Tag: Invertebrate

North Merseyside Biodiversity Action Plan
Sandhill Rustic Moth Luperina nickerlii gueneei

1 Current status
1.1 National

This sub-species of the Sandhill Rustic Moth is confined to sand dune systems in North Wales and North-West England. Other sub-species – all coastal but with varying habitat requirements – occur in Cornwall (ssp. leechi), South-West Ireland (ssp. knilli) and Essex/Kent (ssp. demuthi). The Red Data Book lists ssp. leechi as Endangered and ssp. gueneei as Vulnerable (Shirt 1987).

Known extant colonies of ssp. gueneei outside of Lancashire/North Merseyside are West Kirby/Hoylake (Wirral), Talacre/Gronant  Flintshire/Denbighshire), Kinmel Bay (Denbighshire), Conwy/Deganwy (Conwy) and Maltraeth/Newborough Point (Anglesey) (Wallace 2008). There are Species Action Plans for Sandhill Rustic in the local BAPs for Wirral (Cheshire), Flintshire, Denbighshire and Conwy (as well as
North Merseyside). The Sandhill Rustic is a named ‘interest feature’ of the Dee Estuary SSSI and Gronant Dunes & Talacre Warren SSSI (as well as the Sefton Coast SSSI).

The moth’s natural rarity is the result of highly specialised habitat requirements. Ssp. gueneei lays eggs in late summer on Sand Couch – the only known food plant of the caterpillars of this sub-species. For the most part, it seems that plants which are lapped by the highest tides are favoured.

1.2 Local
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries (until 1916), the moth was regularly recorded at St. Annes in Lancashire. There is also strong anecdotal evidence that the colony was extant in the1970s. The last record dates to 1987. Recent searches have failed to locate the moth there.

On Merseyside a single 19th century record for Southport is complemented by several records from Formby in the late 20th century. The last Formby record was made in 1987. Between 1997 and 2003 the moth was recorded on the frontal dunes at Altcar Rifle Range, but only in low numbers. Searches in 2004 and 2007 failed to produce any records of the moth there. This evidence and an apparent deterioration in the habitat (probably due to tidal erosion) suggest that this colony may no longer be extant.

In 2007 a new colony was located at Birkdale Green Beach on the Sefton Coast. Despite a relatively limited search effort, this site produced 16 new records for the moth and there is every indication that there is a substantial colony there.

North Merseyside Biodiversity Action Plan
Vernal Mining-bee Colletes cunicularius

1. Current Status
1.1 National

1.1.1 The British distribution of the Vernal Bee is mapped in Edwards (1997). The species has an unusual distribution, being confined to a number of extensive coastal sand dune systems in North-west England and North and South Wales. However, on the continent, it occurs in a wider range of sandy habitats, both on the coast and inland.

1.1.2 As its vernacular name suggests, the bee is an early spring species, normally occurring from late March to the end of May. It nests in old blow-outs undergoing secondary plant colonisation in semi-fixed yellow dune habitat. Females forage predominantly, but not exclusively, on the pollen of Creeping Willow Salix repens and mass emergence of both sexes, which are triggered by a period of warm weather, occur over two to three days.

1.1.3 British specimens of the Vernal Bee were recognised by O’Toole (1974) as a distinct subspecies – Colletes cunicularius celticus and there is a possibility they might represent a distinct species (Albans et al., 1980).

1.1.4 In Great Britain this species is designated as a British Red Data Book 3 (Rare) species by Falk (1991) who reviewed its conservation management requirements and biology.

1.2 Local

1.2.1 Found along the Sefton Coast sand dune system from Birkdale to Hightown, the latter being the type locality for the subspecies.

North Merseyside Biodiversity Action Plan
Grayling Hipparchia semele

1 Current status
1.1 National

The Grayling is a butterfly mostly associated with coastal grasslands. Its caterpillars feed exclusively on grasses, especially fescues, bents and hair-grasses. The adults seek out thistle, bramble and other flowers as sources of nectar and require plentiful areas of bare ground on which to bask to gain sufficient warmth to fly.

The species remains widespread but localised. Some populations are quite distinctive and the many local declines this species has suffered may threaten genetic diversity. Although not a UK Priority Species, the Grayling appeared on the original Long List of the UK BAP and is classified in the Red Data Book as ‘out of danger’.

1.2 Local
On Merseyside the Grayling is entirely confined to the Sefton Coast, where it occurs between Hightown and Southport, mostly in more seaward dune habitats.

Sea holly is a particularly important nectar source.

North Merseyside Biodiversity Action Plan
Northern Dune Tiger Beetle Cicindela hybrida

1. Current Status
1.1 National

1.1.1 Modern and historic British records for this conspicuous and photogenic insect are restricted to coastal sand dunes in North West England. It is no longer found at Wallasey (Merseyside), Carnforth (Lancashire), Walney Island and (probably) Eskmeals (Cumbria). Current records are within four, ten kilometre National Grid squares, and are from Drigg (Cumbria) and a 15-kilometre stretch of the Sefton Coast (Merseyside), This species is found throughout Europe, except the extreme north, and is not restricted to the coast. British populations are isolated and at the extreme north-west of the species’ range.

1.1.2 Northern Dune Tiger Beetle is confined to bare sandy areas between the fore and mobile, Marram Ammophila arenaria covered dunes, close to the shore, and to partly re-vegetated ‘blow-outs’ and eroded areas inland, on fixed dunes. It is more peripheral in its distribution at Drigg, and only occurs in bare sandy areas amongst Marram and sedge on the edge of the sea and river estuaries.

1.1.3 In Great Britain this species is now classified as Vulnerable and is a priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP).

1.2 Local
1.2.1 Northern Dune Tiger Beetle is extensively found along a 15 kilometre stretch of the Sefton Coast which is estimated to support up to 75% of the species’ British population. It was recorded from 105, separate 100 metre squares, on the Sefton Coast during a 1999 – 2003 survey. The species is almost continuously recorded between Birkdale in the north and Hightown in the south. The most southerly record for the species is from Hall Road Crosby.

1.2.2 Most records are from mobile fore dunes. However, the species also occurs along sandy tracks and on fixed dunes, particularly at Ainsdale NNR and Formby, in ‘blow-outs’ and wherever there is extensive open sand. There are even records from sandy clearings in the pine plantations.