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)

Geophilus insculptus (Geophilidae), Elton Goit, VC59, 17/9, D. Bentley.

• New to Greater Manchester according to searchable data sources.
• Can be found under stones etc. in the upper layer of soil in a variety of habitats.
• A very common species across much of Britain and Ireland according to the British Myriapod and Isopod Group.

Coleoptera (Beetles)

Apion rubens (Apionidae), Elton Goit, VC59, 17/9, D. Bentley.

• A single adult male from wet grassland.
• Few VC59 or Greater Manchester records. Very local in NW England according to Duff (2016).
• Feeds on Sheep’s Sorrel.

Bruchidius varius (Chrysomelidae), Upper Heyden, VC58, 7/9, G. Hedges.

• A single adult vacuumed from short vegetation adjacent to heather but this species is associated with Red Clover.
• Appears new to VC58 and a 2nd regional record, having first discovered in 2017 at Woolston Eyes (VC59) by C. Washington.
• A recent colonist in Britain, when it was first found in East Sussex in 1994 and has since spread rapidly, now reaching Yorkshire.

Holoparamecus caularum (Endomychidae), Combermere Park, VC58, 6/9, C. Washington.

• Found abundant in a grass heap and litter. This is a typical situation to find this synanthropic fungus beetle.
• Just 12 records on NBN Atlas. Very local and scarce in England according to Duff (2020).
• The only reference to it’s occurrence in our region is in Fowler’s “British Coleoptera” series (1880s).

Abdera biflexuosa (Melandryidae), Combermere Park, VC58, 6/9, G. Hedges.

• Beaten from a veteran oak tree, where it is often associated.
• A Nationally Scarce saproxylic false-darkling beetle.
• Elsewhere in the region there are published records from Dunham Park, Tatton Park and Styal.

Epuraea imperialis (Nitidulidae), Marbury Park, VC58, 11/9, C. Washington.

• Several specimens found by agitating rotting fruit in a sieve over a tray and by immersing rotting apples in water, most coming from heavily fungoid apples.
• Appears to be a 3rd British record, new to VC58 and the region.
• A non-native Australian species first record in Britain in 2020 at Totnes, Devon by M. Luff from a trap over a compost heap and since form a compost heap in Worcestershire (P. Whitehead).
• Decaying fruit is a habitat / attractant in Europe. and worth searching locally.

Calamosternus granarius (Scarabidae), Elton Goit, VC59, 17/9, D. Bentley.

• New to Greater Manchester according to searchable data sources.
• Very local in Northern England according to Duff (2020). Mostly historic records in the region are coastal.
• Found in decaying vegetation and herbivore dung. Usually on light soils.

Rugilus angustatus (Staphylinidae), Lymm, VC58, 2/9, C. Washington.

• Found in three separate woodchip heaps suggesting it’s well established.
• This Nationally Notable rove beetle has now been recorded from at least 4 Northwest localities.
• NBN Atlas currently shows no records north of the midlands / East Anglia. UK Beetles says it’s very scarce and local in Southern England and Wales outside of Norfolk and part of Suffolk.
• Found in permanently damp habitats.

Megalinus glabratus (Staphylinidae), Elton Goit, VC59, 17/9, D. Bentley.

• New to Greater Manchester according to searchable data sources and few regional records. This is the only record on iRecord for the region.
• Widely distributed in the UK according to NBN Atlas.

Stenus pallipes (Staphylinidae), Elton Goit, VC59, 17/9, D. Bentley.

• Appears to be a 2nd VC59 record and a 1st published record for Greater Manchester.
• Two adults vacuumed from Sphagnum.
• Widely distributed in Great Britain but less common further North.
• Adults may be encountered all-year round, often in moss or litter.

Trichophya pilicornis (Staphylinidae), Lymm, VC58, 2/9, C. Washington.

• Found in a woodchip heap.
• Nationally Notable B. Searchable Cheshire records from Delamere in 1963 only.
• Maybe difficult to detect. Nocturnal adults that stay well hidden by day.
• In the UK, very local and generally scarce across southeast England, the midlands and Wales (UK Beetles).

Diptera (Flies)

Stomorhina lunata Locust Blowfly (Calliphoridae)

Crosby Marine Park, VC59, 26/9, P. Kinsella ¬ Victoria Woods, VC59, 8/9, A. Tyrox ¬ Crook O’ Lune, Lancaster, VC60, E. Sarney Det. A. McGleish ¬ Gregson Lane Village, VC59, 7/9, G. Dixon ¬ Fulwood, Preston, VC60, T. Southward Det. I. Andrews

• The migrant blowfly appears to be turning up in the region in it’s largest recorded numbers. Up to the end of September, there were a total of 18 records on iRecord for the region, 12 of which are from 2022.
• This is in stark contrast to 2021, when no records for the region submitted to iRecord.
• This species is worth looking out for whilst mild temperature persist into October.

Helina fratercula (Muscidae), Heyden Valley, Peak District, VC58, 7/9, P. Brighton.

• New to VC58 Cheshire.
• NBN Atlas (50 records) suggests a Northern and Western UK distribution.
• No biological or ecological information ready available online.

Xanthandrus comtus (Syrphidae)

Greenfield, Saddleworth, VC63, 17/9, K. Gartside ¬ Victoria Park, Crosby, VC59, 23/9, P. Kinsella.

• A migratory species more commonly encountered in Southern England. This hoverfly most often turns up at the coast in our area but has been recorded widely in VC59 over the past decade. There are however very few records for Cheshire.
• Found in woodland edge and scrub habitat, where it may be seen visiting flowers or resting on vegetation.

Hemiptera (True Bugs)

Orius (Heterorius) majusculus (Anthocoridae), Elton Goit, VC59, 17/9, D. Bentley.

• New to Greater Manchester according to searchable data sources.
• Common nationally according to British Bugs. Most UK records on NBN Atlas are from Wales, the midlands and SE England.
• A predator of thrips.

Hymenoptera (Bees, Wasps & Ants)

Bees

Wasps

Listrodromus nycthemerus (Ichneumonidae), Crosby Village (19/9), Crosby Marine Park (26/9 & 28/9), VC59, P. Kinsella.

• First published records for VC59. A specialist parasitoid of the Holly Blue butterfly.
• After K. Gartside’s August 2022 Saddleworth record, a targeted search of Ivy yielded this species within a few minutes on 19th Sept. Subsequently, on the 26th and 28th, the species was found again on Ivy, this time at Crosby Marine Park.

Sawflies

Aproceros leucopoda Zig-zag Elm Sawfly (Argidae), Marston, Northwich, VC58, 18/9, G. Hedges.

• Larva feeding on hedgerow Elm.
• New to VC58 and the region. A non-native species from Asia. First recorded in Britain in 2017 but presence suspected before this time.
• There has been a rapid expansion out of SE England, and it is likely to become common and widespread in our area.

Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)

Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Orthoptera (Grasshoppers and Crickets)

Meconema meridionale Southern Oak Bush-cricket (Tettigoniidae), Thornton, Sefton, VC59, 10/9, I. Wolfenden, Det. P. Smith & P. Kinsella.

• Found a in mist net set for birds in a garden, 2-3 feet from the ground.
• An insect rapidly colonising the region, having first been reported from Cheshire and South Lancashire in 2019, this is the 11th regional record on iRecord and the 5th from VC59. So far, there appears to be no published records for VC60.
• Recent British colonist with first UK record in 2001 (Berkshire).
• A predator of the Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner but often associated with oak woodland.
• This species was recorded into November in the region last year and could turn up anywhere so worth keeping a lookout for.