News

Here’s a round-up of some notable records we’ve received over the spring and summer.

The Olchon Brook and its tributaries near Llanveynoe have yielded a few goodies. Whilst surveying here in April, Will Watson discovered three nymphs of the Golden-ringed Dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii. Evidence of breeding for this species has only been recorded once previously in Herefordshire, in 1977, so it’s fantastic to know that the Golden-ringed Dragonfly is still breeding here. Will also found the stonefly Dinocras cephalotes, and larvae of the Giant Lacewing Osmylus fulvicephalus in the same location, two more species with only a handful of records from Herefordshire.

Also in the west of the county, at Cusop near Hay-on-Wye, Paul Smith recorded the uncommon crane fly species Tanyptera atrata in May. There are only two other Herefordshire records for this species, from 1902 and 1944, so again it’s brilliant to know it’s still in the county.

Finally, Ian Draycott recorded the Critically Endangered Western Wood-vase Hoverfly Myolepta potens on Great Doward in June. This species was considered extinct in the UK for 40 years until re-discovered in Moccas Park in 2002, and more recently a few records have emerged from the southwestern part of the Forest of Dean. It was re-discovered at Moccas during a survey for saproxylic insect by checking rot holes in old Horse Chestnuts but this tree is not common on Great Doward so other rot holes must be important for it too.