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RECENT RECORDS OF SOME NOTABLE AND RARE DIPTERA FROM SUFFOLK

A. C. HUBBARD

The following records are of species that are considered to be nationally scarce and threatened as categorised by Falk, S. J., (1991).

Category definitions and criteria referred to in this paper are as follows:

RDB2 – Vulnerable – Species declining throughout their range, occurring in vulnerable habitats or with low populations

RDB3 – Rare – Species which are estimated to exist in only fifteen or fewer modern 10-km squares

Notable – Species occurring within the range of 16–100 modern 10-km squares

Tabanidae

Haematopota grandis (Meigen) RDB3 Dingle Marshes TM 47-72- 3 August 1996 Butley River TM 38-50- 18 August 1996 Dingle Marshes TM 48-72 7 July 1999 This is a species of coastal marshes; the above records all involved females biting.

Atylotus latistriatus (Brauer) RDB3 Flatford TM 08-33- 23 July 1995 Brantham TM 12-33- 21 July 1996 Another coastal species which has an association with saltmarsh; both records involved females – one resting on a stile step, the other on oak foliage along the northern bank of the River Stour.

Hybomitra ciureai (Seguy) RDB3 Dunwich TM 47-70- 3 August 1996 Confined to the coast; record refers to a female on flowers of hogweed.

Stratiomyidae

Beris clavipes (Linnaeus) Notable Frostenden TM 48-79- 23 June 1995 Frostenden TM 48-79- 16 June 1996 Single males on both occasions, one on alder foliage overhanging a ditch, the other on reedmace at the edge of a ditch in an area of grazing marsh, the typical habitat.

Vanoyia tenuicornis (Macquart) Notable Frostenden TM 48-79- 16 June 1996 Sizewell Belts TM 46-63- 26 June 1999 A male was taken off ditch vegetation at Frostenden and a female was captured by general sweeping over a herb-rich meadow at Sizewell.

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Trans. Suffolk Nat. Soc. 36 (2000)

Odontomyia argentata (Fabricius) RDB2 Darsham Marshes TM 42-68- 27 April 1997 Beccles Marsh TM 42-90- 3 May 1999 A female was disturbed from vegetation adjacent a wet wheel rut across the marshes at Darsham whilst the Beccles record was of a female on sallow catkins.

Odontomyia ornata (Meigen) RDB2 Frostenden TM 48-79- 16 June 1996 A single male was found on leaves of yellow flag adjacent a ditch across meadows, two others were seen at least one being a female. The larvae are aquatic occurring in ditches with abundance of submerged vegetation. It has also been found in previous years at Sizewell Belts and Castle Marshes, both Suffolk Wildlife Trust Reserves.

Odontomyia tigrina (Fabricius) Notable Castle Marsh TM 46-90- 8 May 1995 Frostenden TM 48-79- 27 May 1995 Frostenden TM 48-80- 23 June 1995 A single male was found on ditch vegetation at Castle Marshes and were seen in good numbers on dense emergent vegetation at the edge of ditches at Frostenden, again the larvae are aquatic.

Stratiomys potamida (Meigen) Notable Creeting St. Peter (Fen Alder Carr) TM 08-56- 25 July 1995 Milden TL 94-46 21 June 1997 (AW) Dingle Marshes TM 47-72- 11 July 1999 Eastbridge TM 45-65- 11 July 1999 (JG) Seen at Fen Alder Carr (L.N.R) where they probably breed in wet seepages within the wooded area, adults seen visiting umbellifers in meadow area adjacent car park. Also seen at the edge of pond on yellow flag at Milden.

Stratiomys singularior (Harris) Notable Dingle Marshes TM 48-72- 11 July 1999 River Lark TL 62-80- 24 July 1999 Falkenham TM 32-38- 15 August 1999 Visiting umbellifers at all three sites, male and female at Falkenham. Found mostly on the coast along estuaries, with a few records inland nationally. Larvae live in mud and shallow water with mildly brackish conditions preferred.

Asilidae

Eutolmus rufibarbis (Meigen) RDB3 Knettishall Heath TL 95-80- 6 August 1995 Foxhole Heath TL 73-77- 6 August 1995 Sutton Heath TM 30-46- 25 August 1996 Martlesham TM 24-44- 1997 (HM) Dingle Marshes TM 47-72- 11 July 1999

NOTABLE AND RARE DIPTERA

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Barnham Heath TL 88-79- 18 July 1999 Sutton TM 28-48- 1 August 1999 A heathland species with concentrations in Breckland and the heaths of Surrey and West Sussex. More recently it has been found in the ‘Sandlings’ area of Suffolk usually only as singles; it was first recorded in July 1993 along a ride in Rendlesham Forest.

Dioctria oelandica (Linnaeus) Notable RAF Barnham TL 85-80- 13 May 1995 Single on sycamore foliage along woodland edge; there are old records for East Anglia (pre-1960).

Lasiopogon cinctus (Fabricius) Notable RAF Barnham TL 85-80-, TL 85-79- 13 May 1995 Rendlesham Forest TM 33-51-, TM 34-51- 18 May 1997 A heathland species seen visiting hawthorn blossom at RAF Barnham. The Rendlesham records were of singles along forest tracks with mature conifers either side.

Dolichopodidae

Dolichopus migrans (Zetterstedt) RDB3 RAF Barnham TL 85-80 22 June 1996 A single male was swept from an area of dry grassland. E. C. M. d’Assis Fonseca found it to be abundant in long grass near Barton Mills in June 1974.

Dolichopus notatus (Staeger) Notable Dingle Marshes TM 47-71 13 June 1999 Single male swept from grazing marsh.

Dolichopus strigipes (Verrall) Notable Snape TM 40-57- 28 June 1997 Swept from saltmarsh vegetation adjacent R. Alde. This species would appear to be confined to this type of habitat. I have recorded it previous to 1995 at Kirton Creek (R. Deben) and Shingle Street.

Syrphidae

Brachyopa bicolor (Fallen) RDB3 Butley TM 36-49- 19 May 1999 Single male on trunk of mature beech; has a preference for old diseased trees with sap runs. The New Forest would appear to be the stronghold for this species.

Brachyopa insensilis (Collin) Notable Dalham TL 72-62- 25 May 1998 Single female on trunk of horse-chestnut; like the previous species, it is associated with sap runs.

Eupeodes latilunulatus (Collin) Notable RAF Mildenhall TL 67-77- 1999 (PL) Seen in area of breck grass heath; nationally the species is known from woods and heaths.

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Neoascia geniculata (Meigen) Notable Frostenden TM 48-80- 27 May 1995 Single found on flower of creeping buttercup at edge of a ditch with dense emergent vegetation.

Neoascia obliqua (Coe) Notable Newbourne Springs TM 27-43- 27 August 1995 Single swept from vegetation in damp area with butterbur and convolvulus dominant.

Volucella inanis (Linnaeus) Notable Felixstowe TM 30-36- 10 August 1998 (BR) Felixstowe TM 31-34- 31 July 1999 (JN) Alton Reservoir TM 14-36- 5 August 1999 (AW) Monks Eleigh TL 96-47- 6 September 1999 (AW) Singles on each occasion, flower visits including umbellifer species, water mint and hemp agrimony. Larvae are found in nests of social wasps.

Volucella zonaria (Poda) Notable Felixstowe TM 30-36- 24 July 1998 (BR) Felixstowe TM 31-34- 24 July 1999 (JN) Felixstowe TM 28-34- 5 October 1999 (RBW) First brought to my attention by Brian Ranner in 1997 with a suspected sighting in Felixstowe. Species confirmed as being present in Felixstowe when I received a voucher specimen from BR in 1998. Seen again by BR in 1999 with an additional record (with voucher specimen) from Jon Nicholls. A letter received from Bob Warren describing a large fly resembling a hornet with regard to size and colouration was almost certainly of the same species. It is frequent around the London area and south east England. The Felixstowe records could be an expansion in range or a local colony derived from migrants.

Xylota tarda (Meigen) Notable Wolves Wood, Hadleigh TM 05-43- 6 June 1998 Female swept off vegetation adjacent ride amongst more common X. segnis. Larvae develop in dead wood, birch and aspen probably preferred.

Conopidae

Conops vesicularis (Linnaeus) Notable Tunstall Forest TM 37-54- 14 May 1995 Single on sycamore foliage along forest ride. Larvae are parasitoids in abdomen of bumble bees.

Leopoldius signatus (Wiedemann) Notable Eastbridge TM 45-66- 19 September 1999 Brantham TM 11-34- 23 September 1999 (JG) Both records were of singles at ivy blossom and again larvae are parasitoids of hymenoptera (Vespidae family).

NOTABLE AND RARE DIPTERA

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Ulidiidae

Melieria picta (Meigen) Notable Snape TM 40-57- 27 July 1997 Shingle Street TM 37-43- 15 June 1997 A coastal species swept from saltmarsh vegetation on both occasions.

Tephritidae

Campiglossa absinthii (Fabricius) Notable Falkenham TM 30-38- 15 August 1999 Butley River TM 38-50- 30 August 1999 Swept off sea wormwood on both occasions.

Merzomyia westermanni (Meigen) Notable Falkenham TM 30-38- 15 August 1999 Single taken off ragwort species growing on landward side of riverbank. Larvae have been reared from flowerheads of Senecio sp.

Acknowledgements My thanks go to the following people who sent me records, Justin Gant (JG), Paul Lee (PL), Howard Mendel (HM), Jon Nicholls (JN), Brian Ranner (BR), Bob Warren (RBW) and Arthur Watchman (AW). I am also grateful to landowners and wardens for permission to record on reserves and privately owned land in particular to Mr John Holmes of White House Farm, Frostenden and Alan Miller, warden of both Sizewell Belts and Dingle Marshes.

References Assis-Fonseca, E.C.M. d’ (1978). Diptera Orthorrhapha Brachycera

Dolichopodidae. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects Vol. IX, Part 5. Royal Entomological Society of London.

Chandler, P., (1998). Checklists of Insects of British Isles (New Series) Part 1 : Diptera. Royal Entomological Society of London.

Falk, S. J., (1991). Review of scarce and threatened flies of Great Britain (Part 1). Nature Conservancy Council.

Drake, C. M., (1991). Provisional atlas of the Larger Brachycera (Diptera) of Britain and Ireland. Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Monks Wood.

Stubbs, A. E. & Falk, S. J., (1983). British Hoverflies. British Entomological and Natural History Society.

Alan C. Hubbard Treetops Common Lane Bromeswell Woodbridge Suffolk IP12 2PQ