A selection of notable records reported to Tanyptera. Includes older, but newly recognized regional vice county records (dates blue). ‘The region’ = VC58, 59, 60 + Cheshire, Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester. All photos are copyright of the recorder unless stated otherwise.

Centipedes (Chilopoda)

Strigamia maritima (Linotaeniidae), Barnaby’s Sands, River Wyre, VC60, 29/06/2018 (10/02/2025) D. Bentley

• Less than 5 other VC60 records, with 158 published UK records. The distribution is strictly coastal, but widespread, with most records along the west coast (nbnatlas.org.uk).
• Found in a salt marsh.
• It is often numerous, usually found in shingle and under stones or in rock crevices (bmig.org.uk).
• The Strigamia genus is characterised by the presence of a prominent tooth at the base of the poison claw. S. maritima is differentiated from the similar species S. crassipes by some morphological characteristics, but mainly by its coastal habitat (bmig.org.uk).

Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera)

Cydia conicolana (Tortricidae), Marbury Country Park, Northwhich, VC58, 09/02/2025 C. Hynes

• 2nd VC58 record (chesire-moth-charts.org.uk), with 32 published UK records. Scattered but widespread across South and Midland of England (nbnatlas.org.uk). Considered “Very Local” (Sterling & Parsons, 2023).
• Emergence holes found in pine cone.
• Larvae feed from July to March on Corsican and Scots Pines, and presence can be indicated by emergence holes within the wings of fallen cones. Adults fly from May to June, and can be seen around the tops of pines during the day (Sterling & Parsons, 2023).

True Bugs (Hemiptera)

Psammotettix putoni (Cicadellidae), Barnaby’s Sands, River Wyre, VC60, 20/06/2018 (09/02/2025) D. Bentley

• Only 9 published UK records with a widespread but mainly coastal distribution (nbnatlas.org.uk).
• As adults and larvae, this species feeds on the sugars of the leaves of Puccinellia maritima (bladmineerdes.nl).
• An aggregate of other species, specimens must be dissected to confirm identity.

Gonocerus acuteangulatus (Coreidae), Alexandra Park, Crosby VC59, 11/2023 (03/02/2025), P. Kinsella

• Historically very rare in the UK (previously on found in Box Hill, Surrey), the species underwent a foodplant shift and has massively expanded in range (britishbugs.org.uk). Now it covers most of southern England and the Midlands. This record is the 2nd for the North-west of England, and the 1stfor the Sefton Coast (nbnatlas.org.uk).
• Also known as the Box Bug, it previously only fed on Box-trees, however it now feeds on the fruits hawthorns and buckthorns (hence the massive increase in distribution). It can be found all year round (britishbugs.org.uk).
• The Box Bug is very similar to another Coreidae species, the Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus). However, the Box Bug is more slender and has pointer ‘shoulders’ on its pronotum (britishbugs.org.uk).

Bees & Wasps (Hymenoptera)

Anthophora plumipes (Apidae), Alexandra Park, Crosby VC59, 04/2024 (03/02/2025), P. Kinsella

• This species is common and widespread throughout much of England and Wales, with a few (only recent) records in Scotland (bwars.org.uk).
• Male found sunning itself.
• A. plumipes mainly flies from March to late May (sometimes also from February and/or to late June/early July), where it can be found in almost any habitat from gardens, woodland, and coastal sites. They visit a variety of flowers (bwars.org.uk).
• This species is sexually dimorphic, with the males being gingery with tufts of pale yellow hairs on its legs and face. The female is covered in black hairs, with the only colouration being some gingery hairs on its middle tibiae (bwars.org.uk).

Andrena dorsata (Andrenidae), Alexandra Park, Crosby VC59, 04/2020 (03/02/2025), P. Kinsella

• This species is common and widespread across much of southern England, but rather local and scattered from the Midlands. The most northern record is near Rochdale (nbnatlas.org.uk).
• Found foraging in Hawthorn flower.
• A. dorsata is bivoltine, flying from March to May (foraging spring-blossoming shrubs and umbellifers), and again from July to September (foraging on brambles, thistles, and ragworts) (flickr.com, Steven Falk).
• Like most Andrena species, close inspection can be required to differentiate between them. However, the female can be recognised by the combination of the broad hind tibiae, very short dorsal hair fringes, and glabrous abdomens (flickr.com, Steven Falk).

True Flies (Diptera)

Phytobia carbonaria (Agromyizdae), Marbury Country Park, Northwhich, VC58, 07/02/2025 C. Hynes

• Possibly 2nd record for VC58. Widespread and considered common, but likely overlooked/underrecorded (agromyzidae.co.uk).
• Larval signs found within Hawthorn stem.
• Larvae overwinter and then commence feeding in spring where they feed within the cambium tissue of differentiating xylem within Hawthorn. They then pupate externally (agromyzidae.co.uk).
• Visually, the larval signs are very similar to that of P. cerasiferae. P. carbonaria feeds on the cambium layer of Hawthorn, whereas P. cerasiferae feeds on the young xylem tissue of Blackthorn (naturespot.org.uk).

Phytobia cerasiferae (Agromyizdae), Marbury Country Park, Northwhich, VC58, 05/02/2025 C. Hynes

• 2nd record for VC58. Widespread and considered common, but likely overlooked/underrecorded (agromyzidae.co.uk).
• Larval signs found within Blackthorn stem.
• Eggs are deposited on the foodplant in summer, and the larvae overwinter just beneath the bark. Then in the following spring, the larvae feed on the differentiating xylem within Prunus stems. The larvae disperse from the plant around May/June time, and pupate on or just beneath the surface of the soil (agromyzidae.co.uk).
• Visually, the larval signs are very similar to that of P. carbonaria. P. cerasiferae feeds on the young xylem tissue of Blackthorn, whereas P. carbonaria feeds on the cambium layer of Hawthorn (naturespot.org.uk).

Choerades marginatus (Asilidae), Alexandra Park, Crosby VC59, 07/2024 (03/02/2025), P. Kinsella

• 1st record for the North-west region of England, and most northernly and westerly record. The distribution is otherwise widespread but scattered in across the south-east areas of England up towards the Midlands, with the previous most northernly record near Retford (nbnatlas.org.uk).
• Adult found consuming prey.
• Adults fly from mid May into early Autumn, and can often be found sunning themselves in woodland rides, clearing, and edges. Both the adults and larvae are predatory. The adults feed on flying insects, whereas the larvae feed on saproxylic beetle larvae that are found in deadwood in ancient woodlands (flickr.com, Steven Falk).
• There are two forms of this species, a broad form, and a narrow form. It is not clear whether these are taxonomically distinct, however (flickr.com, Steven Falk).

Myopa testacea (Conopidae), Alexandra Park, Crosby VC59, 2021, 2023, 2024 (03/02/2025), P. Kinsella

• This species has a widespread but scattered distribution through much of England and Wales, with a few records in Scotland. These records are the only ones for the Sefton Coast (nbnatlas.org.uk).
• Adults fly from April to July and coincide with blossoms of Blackthorn and Hawthorn. The larva parasite spring-flying Andrena bees, possibly Andrena vaga, A. scotica, and A. hemorrhoa (flickr.com, Steven Falk)

Stomorhina lunata (Calliphoridae), Alexandra Park, Crosby VC59, 07/2022 (03/02/2025), P. Kinsella

• Previously rare but now widespread but scattered across much of Britain. This is the 4th record for the Sefton Coast (nbnatlas.org.uk).
• Male found on flowers.
• Also known as the Locust Blowfly, the larvae of this species feed on the egg pods of locusts in North Africa, where it is native. However, it is not thought to use any British Orthoptera species, and so any records are considered vagrants to the UK. Adults can be at almost any time of year, visiting flowers (flickr.com, Steven Falk).

iRecord top 10 species February 2025

References