craneflies of shropshire with columns

A provisional atlas and account of the craneflies of Shropshire 2007: Pete Boardman

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INTRODUCTION Craneflies are probably familiar to most people as “daddy‐long‐legs”, those gangly flying insects that come into houses on warm, late summer evenings. Whilst this is true, it is by no way a true representation of the group as a whole, which comprises of at least 349 within Britain (www.buglife.org.uk), and approximately 17,000 worldwide (www.ip30.eti.uva.nl/ccw). Many species are habitat specialists and as such are not normally encountered. Others are really very common or abundant at certain times of the year. Some are indeed rare (about 15% of the total fauna are Red Data Book (RDB) (Shirt et al 1987) species (Stubbs in prep)), whilst others have declined due to habitat loss and particularly drainage of wetland habitats (Stubbs 1992). Occasionally craneflies hit the news, generally when the most commonly encountered species, the common daddy‐long‐legs Tipula paludosa (cover photo) reaches “plague proportions” as happened in 2005 and 2006. Then the reaction is generally ‘tabloid’ in nature, an example being “Invasion of the winged destroyer” (Manchester Evening News, 8 September 2005). For a fuller account of these kinds of misconceptions see Sue McBean’s excellent article entitled ‘Creatures in the news: journalism or journalese?’ in Biologist (McBean 2006) Craneflies are harmless, indeed it is a common myth that the daddy‐long‐legs would be the most poisonous animal if only it knew how to use its poison! This is false as they are non‐venomous and non‐biting. Craneflies are a major food source of a number of animal groups including several bats (and other mammals), fish, birds, and of course other invertebrates. Stubbs (in prep) describes these relationships in detail. Therefore it is easy to see the place of the cranefly in the food web across many of our varied habitats within Shropshire. The vast majority of cranefly species accounts in this book are based upon the much more expansive text within the forthcoming ‘British Craneflies’ (Stubbs in prep.), unless otherwise stated. Therefore this is not meant to be an

identification guide; however it does provide pointers to some of the more obvious identification features. This may help the beginner come to terms with what can seem a confusing and daunting fauna. The taxonomy within the species accounts mostly follows that published in Chandler 1998, however some taxonomic uncertainties have been resolved since then and are highlighted within ‘British Craneflies’ (Stubbs in prep). The status of species used is a combination of that within British Craneflies (Stubbs in prep), Mapmate software (© Tecknica Ltd), and that used in Falk (1991) and Falk & Chandler (2005). Recording and data searches were carried out for the Watsonian Vice County (V.C.) 40 (Fig.1). The boundary is slightly different to the political boundary of Shropshire and also includes the Unitary Authority of Telford and Wrekin. Species distribution maps are displayed at 2 x 2 km (tetrad) level using DMAP biological recording software (© A.J. Morton). All illustrations are by the author unless otherwise stated and are not to scale. This publication is based upon approximately 4200+ biological records of 233 taxa. These records were collated from fieldwork by the author and others, research reports and museum specimens. The remainder were compiled from existing databases and historical records.

Fig.1 – Watsonian V.C. 40

Whixall Moss Ironbridge Woodlands Wenlock Edge Long Mynd Clun Uplands Clee Hills Wyre Forest


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are several people and organisations who have been involved with this project from its conception or have helped through the supply of records, access to records, funding, access permission on land, etc for whom thanks are due; I would particularly like to thank Alan Stubbs and John Kramer (National Cranefly Recording Scheme) for help and encouragement, Steve Judd, Guy Knight, Tom Mawdsley and Ian Wallace for access to the Liverpool Museum collections and archive, Dmitri Logunov for access to the Manchester Museum collections and the Cyril Pugh archive, Daniel Lockett for access to the Ludlow Museum collection and record cards, Ian Cheeseborough and Nigel Jones for lots of recording help and a boundless enthusiasm for the invertebrates of Shropshire, Dave Barnett for recording help and a Wyre Forest perspective, Dan Wrench (Biodiversity Officer for Shropshire County Council) for help with funding and much encouragement as well as specimens, Mike Howe (Countryside Council for Wales) for access to the CCW database and personal records, Joan Daniels (Natural England) for access to Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR, records and support, Viv Geen (Shropshire Wildlife Trust) and Stephen Lewis (Butterfly Conservation) for access to sites and records and publicising the recording project, the Shropshire Invertebrates Group for access to records and assistance with field work, Alex Lockton (Whild Associates) for access to records, encouragement, help and advice, Caroline Uff (National Trust – Long Mynd) for access to records from the Long Mynd, Wenlock Edge and Hopesay Hill, and site access, Ron Iremonger (National Trust – Attingham Park) for site access, Rosemary Winnall of the Wyre Forest Study Group for supplying the Baveney Brook and Roxel specimens and enabling recording access at sites in the Wyre Forest, Helen Griffiths and the Shropshire Ornithological Society for access to Venus Pool (via Nigel Jones), Alison Jones (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group) for putting me in touch with willing landowners, Gareth Eggar for access to Shropshire County Council sites, Sue Townsend for access to Preston Montford and for support and much

encouragement, and Allan Dawes for regular samples from the Trefonen light trap. I would also like to thank Tom Mawdsley for encouraging me gently into the subject of craneflies in the first place. Several landowners and other parties enabled access to survey craneflies on their land. My thanks to them; Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England, the Woodland Trust, the National Trust, Shropshire County Council, Lafarge plc, Hanson plc, Sir Michael Leighton, Michael Wallace, Robert Kynaston, Mr. & Mrs. Webb, Neil Furniss, Tim Teague, Jayne Madeley, Jane Ellesmoor, John Barnes, Michael Dugdale, and Val Burton. I would like to acknowledge the financial support and other assistance towards this project from Natural England, Shropshire Biodiversity Partnership, West Midlands Biodiversity Project Nurturing Nature Fund, The Field Studies Council and the Biodiversity Training Project. Thanks to Mike Ashton, for helping with the publication of this provisional atlas. Finally many thanks to my partner Karen for putting up with my endless absenteeism in the pursuit of Shropshire’s craneflies. Pete Boardman April 2007


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RECORDERS The following recorders and groups have been responsible for the records used within this account; Alexander, Keith N.A. Arnold, F.N. Barnett, Dave Bayliss, Chris. Bennett‐Lloyd, P. T. Boardman, Pete Bratton, J.H. Brindle, Alan (deceased) Britten, Harry (deceased) Bury, H. (deceased) Cheeseborough, Ian Clements, D.K. Colyer, Cedric N. (deceased) Comerford, Jennie Cope, Jason Daniels, Joan Davies, Howard Dawes, Allan Dean, Clive Denman, David Drever, James Drake, Colin M. Dyer, Anne Edwards, F.W. (deceased) Foster, A.P. Fowles, Adrian P. Gibbs, David Godfrey, Andy Hancock, E.G. Heaver, David J. Horton, Karen Howe, Elizabeth Howe, Mike Hughes, Morgan Irving, Thelma Jones, Nigel Kirby, P. Kramer, John Lewis, Stephen Lister, J.A. Lockett, Daniel Lockton, Alex Martin, Dudley Mason, John Mawdsley, Tom McCann, Anna

Merrifield, Ken Merrifield, Rita Miguel‐Hidalgo, Javier Norton, Mr. John (deceased) Parrott, J.R. Potts, G. (deceased) Price, Chris Prestwood, W.V. Pryce, David Pugh, C.H.W. (deceased) Pugh, Louise Redding, Sue Roger, Megan Ruberry, Karen Sheppard, David Shropshire Invertebrate Group (Blunt, A. Godfrey) (Derry, Charles (Jones, Nigel) (Kemp, Bob) (Mason, John) (Pryce, David) (Thompson, Ian) Skidmore, Peter. Skingsley, David Smith, K.G.V. Steel, Jenny Stubbs, Alan Taylor, Mike Thompson, Ian Tilling, Steve Twigg, H.M. Wallace, Ian Uff, Caroline Uttley, W (deceased). Warburton, Marion Watson, Glyn Whild, Sarah Willis, Lisa Wrench, Dan Welsh Peatland Invertebrate Survey Team (Boyce, D.C.) (Holmes, P.) (Reed, D.K.) Wyre Forest Study Group (Barnett, Dave) (Bloxham, Mike) (Blythe Mick) (Winnall, Rosemary)


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C.W.H. PUGH, THE FIRST SHROPSHIRE DIPTERIST

C.H.W. PUGH, M.C., M.B.E., M.A., B.C.L.

1890-1973. I first encountered the name of Cyril Henry Wallace Pugh on a set of specimens of the cranefly Phylidorea heterogyna displayed in an old glass ‐ covered draw within Manchester Museum’s insect collections. These flies had been found by Pugh at ‘Whixall Moss, Salop’ as new to Britain and were there with small card labels in Pugh’s hand dated 22.8.1936. I had gone into the museum to have a look at them with a view to familiarising myself before trying to find if the species could be re‐found on Whixall Moss, or Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR as it is known now. As a nosey sort I noticed that draws containing papers and notebooks by various collectors over the years were available for inspection and so I looked to see what else Pugh had been keen to identify. It was obvious that this had been a man completely obsessed by his hobby. A very well annotated library of notebooks, reference books, drawings (Fig. 2) and field notebooks came to light within Pugh’s “draw”. This also included correspondence with other dipterists, notably F.W. Edwards from the Natural History Museum. Also included were sketches Pugh had made of craneflies and other flies, generally based upon specimens he had reared from larval or pupal finds. Pugh’s notebooks were neatly arranged with lists of finds from year to year enabling a compilation of biological record data previously unknown for Shropshire. Pugh was born in Oswestry and was educated at Oswestry School where he went on to win a scholarship to read law at St. John’s College, Oxford. After finishing his studies he returned to Oswestry in 1911 to work for his father’s firm of solicitors, but in 1914 he enlisted in the Shropshire Light Infantry and served until close to the end of the war when he was severely wounded and was awarded the Military Cross. Upon demobilisation he returned to work as a solicitor, becoming a partner in the firm when his father died in 1921.

Fig. 2 – Limonia nubeculosa sketch by Cyril Pugh of adult bred from moss in 1922 (courtesy of Manchester

Museum).

