Beetle. North and East of Devil’s Hole there are various habitat patches including grassland, willow scrub, a stand of pine, a south facing bank, and a woodpile.

A short video reel of the recording day can be watched below.

 

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Recorders: Chloe Aldridge, Phil Brighton, Steve Cross, Thom Dallimore, Leanna Dixon, Elina Doss, Keir Flowerdew, Keith Fowler, Steve Garland, Gary Hedges, Roy Hilton, Tony Hunter, Phil Smith, Don Stenhouse, Catherine Swarbrick, Richard Walker, Chris Workman

Notable Records:

Tachydromia smithi (Hybotidae), P. Brighton.

• Only 3 previous records
• A predatory fly often found running up and down vertical tree trunks in search of prey

Botanophila sylvatica (Anthomyiidae), P. Brighton.

• Sparse records across the country
• Fly has a possible association with fungus

Syntormon pseudospicatus (Dolichopodidae), P. Brighton.

• Previously thought of as a variety of the very common Syntormon pallipes until a few years ago
• Possible that some previous records of pallipes in the local area should refer to this species

Pine Long-horned Hoverfly (Syrphidae) Callicera rufa.

• Once only found in the Caledonian forests of the Scottish highlands. Then in 2011, it was found south of the border in Shropshire and subsequently at other sites in the Midlands. In 2019 it was located in South Wales. Found on the Sefton Coast yearly since 2020.
• Nationally Scarce

Gold-fringed Mason Bee, Osmia aurulenta (Megachilidae), L.Dixon, C. Aldridge

• A predominantly coastal species that commonly builds nests in empty snail shells. A female was observed entering shells at Devil’s Hole. Footage can be seen in the reel above.

Northern Dune Tiger Beetle

Provisional Species List: