Invertebrate Notes January 2023

A selection of notable records reported to Tanyptera. Includes older, but newly recognised regional vice county records (dates blue). ‘The region’ = VC58, 58, 60 + Cheshire, Lancs, Merseyside, Greater Manchester.

Araneae (Spiders)

Chilopoda (Centipedes)

Coleoptera (Beetles)

Rhagium inquisitor (Cerambycidae), Ellesmere Port, VC58, 26/1, M. Bennett.
  • Possibly a first record for Cheshire and the region.
  • An adventive found in Sawmill. The natural species range is restricted to Central Scotland in the UK.
  • The larva is usually a Scots Pine feeder in woods.

Diptera (Flies)

Hemiptera (True Bugs)

Eurydema oleracea (Brassica shieldbug) (Pentatomidae), Anderton Nature Reserve, VC58, 26/1, C. Washington.
(c) C. Washington
  • Adult found overwintering in litter heap.
  • First record for Cheshire and the region. This sheildbug is steadily expanding it’s range North and could be detected in Merseyside, Lancashire and Greater Manchester anytime.
  • Feeds on a range of Brassicaceae such as garlic mustard and horse-radish

Hymenoptera (Bees, Wasps & Ants)

Bees

Wasps

Polistes dominula (Vespidae), Ellesmere Port, VC58, 9/1, M. Bennett.
Mal Bennett
  • Found in a sawmill. An adventive in this circumstance but does breed in SE England.
  • A 2nd Cheshire record having been recorded from the same mill in February 2022.
  • Appears to have been found dead but not mentioned in the record.

Sawflies

Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)

Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Orthoptera (Grasshoppers and Crickets)

iRecord records summary (13th Feb download)

GroupNo. of recordsNo. of species
mollusc5522
insect – true fly (Diptera)408
crustacean228
insect – hymenopteran1711
insect – beetle (Coleoptera)149
springtail (Collembola)63
spider (Araneae)53
millipede31
annelid22
bacterium21
centipede21
harvestman (Opiliones)21
insect – true bug (Hemiptera)22
insect – scorpion fly (Mecoptera)11

iRecord top 10 species (13th Feb download)

Accepted nameOrderFamilyNo. of records
Meliscaeva auricollisDipteraSyrphidae10
Buccinum undatumNeogastropodaBuccinidae10
Phytomyza ilicisDipteraAgromyzidae9
Eristalis tenaxDipteraSyrphidae8
Oniscus asellusIsopodaOniscidae7
Episyrphus balteatusDipteraSyrphidae6
Porcellio scaberIsopodaPorcellionidae5
Agelastica alniColeopteraChrysomelidae5
Andricus kollariHymenopteraCynipidae5
Cornu aspersumPulmonataHelicidae5