During the Second World War Pugh was the local commander in the Home Guard and was later awarded the M.B.E. He later carried out a range of civic duties including the governorship of several schools, district Scout master for the Oswestry area, clerk to the Oswestry Magistrates and was a churchwarden in Oswestry (Brindle 1974). The vast majority of Pugh’s entomological studies were concerned with diptera (flies) and for the most part he restricted his area of study to Shropshire and the Welsh Marches. He studied most groups of flies and corresponded with several other leading authorities but surprisingly published very little, preferring to carry out field work. Through his contacts with F.W. Edwards, his work did however influence publications, such as British short‐palped craneflies (Edwards 1938), in which Pugh is regularly mentioned. The value of Pugh’s contribution to cranefly recording in Shropshire only really became


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obvious when I was researching and compiling the database which is the basis of this publication. Pugh listed at least 150 species of craneflies and winter gnats from around the county, with the majority of his field work carried out around his home town. Here habitats vary from the carboniferous limestone of the Llanymynech Rocks area to acid heath at Llawnt. Woodland and dingle streams can be found at Candy, with damp grassland and fen at Treflach. It can only be imagined that habitats were also more extensive and in better condition in the 1920’s and 1930’s that comprise Pugh’s heyday, before the modern trend of agricultural intensification and mass agricultural drainage of the 1970’s and 1980’s, as well as the changes in land use around the Oswestry area that have brought housing and industrial / retail estates. That said it has been of particular interest to rediscover species recorded by Pugh over 70 years ago such as Dicranomyia sericata at Llanymynech Rocks. Finds like this one suggest that with a little determination one could still walk in Pugh’s footsteps and make a contribution to the understanding of our natural heritage in Shropshire.

GAZETTEER OF SITES The following is a list of grid references relating to the sites mentioned within this report; Abbey Wood SJ5415 Alberbury SJ3613 Attingham Park SJ5510 Badger Dingle SO7699 Benthall Edge SJ6603 Berrington Moss SJ5207 Berwick Wharf SJ5411 Bicton SJ4414 Blakeway Coppice SO6099, SO5897 Boningale SJ8102 Brokenstones Pool SO4187 Brokenstones Wood SO4187 Brook Vessons SJ3801 Brown Moss SJ5639 Brownheath Moss SJ4630 Bucknell Wood SO3374 Burlton Pool SJ4526 Buttonbridge SO7381 Candy SJ2528, SJ2529

Catherton Common SO6378 Chermes Dingle SJ6505 Chorley (Jack Mytton Way) SO7183 Chorley Covert SO7083 Clarepool Moss SJ4334 Clee Hill SO6076 Cleeton St Mary SO6078 Colemere SJ4333 Cornbrook Dingle SO6075 Cramer Gutter SO6476 Crosemere SJ4330 Cuckooopen Coppice SO5380 Dolgoch Quarry SJ2724 Dorrington (near Woore) SJ7241 Eardington Quarry SO7290 Fenemere SJ4422 Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR; SJ4835, SJ4935, SJ4936 Marl Allotments SJ5033 Goldstone Common SJ7029 Habberley Valley SJ4105 Harton Hollow SO4887 Haughmond Hill SJ5414 Henlle SJ3035 Hillcrest SJ7241 Holbrook Coppice SJ6505 Hope Valley SJ3401 Hopesay Hill SO3983 Huglith Wood SJ4001 Ifton Wood / Dingle, St. Martins SJ3137 Jiggers Bank Meadow SJ6605 Lea Quarry SO5998 Ledwyche Brook SO5337 Llanforda SJ2528 Llanymynech Rocks / Underhill Quarry SJ2722 Llawnt SJ2430 Llynclys Common SJ2723 Loamhole Dingle / Lydebrook Dingle SJ6506, SJ6605 Long Mynd; Cardingmill Valley SO4395 Gogbatch SO4194 Hawkbatch Valley SO7677 Wildmoor Pool SO4296 Maddox Coppice SJ3803 Maesbrook SJ3021 Maesbury SJ3205 Melverley (River Vrynwy) SJ3316 Melverley Farm SJ5840 Merrington Green SJ4620 Monkhopton SO6294 Morda SJ2828


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Morton Pool SJ3023 Morville Quarry SO6893 Mount Wood SJ2535 Much Wenlock SJ6200 Newport Sj7021 Nills Hill Quarry SJ3905 Oak Dingle SO5687 Old Racecourse, Oswestry SJ2530 Poles Coppice SJ3804 Prees Heath SJ5637 Preston Montford SJ4314 Quarry Wood SJ6827 Rectory Field SO4593 Rhos Fiddle SO2085 Roman Bank SO5290 Rosehill SJ6630 Ruyton‐XI‐Towns churchyard SJ3922 Saplin’s Wood SJ6305 Shawbury SJ5621 Shrawardine River Severn SJ3915 Shrewsbury SJ4911, SJ5010 Snailbeach SJ3792 Spout Wood SJ4137 Stanmore Country Park SO7492 Steel Heath SJ5436 Sweat Mere SJ4330 Sweeney Fen SJ2725 The Cliffe SJ3921 The Ercall SJ6409 The Moors, Ellesmere SJ4034 The Stiperstones NNR SO3698 Tick Wood SJ6403 Titterstone Clee SO5977 Tong Pool SJ7907 Treen Pits SO5875 Treflach Quarry SJ2558 Trefonen SJ2527 Venus Pool SJ5504 Walcot Park SO3584 Walford College SJ4320 Wem Moss NNR SJ4734 Wern‐ddu (quarry) SJ2326 Wern‐duu SJ2225 Wenlock Edge SO5897, SO5998, SO6099 Whitwell Coppice SJ6102 Wollaston SJ3212 Woore SJ7241 Wrekin Wood SJ6308 Wyre Forest; Baveney Brook SO7176 Roxel SO7479

CRANEFLY IDENTIFICATION Cranefly identification can be tricky at first but with a bit of experience the groups quickly become identifiable. Good magnification and lighting are necessary for the resolution of many species, but equally several species can be identified in the field by eye or with a half decent hand lens once familiar with them. Keys are essential. For many years dipterists have had only a succession of test keys or older texts such as Edwards (1938) but with the anticipated publication of British Craneflies (Stubbs in prep.) identification of craneflies should at last be more of an approachable subject. Craneflies are identifiable in most stages of life. Larval stages can often be identified by comparison of the strangely face‐like anal appendages (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3 – anal appendage of Tipula scripta (Theowald 1967)

The same can be said for pupa or pupal cases (Fig. 4) where keys exist that detail the majority of British species (Brindle 1960, Brindle and Bryce 1960, Brindle 1967).


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Fig. 4 – detail of pupal case of male Idioptera linnei (Boardman 2004)

Adults are generally identified by wing markings or differences in the structure of wing veins, the various body markings and colouration or differences in their genital structures (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5 – Genitalia of male species of Molophilus craneflies (Edwards 1938)

ANATOMY OF A CRANEFLY As already stated this publication is not designed as an identification guide however in the species accounts some very basic reference is made to anatomical features of craneflies and winter gnats that should enable a few taxa to be identified to species level. Therefore the following figures

illustrate the basic body parts of a cranefly as referred to in the text.

BODY AND LEGS

Fig. 6 – Basic anatomical features of a cranefly / winter gnat (Trichocera major)

HEAD

Craneflies and fold‐winged craneflies do not have ocelli (simple light‐receptive eyes) but only compound eyes. Winter gnats possess both triangular ocelli and more normal large compound eyes (Fig. 7)

Fig. 7 – Simplified head of a winter gnat showing both

ocelli and compound eyes

ocelli or simple light‐reflective eyes

compound eyes

Tibia

Abdomen Genitalia Ovipostor (female) Tarsal segments (Tarsi)

Thorax Femur (Femora)


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HALTERES All flies have halteres which are greatly modified hind wings which are used as balancing organs. In craneflies and winter gnats they are obvious structures but in other groups of flies such as hoverflies they are covered by structures resembling flaps called calypters.

Fig. 8 – halteres

The size or colour of halteres is used in the identification of several species of cranefly including Erioptera lutea, a small yellow species with black halteres.

WINGS

Fig. 9 – Wing of a cranefly (Symplecta hybrida)

The discal cell is either present or absent in craneflies and always present in winter gnats. The shape of the anal vein is often a factor in identification as can be seen in Fig. 9 where the extra sinuous anal vein suggests a Stictica species. Some species have incredibly hairy wings with the veining almost completely obscured (Tasiocera and Molophilus).

RARE SPECIES As already stated some 15% of the UK cranefly fauna are Red Data Book species (Shirt 1987). The status of rare craneflies was examined further in Falk (1991) and winter gnats in Falk & Chandler (2005). As well as these craneflies there are others included with the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (www.ukbap.org) which are not listed as Red Data Book species. These include some members of the Lipsothrix genera which are craneflies associated with woody debris in dingle streams. Andy Godfrey carried out detailed survey work relating to these species at several sites in Shropshire and elsewhere (Godfrey 2000 & Godfrey 2001). His survey results are regularly referred to within the species accounts later in this publication. A summary of species deemed important in Shropshire was compiled by the author during 2005 (Boardman 2005a) and submitted for inclusion in the Shropshire Biodiversity Action Plan. Following this report (and including research for this publication) further records came to light of the distribution of rare species within Shropshire.

THE ONES THAT GOT AWAY During the preparation of this account some species came to light that were recorded within less than a mile outside the V. C. 40 boundary or more generally in surrounding counties, but alas were not recorded within it and so cannot be currently classed as Shropshire craneflies! Ellipteroides alboscutellatus (von Roser, 1840) is a Red Data Book species that has had its autecology summarised by David Heaver in a recent article in Dipterists Digest (Heaver 2006). Heaver lists 13 sites nationally ranging from Herefordshire to Yorkshire. The nearest to Shropshire is just over the border at Great Bog, Wyre Forest, Worcestershire. In fact it is so close to the border that when mapped it appears to be in Shropshire! The fly occurs at tufaceous springs, not a common Shropshire habitat, though some sites do exist.

Discal cell Anal vein


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The species is due to be targeted by the author during 2007. Molophilus ater (Meigen, 1804) is a very small wingless cranefly that most people would not immediately class as even being a fly. It is found on wet moorland and upland bog and was noted by Cyril Pugh just over the Welsh border to the north‐west of Oswestry in the 1930’s. Rather frustratingly the records appear in Pugh’s notebooks and suggest they are Shropshire records, but alas are not. It is possible that with further targeted survey work it might be found elsewhere in the county, perhaps the Long Mynd or the Clee Hill area may be worth a look? Molophilus pusillus Edwards, 1921 is what Stubbs (in prep.) calls “an enigma”, as generally within the Molophilus group females are unidentifiable. This species however has only ever been found as females and is therefore assumed to be a parthenogenetic species (it exists as females which lay viable eggs). It is known to be widespread through England, Wales and Scotland and identification is possible due to differences in wing venation and the small size of the species. One specimen was found in Malaise trap samples during a survey in the Worcestershire side of the Wyre Forest in 2004 (Smart & Winnall 2006). Ormosia staegeriana Alexander, 1953 (like Molophilus ater) is another upland species found by Pugh just outside of the county boundary. Again, looking at similar habitats such as those on the Long Mynd may prove worthwhile. Nephrotoma submaculosa Edwards, 1928 is a tiger cranefly found mostly at coastal sand dune sites however inland populations are known from sandy river banks and shingle bars. It has been recorded from two sites in Staffordshire (Skingsley 1999).

SITE COVERAGE AND DATA

The publication of this provisional atlas has led to a pretty good understanding and coverage of the county by the author and other recorders (Fig. 10).

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Of the fieldwork carried out by the author, an initial bias to those sites such as nature reserves was perhaps understandable. These are mostly easier to access and reserve managers are generally always keen to know what was on the reserve, or already had some form of site species list. Following this the farmed landscape was targeted, with a series of farm visits including Malaise trapping of 9 sites spread around the county during 2006 (Boardman in prep.). Some specific targeted searches were carried out to fill gaps in recording where possible. However several sites and habitat types have yet to be surveyed with enough depth (or at all) to fully appreciate their importance for craneflies. The most glaring gap comes from the various river corridors in the county and associated riverine species. Some targeting of the River Severn corridor, the Teme, Vrynwy, Onny and the Camlad would contribute significantly to this gap. Site quality is perhaps more difficult to quantify due to generally non‐scientific methods of sampling species. The sites where traditionally most recorder effort has been put in, such as Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR, Morda & Oswestry (Pugh’s records), Ironbridge Gorge, Wenlock Edge, and the greater Wyre Forest etc, show up on the coincidence map (Fig. 11) as the highest numbered values. The site with the most species records is Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield


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Mosses NNR with 91 species recorded so far, made up of records from the 3 mosses, the Marl Allotments and the site base at Manor House.

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Fig. 11 – Frequency of species recorded

All data from this publication has been passed on to the National Cranefly Recorder Scheme where it will be incorporated into the 75,000 + cranefly data set that exists for Great Britain. Note: maps throughout this report illustrate tetrad symbols of two types, the plus symbol represent records up to (and including) 1980, whilst the dark dots represent records after 1980 and up to the end of 2006.

SPECIES ACCOUNTS TIPULIDAE: LONG PALPED CRANEFLIES

UK 88 species Subfamilies CTENOPHORINAE DOLICHOPEZINAE TIPULINAE

CTENOPHORINAE – COMB‐HORNED CRANEFLIES

Ctenophora pectinicornis (Linnaeus, 1758). Local

A spectacular ichneumon wasp mimic and the most frequently encountered of the genus

throughout Western Europe (Oosterbroek et al 2006). This species is associated with locations where there are large stands of rotting timber and is classed as an ancient woodland indicator. The only Shropshire records are from the 1940’s around Oswestry and the Candy Valley by Cyril Pugh. Records were from late May and early June.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ctenophora pectinicornis

Dictenidia bimaculata (Linnaeus, 1761). Local

An impressive species associated with dead wood that is found sparingly around the county. It breeds in a range of deciduous trees but needs wood in an advanced state of decay. It has been recorded from Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR by Cyril Pugh in 1932, Alan Brindle in 1966 and Tom Mawdsley (Judd 1993), The Stiperstones NNR by Keith Alexander in 1984, Rectory Field, Church Stretton in 2004 and Preston Montford in 2006 by Ian Cheeseborough, and from the National Trust site near Lee Brockhurst by Ian Cheeseborough and Nigel Jones, again in 2006.


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Tanyptera atrata (Linnaeus, 1758). Local This is another spectacular insect of dead wood habitat. Females resemble large ichneumon wasps with fierce‐looking pointing ovipositors (Fig. 12), whilst males have more clubbed genitalia and come in two colour forms, an orange form and a black one. This species has been recorded from Wenlock Edge in 1955 by K.G.V. Smith, Brown Moss by Mike and Liz Howe in 1994 and Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR by the author where it is associated with silver birch Betula pendula (Boardman 2005c). Nigel Jones and Ian Cheeseborough took the fly from a log pile at the National Trust site near Lee Brockhurst during 2006.

Fig. 12 – Tanyptera atrata ♀

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Tanyptera nigricornis (Meigen, 1818). RDB3 A similar‐looking to species to T. atrata, this cranefly generally occurs less frequently and is associated with deciduous woodland. Larvae are known from rotting ash Fraxinus excelsior and oak Quercus sp, with probably less of an affinity to birch than the previous species. The single Shropshire record was noted by the Shropshire Invertebrates Group from Bucknell Wood in 2002 (Blunt et al 2002). The Wyre Forest may be a site worth targeting for this species.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tanyptera nigricornis


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DOLICHOPEZINAE – WHITE-FOOTED GHOST

Dolichopeza albipes (Ström, 1768). Local

Known as the ‘White‐footed Ghost’, this is an all black cranefly with shining white tarsal (lower leg) segments. It is found along ditch edges on moorland, dingle woodland, or under the root plates of fallen trees on bogs. When disturbed it flies out of the darkness displaying its’ white leg segments to confuse predators. It occurs quite widely around the county wherever these habitats are represented. All Shropshire records are from May and June.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dolichopeza albipes

TIPULINAE – SAWHORN CRANEFLIES

Prionocera pubescens Loew, 1844. RDB2

This rare species was recently discovered upon Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR by the author and John Kramer during 2004. It is separated from P. turcica by the lack of yellow colouration on the rostrum (snout) and also by features of the male genitalia. It appears to fly a little earlier in the year than the much commoner P. turcica, though can be on the wing from mid or late April through to August.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Prionocera pubescens

Prionocera subserricornis (Zetterstedt ,1851) RDB2

This cranefly is mostly of eastern distribution occurring on fen and other areas where black peaty mud is found under shaded conditions. The classic conditions for this species are said to be ditch lines under alder Alnus glutinosus where the ground is saturated and is organically rich with decomposing leaf‐litter. During 2006 an individual was taken by the author on Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR from an open ditch at the edge of the reserve. These conditions were not shaded but the pH of the water in the ditch was higher than the surrounding ditches as was evident by the vegetation. The fly was identified as P. subserricornis by examination of the genitalia and as such was the first county record.


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Prionocera subserricornis

Prionocera turcica (Fabricius, 1787). Local

This species is common on Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR, and Wem Moss NNR, with other records from boggy places including Little Heath Wood by the author, The Moors at Ellesmere by David Sheppard, and older records by Cyril Pugh from Bomere, Candy, Llanforda and Meole Brace. Shropshire records are from early May through to September.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Prionocera turcica

TIPULINAE – TIGER CRANEFLIES

The tiger craneflies exhibit yellow and black colouration in varying degrees and as such stand out from the other larger craneflies (except for the

much rarer Ctenophora genus). They are generally easy to identify and key out on readily accessible features seen under a microscope or with a decent hand lens.

Nephrotoma analis (Schummel, 1833). Local

This is an uncommon tiger cranefly and only a few records exist for this species in the county. It has been found around Ironbridge (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), Preston Montford (adjacent to the River Severn) and Buttonbridge near the Wyre Forest in 2006 by the author. Older records for Candy and Maesbrook near Oswestry were made by Cyril Pugh in the 1940’s. The fly is said to favour shaded streams on a sandy substrate and is on the wing during the summer months of June and July.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nephrotoma analis

Nephrotoma appendiculata (Pierre, 1919). Common

This tiger cranefly is a common species occurring in most types of grassland habitat, except the very driest. It is intolerant of shade but can also be found in open woodland or against grassy hedge margins and green lanes. Within Shropshire it has been recorded during the period of late April to early June and is usually the first tiger cranefly encountered each year. Records are widespread around the county.


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nephrotoma appendiculata

Nephrotoma cornicina (Linnaeus, 1758). Local This tiger cranefly appears to be classed as a southern species with a few exceptions. Sheltered locations on sandy soils are said to be favoured though the distribution from Shropshire suggests it to be more widespread. Records come from the edge of a variety of water bodies such as the carr at Brownheath Moss, Berrington Moss, the River Tame at Attingham Park, and the old limestone quarry at Llanymynech, all during 2006. It has also been recorded from a few gardens including that of the author at Weston Rhyn and the Shrewsbury garden of Ian Thompson.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nephrotoma cornicina

Nephrotoma crocata (Linnaeus, 1758). RDB3 This uncommon species was recorded at Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR by Cyril Pugh in 1927 and as such represents the only Shropshire record of this species. The specimen is housed in the Manchester Museum diptera collection. Records elsewhere within the UK suggest that a damp substrate such as sand or peat is required for oviposition (egg‐laying) and this is often near pines. No further records have turned up since, suggesting that the species has always been uncommon in Shropshire. A similar picture is obvious in neighbouring Staffordshire where the fly has not been recorded since 1951 (Skingsley 1999).

Fig. 13 – Nephrotoma crocata ♀

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nephrotoma crocata


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Nephrotoma flavescens (Linnaeus, 1758). Local As a species typical of dry grassland in summer this fly is probably overlooked as this does not typically represent good cranefly habitat. Road verges, limestone grassland, sandy heath grassland and field edges should all offer potential to this species. In Shropshire it has been recorded at two locations along Wenlock Edge by David Gibbs (Gibbs 1992) and Will Prestwood. It was recorded from a conservation field margin on farmland at Newport (Boardman in prep.), from Bridgnorth by Dave Barnett and at two locations along the River Onny corridor near to Craven Arms by the author and then Nigel Jones in 2006.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nephrotoma flavescens

Nephrotoma flavipalpis (Meigen, 1830). Local This is a widespread species, but seemingly quite elusive. Numbers are apparently low over its flight period of the summer months, though it can occur as late as October. Woodland, woodland edge, heathland edge, and hedgerows on well‐drained soils are the places to find this tiger cranefly. The recorded distribution is widespread around the county from a range of sites including the sand quarries at Morville and Cound, a shaded river bank at Weston Rhyn, and the Shrewsbury garden of Nigel Jones (a site that regularly turns up interesting finds).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nephrotoma flavipalpis

Nephrotoma guestfalica (Westhoff, 1879). Local Most western districts are deemed unsuitable for this cranefly, including the Triassic Sandstone of the Cheshire Plain, despite the apparent preference for sandy soils. Cyril Pugh recorded the cranefly from the Oswestry area during 1937 and the specimen resides within the Manchester Museum diptera collection. The two modern records were both identified from Malaise trap samples; from a conservation field margin on farmland at Newport and from farmland at Dorrington near Woore during 2006 (Boardman in prep.).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nephrotoma guestfalica


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Nephrotoma lunulicornis (Schummel, 1833) Nationally Scarce A widespread but uncommon species seemingly restricted to upland shaded river banks where the flow of water is fast. There may also be some bias to calcareous conditions. The single Shropshire location was within the Oswestry Hills at such a location during 2006. Specimens were found in a Malaise trap placed alongside a typically fast flowing hill stream in the shelter of scrub and amongst wet grassland.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nephrotoma lunulicornis

Nephrotoma quadrifaria (Meigen, 1804). Local Of all the tiger craneflies this one would appear to be the most likely to venture into gardens as it is a species of edge habitats, but mostly it is a woodland species. It has been recorded throughout Shropshire from woodlands, dingles and farmland. Shropshire records range from late May through to mid‐July. It is also one of the easier to identify and has very well marked wings that separate it quite readily from other Nephrotoma craneflies.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nephrotoma quadrifaria

Nephrotoma scurra (Meigen, 1818). Local This cranefly is strongly associated with dry sandy soils and as such is a lowland heath species; however it has a tendency to appear away from such habitats in Shropshire. It has been found on Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR on a number of occasions on peat rather than sand by Cyril Pugh in the 1930’s and then by the author in 2005. It was also found on a number of farms with a variety of different soils including black peaty soil of the Weald Moors north of Telford (Boardman in prep.). Shropshire records are from mid‐July to early September with a peak in August.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nephrotoma scurra


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TIPULINAE

Nigrotipula nigra (Linnaeus, 1758). Local This is a small dark brown cranefly that is found on fens. Stubb’s vernacular name of the Chocolate Tipula sums it up nicely. It is somewhat smaller and darker than other large palped craneflies and the wings and legs are also tinged chocolatey‐brown. As such this is easily recognisable as something different. A single Shropshire record comes from Morton Pool by Dr. P. Kirby on 22/06/1993. Other fen sites within the Meres and Mosses area may be found to host this species.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nigrotipula nigra

TIPULINAE – TIPULA CRANEFLIES

This subfamily is represented by several subgenus groups.

Subgenus ACUTIPULA

Tipula fulvipennis De Geer, 1776. Local This is one of the largest species of Shropshire’s craneflies and is found in moist and wet woodland, as well as the muddy margins of streams and dingles. The wing markings are unique and enable quick recognition in the field (Fig. 14). Shropshire records range from mid‐June to mid‐September, though it can be found until

October. Locations include Catherton Common by Alan Stubbs and David Heaver in 1993, Poles Coppice by Tom Mawdsley (Judd 1998b), Loamhole Dingle (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), Rhos Fiddle (Boardman & Cheeseborough 2002), Sweeney Fen, Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR and Alberbury by the author during 2005 and 2006.

Fig. 14 – wing of Tipula fulvipennis

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula fulvipennis

Tipula luna Westhoff, 1879. Local This widespread cranefly can be found in wet meadows, muddy ponds and lake margins, carr and other wet places. Often stands of rushes Juncus sp. mark likely locations for this spring flying species. The highly distinctive males have a golden tuft at the end of the genitalia (visible to the naked eye or a 10x hand lens) whilst the rest of the body is grey. Both sexes exhibit a while ‘lunule’ on the wing which gives the species its name. Most Shropshire records are from May and include Morton Pool by Alan Stubbs in 1995, The Ercall by Tom Mawdsley (Judd 1999), and Crosemere by Ian Cheeseborough, a rushy pool


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on the Old Oswestry Racecourse by Morgan Hughes in 2005 and the old river bed in Shrewsbury, Tong Pool and Sweeney Fen by the author in 2006.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula luna

Tipula maxima Poda, 1761. Local

This is one of the more impressive species of cranefly to be found within Shropshire. It is the largest UK species and the wings have very distinctive markings (Fig. 15), though it can be mistaken for the similar Pedicia rivosa. It can be found sparingly at seepages in woodland and dingle streams. Larvae are known from stream beds and adjacent wet soils. Adults have been recorded at moth traps by the author. Shropshire records range from May to August which seems to fit the national picture and locations include Llanymynech Rocks and Pennerley by the author during 2004, Weir Coppice by Ian Thompson, Haughmond Hill by Dan Wrench and Westhope by Anne Dyer, the specimen of which is housed in the Ludlow Museum invertebrate collection.

Fig. 15 – wing of Tipula maxima

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula maxima

Tipula vittata Meigen, 1804. Local

This is a large species of cranefly and the first large ‘Tipula‐type’ species to be encountered in the year. It is found in shaded and open situations in woodland, by streams, muddy stream margins and even on wet heathland during April to mid‐May. Most Shropshire records come from dingle woodlands sites, or at least woodland, heathland or quarry sites where some sort of shaded stream or seepage is close.

Fig. 16 – wing of Tipula vittata.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula vittata


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Subgenus BERINGOTIPULA

Tipula unca Weidemann, 1817. Common

Most areas where wet grassland, wet woodland or other damp habitats are found should offer suitable habitat for this common species of cranefly. It has been recorded in Shropshire from early May until mid‐July in a number of locations including Melverley Farm (Judd 1998a), Sweeney Fen in 2003, Walcot Park by Peter Skidmore, and Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR (Boardman 2005c), as well as Treflach Quarry and Alberbury by the author in 2006. Older records from Cyril Pugh show the species to be widespread around the Oswestry area during June and early July.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula unca

Subgenus DENDROTIPULA

Tipula flavolineata Meigen, 1804. Local A widespread species of woodland, this cranefly is associated with rotting wood and numbers of shed pupal skins (exuviae) can sometimes be found projecting from holes in the bark of suitable trees. Although principally an early species ( with a peak in May) there are some records for August and September by Cyril Pugh. Shropshire records are widespread. Records come from Mike and Liz Howe at Loamhole Dingle in Ironbridge, David

Sheppard from Colemere, Tom Mawdsley from Poles Coppice (Judd 1998b) and David Gibbs from Wenlock Edge (Gibbs 1992). 2006 records come from Wern‐ddu by the author (Boardman in prep.) and Marrington Dingle near Chirbury (collected by Nigel Jones).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula flavolineata

Subgenus LUNATIPULA

Tipula cava Reidel, 1913. Local An orange‐brown species, this cranefly is usually associated with well‐drained poor acidic soils, however in Shropshire it has been recorded from the very much wetter mire at Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR, wet acid grassland at Cramer Gutter, wet clay flushes within parts of the Wyre Forest, carr at Brownheath Moss and in wet woodland at Attingham Park and Haughmond Hill, all by the author. The male can quite easily be identified by the white “blisters” at either side of the genitalia. Records range from May to the end of July.


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula cava

Tipula fascipennis Meigen, 1818. Common A fairly widespread species found along woodland edges, dingle woodland, hedgerows and generally anywhere with lush vegetation. Shropshire records range from June to July and come from a number of different habitat types such as the upland wet grassland of Rhos Fiddle (Boardman & Cheeseborough 2002), the dry lowland heath of The Cliffe (Boardman & Cheeseborough 2003), the woodland of Wenlock Edge (Gibbs 1992) and the agricultural landscape of the Newport area (Boardman in prep.)

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula fascipennis

Tipula helvola Loew, 1873. Nationally Scarce

Once considered rare, this cranefly is now known to be more widespread in the south of England from dry woodland on heaths and chalky soils. The single Shropshire record comes from a farm site where it was found flying along the south‐facing edge of dry woodland and recently cropped arable field (Boardman in prep).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula helvola

Tipula lunata Linnaeus 1758. Local A large orange cranefly that is quite conspicuous when disturbed from vegetation. It occurs in lush, lowland habitats, typically woodland edge, within woodland (where it can often be disturbed from nettle‐beds), and along field‐edge ditches in marginal vegetation. Shropshire records range from May to July with a definite peak throughout May. Records come from a number of sites.

Fig. 17 - wing of Tipula lunata


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula lunata

Tipula peliostigma Schummel, 1833 Nationally Scarce Records of this cranefly are generally sparse and often restricted to the south and east of England. It is rather unusual in its choice of bird’s nests as a larval habitat and this is reflected in the proposed vernacular name of ‘Birds‐nest Tipula’. Agricultural regions are said to be the most likely area and this was the case in Shropshire where the fly was found in a Malaise trap on farmland at Dorrington near Woore in 2006 (Boardman in prep.)

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula peliostigma

Tipula selene Meigen, 1830. RDB3 Most records for this species are from the better quality woodlands of the south of England; however Cyril Pugh recorded two records from woodland at Oswestry and Tick Wood (near Ironbridge) in the spring of 1924. The specimen from Tick Wood was found as a larva in “moss litter” by Cyril Pugh and bred out. The specimen is housed in the Manchester Museum insect collections.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula selene

Tipula vernalis Meigen, 1804. Common This is one of the common grassland craneflies that is on the wing during the spring and early summer. It has been found from wet and dry grassland locations on acidic and calcareous situations, plus also old limestone quarries with quite sparse grassland, as well as quite shaded grassland within woodland. Most records occur in May, with a few ranging into mid‐June.


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula vernalis

Subgenus PLATYTIPULA

Tipula luteipennis Meigen, 1830. Local

A specialist of lowland swamp, this species is found in alder carr, mire edge and boggy field edges where swamp plants occur. In Shropshire it has been recorded from a number of sites within the Meres and Mosses area by several observers, further south at Wenlock Edge by Alan Stubbs and at Wildmoor Pool on the Long Mynd by the author and Nigel Jones. It is a late summer / autumn species and most Shropshire records are from October.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula luteipennis

Tipula melanoceros Schummel, 1833. Local

This cranefly is a characteristic species of boggy moorland, peat bog, and heathland mire edge. It can tolerate wet situations that dry out somewhat in summer. It has been recorded from Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR by Cyril Pugh in the 1930’s and again by Alan Stubbs in the 1980’s, Wem Moss NNR by the Welsh Peatland Invertebrate Survey team (Holmes et al 1995), Catherton Common and the Long Mynd by Alan Stubbs and Rhos Fiddle by the author (Boardman & Cheeseborough 2002). It probably occurs in other suitable locations in upland Shropshire. Records cover the period late July to mid‐September.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula melanoceros

Subgenus PTERELACHISUS

Tipula irrorata Macquart, 1826. Local

One of the woodland craneflies, this species is often overlooked. Adults sit on tree trunks and are well camouflaged. It is even suggested that larvae are easier to find (beneath the bark of large logs or fallen trunks) than adult flies. Shropshire records all come from the Ironbridge Gorge area by Cyril Pugh in 1924 (Benthall Edge and Tick Wood) and Tom Mawdsley of Liverpool Museum from The Ercall in 1999 (Judd 1999).


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula irrorata

Tipula pabulina Meigen, 1818. Local This cranefly is confined to woodland upon base‐rich soils. It is suggested that coppiced woodland is a good target habitat as males are known to flutter up coppice poles and tree trunks in search of females. Pugh recorded the species in Candy Wood in 1940 and further records come from Dave Barnett in the Wyre Forest and from Lea Quarry at Wenlock Edge by Ian Cheeseborough (identified by the author).

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Tipula pseudovariipennis Czizek, 1912. Nationally Scarce

Mostly of southern distribution on chalk or clay, there seems to be some doubt as to the true

spread of this species in the UK. Some previously identified specimens of this fly turned out to be atypical specimens of the simmilar Tipula submarmorata. In Shropshire the species has been recorded from two wooded sites during May.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula pseudovariipennis

Tipula submarmorata Schummel, 1833. Common A cranefly of broad‐leaved woodlands in most situations found within Shropshire. Records cover the period of late April through to mid‐June, with an obvious peak in May. Records are widespread around the county and include Loamhole Dingle in Ironbridge and Brown Moss near Whitchurch by Mike and Liz Howe, Harton Hollow, Wern‐ddu and Steel Heath by the author.

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Tipula varipennis Meigen, 1818. Common A woodland species of cranefly that is found on acid or limestone soils, found also along woodland edge and rides. In other parts of the United Kingdom this species exhibits completely different behaviour and occurs on some very obviously tree‐free and remote environments such as on Shetland. In Shropshire it has been recorded widely from sites such as The Ercall (Judd 1999), Llynclys Common, Llanymynech Rocks, Colemere, Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR and Whitwell Coppice, with an obvious peak in May.

Fig. 18 – wing of Tipula varipennis

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Subgenus SAVTSHENKIA

Tipula alpium Bergroth 1888. Local The species name would suggest that this is a montane cranefly however individuals have been found at close to sea‐level in parts of the UK. Generally this is an upland species with Shropshire records coming from Catherton

Common and Cramer Gutter, near Clee Hill, however it is apparently equally at home on peat at Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR. A more unexpected location was at The Cliffe, an area of lowland heath near Ruyton‐XI‐Towns with the specimen being identified by Tom Mawdsley (Boardman & Cheeseborough 2003).

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Tipula cheethami Edwards, 1924. Nationally Scarce This is generally an upland species that breeds in moss along streams in rocky gullies. It is said to favour slightly alkaline conditions. In Shropshire Cyril Pugh found the cranefly in the Candy Valley, west of Oswestry in 1926.

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Tipula confusa van der Wulp, 1833. Common A cranefly found where moss occurs. Habitats include woodland, moorland, farmland and even urban areas. Adults often sit on walls or fences with their mottled wings held over their abdomen and legs spread wide ready for an immediate take off. Shropshire records range from early June to mid‐November and include The Cliffe (Boardman & Cheeseborough 2003), Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR (Boardman 2005), Gogbatch on the Long Mynd (recorded by Nigel Jones), and 4 of the 9 farm sites surveyed by the author during 2006 (Boardman in prep.).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula confusa

Tipula grisescens Zetterstedt, 1851. RDB3 This cranefly of upland, acid locations is possibly subject to some base‐rich influences on breeding situations. The fact that this species flies fairly early in the year means it may well be under‐recorded. In Shropshire Alan Stubbs recorded it from Cramer Gutter and Catherton Common near Clee Hill in 1981.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula grisescens

Tipula obsoleta Meigen, 1818. Common This is a cranefly that usually occurs in low numbers, but generally is widespread throughout lowland Britain. Typically it can be found at woodland edge, along hedgerows, in rough grassland and sometimes in gardens. A limited distribution in Shropshire probably represents under‐recording as the species flies in October and November.

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Tipula pagana Meigen, 1818. Common Females of this species are flightless and exhibit only tiny wing flaps making this unique amongst


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the larger of Shropshire’s craneflies (female Idioptera pulchella are also flightless amongst the smaller craneflies). It is therefore more common to encounter males of the species which are normally winged. A variety of habitats including rough grassland, gardens, woodland rides and damp glades are typical. In Shropshire records are widespread and the majority are from October. Records include Poles Coppice (Judd 1998b), The Ercall (Judd 1999), Marl Allotments at Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR (Boardman 2005c), Brokenstones Wood by Ian Cheeseborough, Steel Heath near Whitchurch, and Stanmore Country Park near Bridgnorth by the author. In 2006 a female was observed on Robert Kynaston’s front door at Wollaston Farm and John Mason photographed one in his garden at Bayston Hill.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula pagana

Tipula rufina Meigen, 1818. Local This cranefly is generally very widespread but appears in low numbers. Dingle woodland or wooded ravines are perhaps the most obvious habitats, although equally it seems to occur in gardens in Shropshire where it may be breeding in damp moss in gutters or on north‐facing walls. Records range from March to May and September to October and it seems that this is often the first and last species of large cranefly encountered within any year.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula rufina

Tipula signata Staeger, 1840. Local This cranefly is widespread in lowland habitats such as damp and wet woodland but also occurs in upland valleys. It is an autumnal species which to date has only two Shropshire stations; Poles Coppice (Judd 1998b) and Roman Bank during 2006 (collected by Ian Cheeseborough) and identified by the author.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula signata

Tipula staegeri Nielsen, 1922. Local A widespread species of wet and damp woodland, this cranefly is one of the most characteristic autumnal species. It is also one of


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the simplest to identify in the male due to the pair of long finger‐like ventral lobes that point downwards from the genitalia. Shropshire records are reasonably widespread but few, probably due to it occurring late in the year when few recorders are active.

Fig. 19 – wing of Tipula staegeri

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula staegeri

Tipula subnodicornis Zetterstedt [1838]. Local This species is a characteristic cranefly of boggy moorland during the spring. It requires wet ground such as cotton‐grass moorland and rushy hillside seepages. It has been recorded from The Long Mynd during May by Alan Stubbs, and should probably be found in other upland moor situations such as the Clee Hill area during April and May.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula subnodicornis

Subgenus SCHUMMELIA

Tipula variicornis Schummel, 1833. Common Wet woodland is the most typical location for this large orange cranefly. It is widespread in the north and west of Britain and frequently encountered in Shropshire during the period May to July. It has been recorded from Poles Coppice (Judd 1988b), Oak Dingle (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), Baveney Brook by Mike Howe (Dipterists Forum field meeting), Wyre Forest by Dave Barnett and Mike Bloxham, and by the author from Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR, Monkhopton and Wern‐ddu.

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Subgenus TIPULA

Tipula oleracea Linnaeus, 1758. Common In lowland Britain this cranefly is common on permanently damp and wet ground. Wet fields are ideal, however many potential situations have been lost due to field drainage. Like the other common daddy‐long‐legs (Tipula paludosa) this species is known to provide a food source for many other creatures in its larval and adult stages. Shropshire records cover the period April to mid‐October, however there is an obvious peak in May in lowland Shropshire.

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Tipula paludosa Meigen, 1830. Common This is the ubiquitous cranefly of late summer. It breeds in any but the driest grassland where the larvae, well known to gardeners and farmers, are referred to as “leatherjackets” and deemed as horticultural and agricultural pests. Despite this Tipula paludosa is a very important (if not vital) food source for many other animals. Bats (particularly greater horseshoe bat) and birds (including starling, golden plover, lapwing, blackbird, chough, sparrow and little owl) have all been shown to avidly consume either adult or larval T. paludosa (Stubbs in prep.). Also, the number of parcelled bodies observed in spiders webs in various parts of the county by the author,

suggest this seasonal bounty also benefits other invertebrates too. The fly reached “plague” proportions during 2006 with stories hitting the national and regional news (see Introduction). Ian Thompson collected all the individuals that entered his moth trap on National Moth Night (23/09/06) and by the end of the night 89 daddy‐long‐legs had been counted. Several non specialist recorders contributed records of this species during 2006.

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Tipula subcunctans Alexander, 1921. Local This is another in the large, grey daddy‐long‐legs mode but the most infrequently encountered of the subgenus Tipula. This cranefly is most often found on low‐level moorland. Seepages with rushes are ideal. The fly is no doubt under‐recorded as it flies late in the year from mid‐October to November and its flight period often coincides with the first frosts of autumn.


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Subgenus VESTIPLEX

Tipula hortorum Linnaeus, 1758. RDB3 A scarce species seemingly restricted to woodland on calcareous soils. A single record was noted by Adrian Fowles at the National Trust site of Attingham Park, Shrewsbury during a Dipterists Forum field meeting in May 1994.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula hortorum

Tipula scripta Meigen, 1830. Common This is a cranefly which occurs in moderately damp to moderately dry wooded habitats, where a good understory of vegetation is present. It has

a long flight period though most Shropshire records are from June and July and come from woodland and sheltered moorland. The distribution map of this species shows Wenlock Edge to have been a good location for it with David Gibbs finding it from 4 of his survey locations (Gibbs 1992).

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Subgenus YAMATOTIPULA Tipula couckei Tonnoir in Goetghebuer & Tonnoir, 1921. Local The edges of lakes, ponds and rivers represent the breeding habitat of this cranefly. Shropshire records come from a variety of these marginal habitats including a rushy pond margin at Dorrington near Woore, a woodland edge stream near the Wyre Forest and a pond edge at Eardington Quarry, all during 2006 by the author.


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula couckei

Tipula lateralis Meigen, 1804. Common

The margins of streams, rivers, ponds, lakes and ditches, as well as seepages in open ground represent the habitat requirements of this grey and black cranefly species. Acid soils and areas of ground with dense vegetation are often avoided, although many Shropshire records are known from these situations with records coming from Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR (Cyril Pugh), Catherton Common (Alan Stubbs and David Heaver), and Rhos Fiddle (Boardman & Cheeseborough, 2002). Records range from late April to early September with no obvious peak.

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Tipula marginella Theowald 1980 RDB3 This cranefly is said to be mostly southern in distribution, though it does occur near Aviemore in Scotland. Fen and wet peat with some calcareous influence is seemingly required. The single Shropshire record comes from Meole Brace in 1913 recorded by Mr H Bury. Unfortunately nothing is known about Mr Bury but he also recorded other species over the period 1912‐1916 from Meole Brace including Prionocera turcica and Pilaria discicollis. Today Meole Brace has been absorbed by the ever‐expanding town of Shrewsbury, however the Rea Brook corridor still provides habitat for craneflies along the watercourse between Meole Brace and Abbey Foregate in Shrewsbury. Time will tell whether T. marginella is still to be recorded there.

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Tipula montium Egger, 1863. Local

Whilst the taxonomic name suggests a mountain species in actual fact this cranefly can be found at lower levels along lowland river valleys where sediment at the river edge provides breeding habitat. Pugh recorded the species at the River Vyrnwy at Melverley in 1929 & 1948, whilst the author recorded it at Rhos Fiddle (upland grassland) during a survey for the Shropshire Wildlife Trust (Boardman & Cheeseborough 2002)


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and from Wern‐ddu in the Oswestry uplands during 2006 (Boardman in prep.).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tipula montium

Tipula pierrei Tonnoir in Goetghebuer & Tonnoir, 1921. Local Habitat for this species is known to include pond and lake margins, and grazing levels along river valleys. Records are infrequent for Shropshire with Cyril Pugh recording specimens along the River Vyrnwy at Melverley in 1929, Oswestry in 1928, and at Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR in 1937. David Sheppard recorded it at Fenemere SSSI in 1979 and two specimens were collected in a Malaise trap at Venus Pool by Nigel Jones and identified by the author in 2006.

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Tipula pruinosa Wiedemann, 1817. Local

Summer rainfall seems to dictate the distribution of this species within Britain. It is found more frequently in the north and west and even here favours seepages to prevent its semi‐aquatic larva from drought. Open and sparsely vegetated mud patches along woodland edge, and open meadows are preferred habitats. Mid‐summer is the peak flight period. A single record from Sweeney Fen near Oswestry in 2003 by the author represents its current known Shropshire distribution.

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CYLINDROTOMIDAE: DAMSEL CRANEFLIES UK 4 species

Cylindrotoma distinctissima (Meigen, 1818). Local

Unlike any other species of European diptera, this fly has green caterpillar‐like larvae that feed upon leaves. Shropshire records are reasonably well scattered from the Meres and Mosses (Sweatmere and Clarepool Moss), Ironbridge Gorge (Lydebrook / Loamhole dingle complex, Benthall Edge), the Wyre Forest and a few other sites.


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cylindrotoma distinctissima

Diogma glabrata (Meigen 1818) Nationally Scarce

This cranefly is widespread but fairly uncommon and is found in wet woodland. The single Shropshire record comes from the edge of the Wyre Forest during 2006 by the author.

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Phalacrocera replicata (Linnaeus, 1758). Nationally Scarce

This species is a specialist of peat bogs. The aquatic larva (Fig. 20) of this cranefly feed upon Sphagnum mosses, and resembles a branch of the food plant, enabling it to successfully hide from predators. It occurs on Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR around the restored peat‐cuttings where it can be found in spring (late

April) and again in late summer (early September).

Fig. 20 – Phalacrocera replicata larva

Fig. 21 – Phalacrocera replicata

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PEDICIIDAE: HAIRY‐EYED CRANEFLIES UK 20 species

Subfamilies PEDICIINAE ULINAE PEDICIINAE – HAIRY EYED CRANEFLIES

Hairy‐eyed craneflies (as the name suggests) have hairs on their eyes and are therefore easily separated from other cranefly and winter gnat groups.


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Subgenus DICRANOTA

Dicranota bimaculata (Schummel, 1829). Local A widespread cranefly found in association with small lowland streams. Most Shropshire records are from Cyril Pugh around Oswestry in the 1920’s and Andy Godrey (2000 & 2001) from the dingle woodlands of Ironbridge. The author recorded further records from dingle woodland sites during 2006.

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Subgenus LUDICIA

Dicranota claripennis (Verrall, 1888). Local This cranefly is found beside streams that are not too shaded, with the larvae reported from stream sediment. It tolerates conditions from neutral to mildly acidic in nature. Shropshire records come from a mixture of lowland streams around the Oswestry area from Cyril Pugh in the 1920’s, plus Cornbrook Dingle (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), and from the more upland locations of Wildmoor Pool on The Long Mynd and Clee Hill.

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Subgenus PARADICRANOTA

Dicranota gracilipes Wahlgren, 1905. Nationally Scarce

There is some difficultly with this record as Stubbs (in prep.) reports the first UK specimen in 1959. Cyril Pugh’s field notes (presumably transcribed by Alan Brindle) in Manchester Museum list the species from Oswestry in 1926, however there is no museum specimen in the Manchester Museum collection to back this record up. There must therefore be some doubt to whether this species can be classed as a Shropshire cranefly on the current evidence.

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Dicranota pavida (Haliday, 1833). Local

This hairy‐eyed cranefly is known to be widespread from lowland locations adjacent to small streams in woodland. It is therefore not too surprising that it was one of the almost ubiquitous species from Andy Godfrey’s survey of dingle woodland habitats in Shropshire (Godfrey 2000 & 2001). Other records come from Spout Wood near Ellesmere, and a couple of the farm sites surveyed by the author (Boardman in prep).

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Dicranota subtilis Loew, 1871. Local A cranefly with a widespread distribution preferring small streams in woodland, this species is equally at home in the uplands and lowlands. Cyril Pugh regularly noted the species from the Candy Valley near Oswestry in the 1920’s and Andy Godfrey recorded it from Habberley Valley, Hope Valley and Tick Wood (Godfrey 2000 & 2001). During 2006 it was recorded from a stream within woodland at Attingham Park and from a similar situation close to the Wyre Forest by the author.

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Subgenus RHAPHIDOLABIS

Dicranota exclusa (Walker, 1848). Local Apparently a scarce species, this cranefly is sometimes found in upland situations by streams where some Juncus effusus is present in late spring and summer. Cyril Pugh recorded the species from around the Oswestry area during 1928 and more frequently over the Welsh border from a number of sites towards Lake Vrynwy.

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Subgenus AMALOPIS


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Pedicia occulta (Meigen, 1830). Local Somewhat boggy terrain below approximately 300m including small streams is the habitat requirement of this species of hairy‐eyed cranefly. The wing markings make identification easy (Fig. 22). Shropshire records show a widespread but somewhat local species occurring mostly in wet woodland or woodland with dingle streams. Interestingly the species was not recorded by Andy Godfrey during his survey of the Ironbridge dingle woodlands (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

Fig. 22 – wing of Pedicia occulta.

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Subgenus CRUNOBIA

Pedicia littoralis (Meigen, 1804). Local Shallow streams with a stony bottom and flourishing marginal vegetation are said to be the preferred habitat of this species. The cranefly occurs over a long flight period but peaks within the summer months. Shropshire records come from the Candy Valley by Cyril Pugh in 1940,

Callow Hill (Anon), The Ercall by Alan Stubbs in 1993 , Oak Dingle and the Loamhole / Lydebrook Dingle complex at Ironbridge by Mike Howe in 1994 (Dipterist Forum field meeting) and Andy Godfrey (Godfrey 2000 & 2001). Mike Bloxham recorded it from the Wyre Forest in 2000 and the species was also found to be plentiful from Malaise trap samples from Baveney Brook during 2004 over the period of early June to late August. The author recorded the species from Bucknell (collected by Nigel Jones), Cleeton St Mary and the Wyre Forest.

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Pedicia straminea (Meigen, 1838). Local

Again small streams in woodland locations seem to mark the habitat preference for this species of hairy‐eyed cranefly, although it has been recorded from other situations outside Shropshire. It is quite a non‐descript dark yellow insect with clear yellow wings. Records come from Poles Coppice (Judd 1998b), Holbrook Coppice and Lydebrook Dingle (Godfrey 2000 & 2001, and Alan Stubbs pers. comm.).


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Subgenus PEDICIA

Pedicia rivosa (Linnaeus, 1758). Local This large cranefly is sometimes mistaken for Tipula maxima, however the wing venation (Fig. 23) is less well marked and adults are less inclined to fly in P. rivosa. It is widespread and occurs in lush, wet places from April to September and peaks in Shropshire during June and again in August. Records are frequent from the Meres and Mosses of north Shropshire, a singleton from Sweeney Fen near Oswestry and several from damp upland grassland at Rhos Fiddle (Boardman & Cheeseborough 2002) in south‐west Shropshire, the Long Mynd (Cardingmill Valley) and the Wyre Forest.

Fig. 23 – wing of Pedicia rivosa

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Tricyphona immaculata (Meigen, 1804). Common A cranefly associated with wet places, this species is often frequent by sluggish streams, marshes, bogs and seepages. The first clue with identification is the three wedge cells along the wing edge (see Fig. 24). It has been found quite commonly in Shropshire.

Fig. 24 – wing of Tricyphona immaculata

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Tricyphona schummeli Edwards, 1921. Local

Whilst it is quite similar to T. immaculata, this species is separated by a pair of shining grey stripes on the thorax and differences in leg colouration. Also it generally flies later in the year than the previous species. Wet, boggy woodland and Sphagnum mosses are associated with this fly. In Shropshire it has been recorded from Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR and Oswestry by Cyril Pugh in 1925. In 2006 the author found the cranefly on Bettisfield Moss, the first record since 1925. This is perhaps more remarkable when one considers that the site was abandoned to pine forest following a fire in the 1950’s. The trees developed, covering approximately 95% of the Moss. In 2001 English Nature (as was) and the Countryside Council for Wales cleared the trees and began a restoration process in common with other parts of the Mosses.

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ULINAE – HAIRY EYED CRANEFLIES

Ula mollissima Haliday, 1833. Local

This species was only added to the British list in 1969 (as Ula crassicauda). It is now known to be very widespread in woodland and it is thought that bracket fungi offer breeding habitat. A long flight period is evident from May – October.

Shropshire records are widespread from a number of woodlands.

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Ula sylvatica (Meigen, 1818). Common

A common cranefly of woodland over much of Britain, identifications prior to 1969 must be deemed suspect due to the introduction to the British list of two further species. Larvae use ground fungi and adults can be found from April – November.

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LIMONIIDAE: SHORT‐PALPED CRANEFLIES UK 200 species

Subfamilies CHIONEINAE DACTYLOLABINAE LIMNOPHILINAE LIMONIINAE The short‐palped craneflies are our most numerous and diverse grouping of species within this provisional atlas. They are represented by the spur‐less craneflies, the rock craneflies, the long‐tailed craneflies and the simple‐veined craneflies. CHIONEINAE – SPUR-LESS CRANEFLIES Subgenus CHEILOTRICHIA

Cheilotrichia imbuta (Meigen, 1818). Nationally Scarce

A small, weakly coloured cranefly found at the edges of rivers and streams with tall vegetation. It is easily overlooked in a white sweep net or butterfly net. Shropshire records come from Cyril Pugh in 1948 on the River Vyrnwy at Melverley and Tom Mawdsley from a Malaise Trap sample at Melverley Farm, near Whitchurch (Judd 1998a).

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Subgenus EMPEDA

Cheilotrichia cinerascens (Meigen, 1804). Common

A small grey / brown species easily recognised by a characteristic wing venation. It flies in early spring and again in late summer, with records from early April through until mid‐November. It can be found most easily by sweep netting trees and bushes, and was encountered regularly in Shropshire by sweeping the lower branches of churchyard yew trees, holly bushes and other shrubs in woodland. Fieldwork by the author found it to be almost universal in all habitat types encountered in the county and frequent in Malaise trap samples from several sites.

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Crypteria limnophiloides Bergroth, 1913. Local A small dull brown species found in wet woodland during late summer to early autumn. Shropshire sightings are widespread from Oswestry in 1928 and Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR, both by Cyril Pugh in 1930, Attingham Park near Shrewsbury by Alan Stubbs in 1975, Poles Coppice by Tom Mawdsley (Judd 1998b) and Maddox Coppice by the author (collected by Nigel Jones) during 2006. Most records are from mid to late September with the latest in mid‐October.


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Subgenus ELLIPTEROIDES

Ellipteroides lateralis (Macquart, 1835). Local This cranefly is known to have a mostly southern distribution with a strong association with fen, fen carr and calcareous seepages. Shropshire records are from the Ironbridge dingle woodlands and the Wyre Forest. The prolific Shropshire botanist George Potts, who was an active recorder in the county for more than 40 years (Lockton & Whild 2005), recorded the species from Benthall Edge in 1928, then Andy Godfrey from Tick Wood and Whitwell Coppice (Godfrey 2000 & 2001). Potts record comes from Cyril Pugh’s notebooks in Manchester Museum and so it is probable that the specimen was passed to Pugh for determination. The fly was then encountered in the Baveney Brook Malaise trap samples from late June to mid‐July collected by the Wyre Forest Study Group in 2004 and identified by the author. A further specimen from the Wyre Forest area was recorded by the author in 2006.

Fig. 25 – wing of Ellipteroides lateralis

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Erioconopa diuturna (Walker, 1848). Common A widespread species of wet meadows, this cranefly is found on wet, mineral soils as well as peat. It has a long flight period from May until October. Shropshire records largely come from the dingle woodlands sites surveyed by Andy Godfrey (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), although Harry Britten recorded it from Prees Heath in October 1939 and the author found the cranefly at Wildmoor Pool on the Long Mynd during September 2005.

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Erioconopa trivialis (Meigen, 1818). Common

One of the commonest and widespread small craneflies, this species is found in wet habitats including woodlands, marshes, mires and pond margins. Shropshire records are widespread and include several of the Meres and Mosses sites. It is on the wing from late April through May and then again in September and October, though most Shropshire records are represented by the spring generation. One notable autumn record was from Press Heath by Harry Britten; a contempory of Cyril Pugh who became honorary keeper of the Manchester Museum insect collection prior to Alan Brindle (Boardman 2005d). Britten, like Pugh, published little but spent most of his time out in the field.

Fig. 26 – wing of Erioconopa trivialis

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Erioptera divisa (Walker, 1848). Local An infrequent species, this cranefly is said to prefer richer, damp soils, and as such has declined due to the agricultural drainage often manifested upon modern farmed landscapes. All

Shropshire records are from Cyril Pugh from the 1920’s to the 1940’s and the specimens reside in the Manchester Museum collection.

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Erioptera flavata (Westhoff, 1822). Common This is a bright yellow species found at water margins such as ditches, canals, lakes and bog pools. It is often overlooked as it is known to keep within thick vegetation, particularly in sunny weather or rainy conditions. Mid‐summer is the usual flight period of the fly; however the author swept a specimen of this species from beech Fagus sylvatica adjacent to the Shropshire branch of the Llangollen canal at Henlle during November 2005. Other Shropshire records come from Cyril Pugh near Oswestry in the 1920’s and John Kramer (of the National Cranefly Recording Scheme) at Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR in 1999.


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Erioptera fuscipennis Meigen, 1818. Common A common species in most districts, this cranefly can be abundant at wet mud. Cattle‐trampled ditch margins are said to be ideal, as are well‐trampled pond edges. May to October marks the flight period of E. fuscipennis. Shropshire records are reasonably infrequent but this is no doubt due to under recording rather than the scarcity of suitable habitats in the county. Cyril Pugh recorded it around Oswestry in the 1920’s, David Sheppard found it at Fenemere SSSI near Baschurch in 1979, and Alan Stubbs recorded it from Newcastle in the Clun Uplands and Catherton Common in 1981. The author found it by the River Tame at Attingham Park and on Titterstone Clee in 2006.

Fig. 27– wing of Erioptera fuscipennis

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Erioptera fusculenta Edwards, 1938. Local

Though widespread, this cranefly is a lot more localized than the previous species. It has a strong preference for organic soils and the farmed environment suggest the most likely habitat. This species has few Shropshire records so far, from Cyril Pugh at Morda in May 1940, and the author from Titterstone Clee and Buttonbridge close to the Wyre Forest (Boardman in prep.).

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Erioptera griseipennis Meigen, 1838. Local

This is a lowland cranefly of clay soils and is generally found adjacent to streams or gullies through a clay substrate. It is often only


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encountered in low numbers and can therefore be easily overlooked. Shropshire records include Cyril Pugh at Morda in 1940, Mike Howe at Loamhole Dingle in 1994 (Dipterists Forum field meeting) and Andy Godfrey at three sites around Ironbridge (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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Erioptera lutea Meigen 1804. Common A widespread cranefly and probably the most commonly encountered example of the genus. The body colour can vary from yellow to brown however the best identification feature of this fly is the dark colouration on the halteres which are atypical of yellow Erioptera species. In Shropshire it has been recorded widely including Wenlock Edge by David Gibbs, Poles Coppice (Judd 1998b), The Ercall (Judd 1999), Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR by John Kramer in 2000, virtually all of Andy Godfrey’s Ironbridge Gorge dingle woodland sites (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), Loamhole Dingle by Ken and Rita Merrifield in 2002, and Ifton Wood at St. Martins by the author in May 2005 and from a quite a number of sites in 2006.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Erioptera lutea

Erioptera meijerei Edwards, 1921. RDB2 A widespread but uncommon species associated with fen, this cranefly was recorded by Cyril Pugh from Oswestry in 1928.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Erioptera meijerei

Erioptera nielseni de Meijere, 1921. Nationally Scarce An uncommon species, this yellow coloured Erioptera cranefly is a specialist of poor fen habitat. This can occur where calcareous seepages or springs occur on acid bogs or some input from edge habitats. Shropshire records comes from Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR by John Kramer in July 2000 and from an acidic


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seepage at Dorrington near Woore by the author (Boardman in prep.).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Erioptera nielseni

Erioptera squalida Loew 1871 Local

The most remarkable fact about this insect is that the larval stage is able to pierce the underwater air cells of aquatic plants like reed sweet‐grass Glyceria maxima and therefore remain underwater during their larval and pupal stages. The fly is widespread but reasonably uncommon in lowland Britain. Shropshire records come from pond edges at Preston Montford and on Llynclys Hill (collected by Nigel Jones) during 2006 by the author.

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Erioptera verralli Edwards, 1921. RDB3

This species was, up until recently, referred to as Erioptera nigripalpis. It is a cranefly said to require streams or gullies in woodland on limestone, or at least subject to some calcareous flushing. Andy Godfrey discovered it from three sites (Cuckooopen Coppice, Lydebrook Dingle and Tick Wood), during his dingle woodland survey (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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Gnophomyia viridipennis (Gimmerthal, 1847). Nationally Scarce

This cranefly has an interesting autecology and is most frequently encountered in its larval stage, particularly at fallen poplar trees. These are mostly planted black poplar hybrids but willows are also known to be used. The larvae feed upon the sappy fibrous cambium before it is invaded by woodlice and decay has gone too far. There are two Shropshire records; one from the Dowles Brook in the Wyre Forest (uncertainty surrounds the recorder), and during 2006 Nigel Jones and Ian Cheeseborough took the fly from a log pile at the National Trust site near Lee Brockhurst which was identified by the author.


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gnophomyia viridipennis

Gonempeda flava (Schummel, 1829). Local

A small, pale and delicate yellow cranefly, this set of features is restricted to only a few species and so identification is relatively straight forward. It is though another species that can be difficult to spot in a white net. Habitat is restricted to moist, lightly shaded places under trees, particularly near to streams in the summer months. Shropshire records come from Cyril Pugh who recorded the species around Oswestry in the 1920’s and 1930’s, and at the River Vyrnwy at Melverley in 1938. Most records however are from Andy Godfrey at the dingle woodland sites (Godfrey 2000 & 2001) with three further records from 2006 come from Maesbury, Ruyton‐XI‐Towns and Boningale by the author.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gonempeda flava

Subgenus GONOMYIA Gonomyia abscondita Lackschewitz, 1935. Local See Gonomyia lucidula.

Modern records for this species come from Wollaston Farm near Halfway House, Cleeton St. Mary and Ifton Dingle (all during 2006 by the author), which fit with the new distinction of this species as one from seepages and water margins on neutral to acid ground.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gonomyia abscondita

Gonomyia conoviensis Barnes, 1924. Nationally Scarce

A widespread but uncommon species associated with sheltered wooded streams in upland areas, as well as other habitats in coastal locations. Cyril Pugh recorded the species in Shropshire from the Candy Valley to the west of Oswestry during 1930.


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gonomyia conoviensis

Gonomyia dentata de Meijere, 1920. Local A common species of the uplands where it is associated with moorland streams. In the lowlands it can be found on wet heath and low moorland from May to August. Shropshire records come from Snailbeach by F.W. Edwards in 1921 and 1928, Cyril Pugh from Morda in 1928 and Alberbury in 1929, and Alan Stubbs from The Stiperstones in 1987.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gonomyia dentata

Gonomyia lucidula de Meijere, 1920. Unkown (see also Gonomyia abscondita)

This is considered a rare cranefly since a recent re‐working of its taxonomic status within the Gonomyia group shifted most previous records to Gonomyia abscondita. Habitat is said to be calcareous seepages in woodland. Shropshire records noted as G. lucidula come from Snailbeach by F.W. Edwards in 1921 and 1928, Wenlock Edge (Gibbs 1992), and Whitwell Coppice (Godfrey 2000 & 2001). The geology of the Snailbeach is complex with calcareous and acid conditions around the area, however Edwards also recorded G. recta, and Molophilus bifidus on the same visits, which are both definitely known to be indicators of calcareous conditions. On balance it is therefore likely that all instances of G. lucidula in Shropshire are probably correct.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gonomyia lucidula

Gonomyia recta Tonnoir in Goetghebuer & Tonnoir, 1920. Common The presence of this species is said to indicate calcareous conditions and it occurs from fen carr and calcareous seepages in woodland. Mid‐summer is the peak time and records come from the Oswestry area by Cyril Pugh in the 1920’s and 1930’s, the aforementioned Edwards records from Snailbeach, Wenlock Edge (Gibbs 1992), several dingle woodland sites by Andy Godfrey (Godfrey 2000 & 2001) and a shaded woodland stream on the edge of the Wyre Forest by the author in 2006.


