An annotated Checklist to the Beetles of VC55

357 Pages·2017·3.94 MB·English

An annotated Checklist to the
Beetles of VC55

Atholus bimaculatus Lineaus 1758 (photograph GL Finch)
An annotated Checklist to the Beetles of VC55

Special thanks and respect must go to Derek Lott, who had solely been responsible
for maintaining the database for many years on which this checklist draws so heavily
upon. Forever helpful to all, regardless of ability or knowledge Derek was always
happy to give advice on his favourite subject. Ever enthusiastic to promote the study
of our beetles using any means he could. Although perhaps not quite up to Derek’s
standard, it would be nice to think this checklist gets his approval and we are doing
our bit.

First edition 28th March 2015, included all known records to the end of 2014 GL Finch

Revised edition February 28th 2018, includes an additional 9200 records to end of 2017 GL Finch

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Contents

Introduction
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Sphaeriusidae 10 Elmidae 188
Gyrinidae 10 Dryopidae 189
Haliplidae 11 Limnichidae 189
Noteridae 13 Heteroceridae 190
Hygrobidae 13 Psephenidae 190
Dytiscidae 13 Ptilodactylidae 190
Carabidae 23 Eucnemidae 190
Helophoridae 49 Throscidae 191
Georissidae 51 Elateridae 191
Hydrochidae 51 Drilidae 196
Spercheidae 52 Lycidae 196
Hydrophilidae 52 Lampyridae 196
Sphaeritidae 59 Cantharidae 197
Histeridae 57 Derodontidae 201
Hydraenidae 63 Dermestidae 201
Ptilidae 65 Bostrichidae 203
Leiodae 70 Ptinidae 203
Silphidae 78 Lymexylidae 206
Staphylinidae 80 Phloiophilidae 207
Geotrupidae 174 Trogossitidae 207
Trogidae 174 Cleridae 207
Lucanidae 175 Dasytidae 208
Scarabaeidae 175 Malachiidae 209
Eucinetidae 182 Sphindidae 210
Clambidae 182 Kateretidae 210
Scirtidae 183 Nitidulidae 211
Dascillidae 185 Monotomidae 218
Buprestidae 185 Silvanidae 220
Byrrhidae 187 Cucujidae 221
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Laemophloeidae 221 Myceteridae 253
Phalacridae 221 Pythidae 253
Cryptophagidae 223 Pyrochroidae 253
Erotylidae 230 Salpingidae 253
Byturidae 231 Anthicidae 254
Biphylidae 231 Aderidae 255
Bothrideridae 231 Scraptidae 255
Cerylonidae 231 Cerambycidae 257
Alexiidae 232 Megalopopidae 262
Endomychidae 232 Orsodacnidae 263
Coccinelidae 232 Chrysomelidae 263
Corylophidae 237 Nemonychidae 288
Latridiidae 238 Anthribidae 288
Mycetophagidae 242 Rhynchitidae 289
Ciidae 243 Attelabidae 291
Tetratomidae 245 Apionidae 291
Melandryidae 245 Nanophyidae 299
Mordellidae 246 Dryophthoridae 300
Ripiphoridae 248 Erirhinidae 300
Colydiidae 248 Raymondionymidae 301
Tenebrionidae 249 Curculionidae 301
Oedemeridae 252 Platypodidae 328
Meloidae 252

Appendix (Mathews) 338
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Introduction

This publication is an attempt to provide as near a complete catalogue of the beetles
of VC55 (Leicestershire & Rutland) to the end of 2014 as is practicable. It
systematically follows the latest (2nd edition) of the “Checklist of Beetles of the British
Isles, A.G. Duff 2012. Anyone who does not have this latest edition of the checklist is
thoroughly encouraged to get it. The majority of the records are from the original
database of Derek Lott (approx. 65.000 up to early 2011) who for many years was
our county recorder and meticulously maintained this database and was personally
responsible for adding just under half of the total of all the records.
To try and assign some kind of evaluation to this speciose order, according to Duff
2012 a total of 4072 species have been recorded in the U.K. while approximately
2000 species have been recorded in VC55 to present date. Some of the species on
our list will doubtfully ever be recorded again, mainly having been affected by the
massive losses and change to their habitat. Buddon Wood is probably the one that
springs to mind foremost with the loss of the woodland leading to the extinction of
the wood ant Formica rufa colonies then in turn the loss of the beetles that were
associated with them. However we are also in a period of climatic adjustment, which
is creating not only losses but also providing new additions and range extensions,
particularly from the south and west. There has been an impressive array of species
added to our county list over the last few years and it looks like beetle recording
seems set to continue to flourish for some time to come. We now have over 73,000
records in the database (March 2017) on first impression this does sound a lot but
remember the time span of recording is well over 200 years. From the late 1700’s to
present there have probably been no more than 40 individuals that have taken on
the study of Coleoptera in a serious manner. 73,000 records over such a period now
does not seem so high, despite the epic labours put in by those individuals. The truth
is the number of species is so high, the area so large (comparatively) and the
recorders so few. Despite these factors Derek was working tirelessly to assemble the
VC55 Coleoptera Database and in 1995 produced the comprehensive Leicestershire
Red Data Book for Beetles.

