Worcestershire Record No. 18 April 2005 p. 17

Kevin McGee

Apionidae. Synapion ebeninum. Local. One collected from grass/leaf litter at Mill Meadow, Drakes Broughton, on 16.1.2005. The specimen of this locally uncommon Weevil was identified & retained by Mr.P.F.Whitehead.

Carabidae. Carabus nemoralis. Local. I photographed a large female I found under the bark of an Oak log at Grafton Wood on 25.3.2005. My 1st record of this species at Grafton. All of the large ground beetles of the genus Carabus are in decline, records of all species are important.

Carabidae. Lebia chlorocephala. Notable B. One collected from inside a rotten Willow log near the Avon at Eckington Bridge on 19.12.2004. This is one of our most beautiful ground beetles. Only my 2nd record of one.

Carabidae. Leistus fulvibarbis. Local. One collected from under an Ash log at Lodge Wood, Drakes Broughton, on 12.3.2005. My 1st record of this species.

Carabidae. Ophonus ardosiacus. Notable B. One collected from under the bark of a hybrid Poplar log near the Avon at Eckington Bridge on 31.12.2004. My 1st record of this species.

Carabidae. Notiophilus rufipes. Local. One collected from under a stone at Tiddesley Wood on 3.4.2005. All of the previous Notiophilus species I have found are the very common N.biguttatus. My 1st record of this species.

Cerambycidae. Pogonocherus hispidulus. Local. One collected from under the bark of a dead Elm trunk at Blaythorn Wood, Drakes Broughton, on 17.11.2004. I only have 5 records locally of this rather elusive ‘longhorn’ beetle.

Chrysomelidae. Apteropeda globosa. Notable B. One collected from grass/leaf litter at Mill Meadow, Drakes Broughton, on 2.1.2005. My 1st record of this species. Identified by Mr.P.F.Whitehead.

Curculionidae. Sitona cambricus. Local. One collected from grass/leaf litter at Mill Meadow on 16.1.2005. My 1st record for this species. Identified by Mr.P.F.Whitehead.

Erirhinidae. Notaris bimaculatus. Notable B. One collected from under the bark of a Willow log near the Avon at Nafford on 30.12.2004. Identified by Mr.P.F.Whitehead. One from grass litter at Rough Hill Orchard, Pershore, on 28.3.2005.

Melandryidae. Orchesia undulata. Local. I found a dead specimen under the bark of an Oak log at Grafton Wood on 25.3.2005.

Staphylinidae. Rugilus erichsoni. Local. One collected from grass/leaf litter at Mill Meadow on 16.1.2005. Mr. P.F.Whitehead, who identified the specimen, tells me that R. erichsoni is normally associated with limestone grassland habitats such as those found on Bredon Hill.

Lygaeidae. Drymus brunneus. One collected from under a Scots Pine log at Tiddesley Wood on 21.11.2004. One from grass/leaf litter at Mill Meadow, Drakes broughton, on 2.1.2005. The vast majority of Drymus groundbugs found locally are the very common D. sylvaticus. D.brunneus would appear to be quite scarce.

Lygaeidae. Megalonotus antennatus. Notable B. One collected from grass/leaf litter at Mill Meadow on 2.1.2005. My 1st record from this site, confirmed by Mr.P.F.Whitehead.

Lygaeidae. Ischnodemus sabuleti. Two collected from flood debris alongside the Avon at Rough Hill Orchard, Pershore, on 28.3.2005. Formerly confined to south-east England this marshland groundbug has now spread to many midland counties. My 1st record.

Pentatomidae. Podops inuncta. One collected from grass/leaf litter at Rough Hill Orchard on 28.3.2005. My 1st record of this very distinctive shieldbug species. Apparently, it may be more common than records suggest due to its dull colouration and preference for remaining very close to ground level in rough grassland habitats.

MACRO MOTHS.

Spring Usher. Agriopis leucophaearia (Geometridae, common). A male disturbed from leaf litter at the base of an Oak trunk at Mill Meadow, Drakes Broughton, on 16.1.2005 is my 1st record of one in this locality, also my earliest ever record.

Water Rail. One amongst dead reeds right at the water’s edge on the Avon at Eckington Bridge, 20.2.2005. This was the first day of the cold snap that hit the UK during late February and early March. Water Rail’s are much more inclined to be rather more openly active during cold weather.

Swallow. One in flight over the Gwen Finch reserve with a single Sand Martin on 30.3.2005 is my earliest ever record.

Willow Warbler. One at Drakes Broughton Orchards on 24.3.2005 is also my earliest ever record by a considerable margin!

Nuthatch. A pair are breeding at Tiddesley Wood. I observed one carrying nest material into an entrance hole about 30 feet up the trunk of an Oak near the eastern boundary on 1.4.2005. Until recently the Nuthatch was a rarity at Tiddesley. It is possible that they bred here last year as I have several records of birds heard calling during the late summer of 2004.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Weasel. I was thrilled to watch one for a couple of minutes as it searched amongst the nooks & crannies in the roots of an old boundary Oak near Grafton Wood on 25.3.2005.

I would like to thank Mr. P.F.Whitehead for his expertise and assistance.