Beetle recording in the county is continuing at a slow but sure pace but until we have
sufficient data and the knowledge to go with it we must rely on the three
indispensible publications that Derek has left us, they are (i) Red Data Book Beetles
1995, (ii) An Inventory of key species in Leicestershire and Rutland 1997 (this does
not only cover beetles) and (iii) the more recent Leicestershire Coleopterists, 200
years of beetle recording 2009. The Red Data Book set out to identify which beetles
are endangered or seriously declining, to gather information on threats to individual
species and their habitats, also to help to promote nature conservation in
Leicestershire. Stating 342 species reliably recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland
since 1970 each one is given a, coded criteria of Habitat requirements, Ecology,
Status and Threats plus suggestions for conservation measures. Although this
publication is fast approaching 20 years old it remains the principal guide to our more
delicately balanced species. The Leicestershire Red Data Book was assessed upon
the then 52.000 records Derek had at the time. No other comparable work has been
undertaken to date, but such vast knowledge that Derek had demands that we must
trust and use this if we want to hang on to the species we have and work to secure a
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favourable future for our Coleoptera. Habitat destruction and/or degradation,
agricultural improvement and a general apathy towards invertebrate requirements
are the main threats imposed on our beetles all of which need to change.

31 January 1997 Derek compiled An Inventory of Key Species in Leicestershire and
Rutland. This included a list of 998 key species covering the plant and animal groups
where information was currently avavilable. The bulk of this information was taken
from the already published Red Data Books series. Here he wrote a comprehensive
introduction to the beetle section, which I have reproduced here in full.

“Beetles

There are more key species of beetles in Leicestershire and Rutland than any other group. They undoubtebly
represent a major resource for biodiversity within the county. Furthermore many species have specialised
requiremets of their environment, which make them sensitive, to changes in management and useful indicators
of environmental health.

As with many invertebrates, beetles have small-scale habitats. They tend to be tied less to traditional habitats
such as woodland, than to specific microhabitats such as leaf litter, a certain type of dead wood or the foliage of
a certain tree species. At different stages of their life cycle they may occupy different microhabitats. For
example, many soldier beetle larvae live in leaf litter, whilst the adults roam over the tree canopy.

Beetles also exhibit a considerable range of dispersal abilities. The seven-spot ladybird is a highly mobile
species whose British populations are reinforced every year by huge influxes from the continent. It is very good
at colonising new sites, but also often disappears from sites very quickly. On the other hand, several ground
beetles and rove beetles are flightless and confined to isolated sites of well-established woodland, hedgerow,
heathland and grassland. They become vulnerable to localised extinction events, because they are unable to
recolonize these sites. If the present trends towards habitat fragmentation are not reversed, it can be assumed
these species will form the next generation of local red data book species. Dead wood species form the
ecological group which is most affected by dispersal problems. Many species are confined to areas of ancient
woodland and they represent the largest single contingent of the key species list.

The list of key beetle species is taken from the local red data book. However, since its publication, 13 nationally
scarce species have been added to the Leicestershire and Rutland list and these have been incorporated into
the list of key species. Because of an increase in the number of records, seven species no longer qualify for
inclusion in the red data book. These are included in the list of key species, suitably annotated. There are a
large volume of records available for beetles, but some families are better covered than others. In the published
red data book, local rarity was only used as a selection criteria for the better studied families.”

The third publication is the informative and entertaining The Leicestershire
Coleopterists 200 years of beetle hunting, 2009. This book describes exactly, who
was doing what from 1782 to 1981, who they were, where they went and what they
collected and much more.

The Red Data Book and The Inventory of key species are both either out of print or
at best difficult to get copies of, although there is a plan to get the former into a PDF
format which could be made freely available. Also as there are only twenty pages
concerning beetles in the “Inventory” perhaps the same could be done here. The
Leicestershire Coleopterists is still available from the Loughborough Naturalists Club.
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The object of this publication is to help provide a reference to anyone recording
beetles in the county and to assign some kind of status to their records. The
arrangement describes the amount of records that have been accrued for a
particular species, followed by the first and the last date it has been recorded. For
species with few records approximately up to six, all the records are given. Grid
references are specified where available however some locations are quite vague,
particularly with the historic records, whatever details are there they are given. The
same applies to dates, most of the dates are very precise, but some are given in
ranges, also where known the recorder/collector/determiner name is provided.

It ought to be mentioned that all recorders will not necessarily be the determiner.
This will apply mainly where Derek had several people collecting from various sites
and supplying him with pitfall trap specimens for him to identify. Material collected in
the early 90’s by EJ Darby, mainly from North West Leicestershire similarly the mid
90’s Stonesby Quarry records by C Kirk plus many of JT Daws records from
throughout the county, the majority of these will have been identified by Derek.

I have included a complete list of A Mathews records with date and location in
appendix (i) separately, as Derek was far from convinced all of Mathews records
came from Leicestershire. For completeness, where Mathews records are the only
representaives of a species I have incorporated them into the main body of the
checklist but with out data.

With over 200 years worth of recording you would think we have covered the county
quite thoroughly and quite evenly. Looking at the maps below in fact shows a distinct
bias towards the Charnwood Forest, not surprising really, as this is with out doubt an
exceptional area.

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A quick look over the maps below will show the density of recorded species and
where the most recording activity has been plus more important, where we need to
go next.

Species density at 10km

Sites visited at 2km

There are still enough under recorded areas to keep us occupied for a few years yet.
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A note on the Leicestershire Coleoptera Recording Scheme:-

Way back in February 1984 Derek started the Coleoptera Recorders Newsletter in
which he set out its intended aims, these are copied in full below. Over the following
three years just three newsletters were produced describing the field trips
undertaken with very detailed species lists, workshops and suggestions for the
future.

Aims of the Leicestershire Coleoptera Recording Scheme

1) To collect records of beetles from Leicestershire into a single, readily accessible data
bank.

2) To foster the recording of information on beetles in Leicestershire.

3) To publish a list of beetles recorded in Leicestershire.

4) To publish an atlas showing the modern distribution and status of species of beetles in
Leicestershire.

5) To provide information and advice on the scientific interest of sites in Leicestershire with
special regard to beetles.

I need to emphasise the fact that this checklist follows the 2nd Edition of the Duff
2012 checklist and consequently there are a few name changes as well as sequence
changes and subsequently some names will be unfamiliar to some. Therefore I can’t
overstate the importance of obtaining a copy of this checklist, which is available as a
free download from The Coleopterst http://www.coleopterist.org.uk/checklist2012.pdf
This latest edition summarises the changes, additions and deletions plus the
introduction explains the whys and wherefores to these changes.

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Order COLEOPTERA Linnaeus, 1758

Suborder MYXOPHAGA Crowson, 1955

Superfamily SPHAERIUSOIDEA Erichson, 1845
1 Family SPHAERIUSIDAE Erichson 1845
Sphaerius acaroides Waltl 1838 A Mathews
2 Family GYRINIDAE Latreille 1810
Gyrinus minutus Fabricius 1798 A Mathews

Gyrinus aeratus Stephens 1835
Single record
SP614968: Kilby Bridge, Grand Union Canal. 24/06/1983 Derek Lott
Gyrinus marinus Gyllenhal 1808
31 records
River Soar.1848-1895. F Bates
SK571174: River Soar, Barrow. 02/06/2006 Derek Lott
Gyrinus natator Linnaeus 1758
Single record
SK50: Hinckley (and Barwell). 1978-1982. DJ Goldsmith
Gyrinus substriatus Stephens 1823
83 records
SK50: Leicestershire. 06/03/1841 J Harley
SP555848: Misterton Marsh 19/06/2017 GL Finch
Gyrinus urinator Illiger 1807
2 records
SK514147: Beacon Hill. 1999 P Nicolet
SK5912: River Soar 2009 J Denton
Orectochilus villosus Müller 1776
15 records with 10 of these from Bradgate Park
SK51: Bradgate Park. 1848-1895 F Bates
SK811390: River Devon, Bottesford. 20/09/2001 Environment Agency
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