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gonomyia recta

Gonomyia simplex Tonnoir in Goetghebuer & Tonnoir, 1920. Local

A cranefly associated with hillside seepages in late spring through to summer this species has a widespread distribution in Shropshire. It has been recorded from Oswestry and the Candy Valley during the 1920’s by Cyril Pugh, Wenlock Edge (Gibbs 1992) and by Will Prestwood in 1993. Also Andy Godfrey noted the species from Tick Wood in 2000 (Godfrey 2000 & 2001) and the author recorded it from seepages at the Wern‐ddu old quarry in the Oswestry Hills during 2006.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gonomyia simplex

Subgenus LIPOPHLEPS

Gonomyia abbreviata Loew, 1873. RDB3

An uncommon species of calcareous woodland seepages and fen carr, this highly distinctive but small cranefly was recorded by Cyril Pugh during 1928 at Oswestry and by the author in fen carr woodland on the Weald Moors north of Telford during 2006 (Boardman in prep.).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gonomyia abbreviata

Hoplolabis areolata (Siebke, 1872). Local Sandy banks at the edge of lowland rivers and streams offer habitat for this cranefly. Sweeping vegetation at the waters edge during late spring and early summer is recommended as the best way of finding the fly. Shropshire records are few, despite the major river systems flowing through the county, and suggest under‐recording. Cyril Pugh found the cranefly at the River Vyrnwy at Melverley in late May 1929 and 1930. Several of the specimens are housed in the Manchester Museum insect collection. This remains one of the species to target recording at in future years.


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hoplolabis areolata

Ilisia maculata (Meigen, 1804). Common

A small distinctive species of cranefly found in moist woodlands in low numbers. Shropshire records suggest a widespread distribution. Andy Godfrey recorded it from six of his dingle woodland survey sites (Godfrey 2000 & 2001). Other records include Alberbury, Steel Heath, Llanymynech Rocks, Dolgoch Quarry, Harton Hollow and along the Jack Mytton Way at Chorley, all by the author.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ilisia maculata

Ilisia occoecata Edwards, 1936. Common

This species is very similar to I. maculata and is often found flying together at the same locations. Therefore it is equally as distinctive, with well marked wings (Fig. 28). Andy Godfrey recorded it even more frequently than the previous species around Shropshire’s dingle woodlands (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), with other records from Tom Mawdsley at The Ercall (Judd 1999), Mike Howe from Chorley Covert in 1994 and the author from Shawbury and Buttonbridge near the Wyre Forest in 2006.

Fig. 28– wing of Ilisia occoecata

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ilisia occoecata

Molophilus appendiculatus (Staeger, 1840). Common In common with all species of Molophilus this cranefly is very small and has wing veins mostly obscured by hairs (Fig 29). These small flies can take a little while to identify as a cranefly at all until familiar with the group. Identification of the group as a whole is not too difficult with decent magnification but is more or less restricted to males of the species. M. appendiculatus is found in most types of wet woodland with streams in the lowlands between


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May and September, though most Shropshire records are from May or June.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus appendiculatus

Molophilus bifidus Goetghebeur, 1920. Local This species of cranefly is found where wet soils are close by shaded calcareous streams and is a characteristic indicator of limestone soils. Shropshire records come from F.W. Edwards in 1921 and 1928 from Snailbeach, four dingle woodlands sites during Andy Godfrey’s survey (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), Underhill Quarry at Llanymynech and Cleeton St Mary during 2006 by the author.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus bifidus

Molophilus cinereifrons de Meijere, 1920. Common

One of the commonest yellow Molophilus craneflies in the lowlands, that can be found in wet places with clay soils as well as more general wet woodland. David Gibbs recorded this species from four locations along Wenlock edge (Gibbs 1992) and Andy Godfrey recorded it from nine of the dingle woodland locations around the Ironbridge Gorge (Godfrey 2000 & 2001). Ken and Rita Merrifield encountered it at Trefonen near Oswestry during 2001 and it was identified from Malaise trap specimens from 4 of the 9 farms surveyed during 2006 by the author (Boardman in prep).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus cinereifrons

Molophilus corniger de Meijere, 1920. Nationally Scarce

An uncommon cranefly seemingly restricted to limestone seepages and similar calcareous influenced habitats. The only Shropshire records are from Holbrook Coppice, Tick Wood, and Whitwell Coppice by Andy Godfrey (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus corniger

Molophilus curvatus Tonnoir in Goetghebuer & Tonnoir, 1920. Local

This species is generally found along the shaded banks of large streams and rivers in early summer. Shropshire records are entirely based upon specimens collected by Andy Godfrey from dingle woodlands (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus curvatus

Molophilus flavus Goetghebeur, 1920. Common

Despite this being one of the most widespread and common Molophilus craneflies, Shropshire records are few which suggests under recording. It is found in association with seepages and wet

acid situations such as acid carr. All Shropshire records are generally from more neutral habitats.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus flavus

Molophilus griseus (Meigen, 1804). Common Perhaps the commonest of the Molophilus craneflies, this species is found in wet conditions in many habitats. Shropshire records are widespread and include Crosemere by David Sheppard in 1979, Brown Moss by Mike Howe in 1994 and again by the author in 2005, Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR by John Kramer in 1999, The Ercall (Judd 1999), and a number of other sites by the author in 2005 and 2006.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus griseus


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Molophilus lackschewitzianus Alexander, 1953. RDB3

This very small cranefly appears to be associated with moist conditions on calcareous clays. The two Shropshire records are from streams (presumably with some calcareous clay influence), one in a part of the Wyre Forest and another from Tick Wood. It has a short flight period from Mid‐May to June.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus lackschewitzianus

Molophilus medius de Meijere, 1918. Local

This is a common cranefly and is listed by Godfrey (2003) as one of the species associated with coarse woody debris in water courses. Shropshire records come from Cyril Pugh during the 1920’s around Oswestry, Sweat Mere by David Sheppard in 1979, Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR by John Kramer in 1999, three Ironbridge Gorge sites by Andy Godfrey (Godfrey 2000 & 2001) and from a field at the side of the River Severn at Shrawardine by the author in 2006.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus medius

Molophilus obscurus (Meigen, 1818). Local

Mineral and peaty soils are the usual haunt of this small cranefly. Records from Shropshire come from Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR (various dates and recorders), Catherton Common by Alan Stubbs in 1981, Chorley Covert by Mike Howe in 1994, Tick Wood (Godfrey 2000 & 2001) and by the author from the Roxel works in the Wyre Forest during 2005 and a number of sites during 2006 including Titterstone Clee, Treen Pits and the River Severn at Shrawardine.

Fig. 29 – wing of Molophilus obscurus

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Molophilus occultus de Meijere, 1918. Local

All Shropshire records are from the Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR and Wem Moss NNR complex in north Shropshire. Wem Moss NNR records are all from pitfall trapping samples carried out by the Welsh Peatland Invertebrate Survey team survey of the site (Holmes et al 1995). Records for Whixall Moss were from Cyril Pugh in the 1920’s and 1930’s, and John Kramer from 1998.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus occultus

Molophilus ochraceus (Meigen, 1818). Common

This is a particularly widespread and common species that is associated with wet habitats, as long as they are not strongly acid or calcareous. Shropshire records come from Wenlock Edge by Will Prestwood in 1993, several of the dingle woodland sites surveyed by Andy Godfrey (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), and the author recorded the cranefly from wet ground in Lloyds Coppice at Ironbridge in 2005, Dorrington near Woore, Wollaston near Halfway House, the Weald Moors north of Telford (Boardman in prep.) and at Preston Montford Field Centre, in 2006.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus ochraceus

Molophilus pleuralis (Edwards, 1921). Local For most situations this species of cranefly is found on coastal grazing levels or at least from locations with some salinity. However a few populations have been recorded away from saline conditions, though these are said to be the exception to the rule. The single Shropshire record refers to that of Cyril Pugh from Morda, near Oswestry, in July 1929.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus pleuralis

Molophilus serpentiger Edwards, 1938. Common

This is a reasonably common species found in wet woodland and carr. Shropshire records come


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from Wenlock Edge (Gibbs 1992), The Ercall (Judd 1999), several of Andy Godfrey’s search sites in dingle woodlands (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), whilst all 2006 records came from habitats adjacent to watercourses with some flow.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus serpentiger

Molophilus undulatus Tonnoir in Goetghebuer & Tonnoir, 1920. Local

A reasonably widespread species found from shaded streams, wet woodland and by the banks of shaded rivers. This Molophilus species has few Shropshire records with The Ercall (Judd 1999), Hope Valley and Loamhole Dingle (Godfrey 2000 & 2001) accounting for its known current Shropshire distribution.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus undulatus

Molophilus variispinus Stary, 1971. Nationally Scarce

This species is known to be scarce but widespread in valley woods in the uplands. Shropshire records would suggest that some lowland dingle woods are suitable for the species, but only those that are base‐rich or are influenced by calcareous seepages. Andy Godfrey recorded the two Shropshire stations, at Chermes Dingle and Cuckooopen Coppice (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Molophilus variispinus

Neolimnophila carteri (Goetghebuer & Tonnoir, 1920). Nationally Scarce A northern species with a somewhat limited national distribution is suggested for this cranefly. Wet woodland near streams is perhaps the best ecological lead and Shropshire records bear this out in part. F.W. Edwards recorded the fly from Snailbeach in July 1928 and more recently two examples turned up in the Baveney Brook Malaise trap samples in 2004 identified by the author.


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Neolimnophila carteri

Ormosia albitibia Edwards, 1921. Local

A reasonably uncommon cranefly but nevertheless fairly widespread from lowland woodlands around the county, this species is one of late summer and early autumn. Shropshire records are from Church Stretton and Oswestry, both by F.W. Edwards in the 1920’s, and by the author from a late summer Malaise trap sample from the Roxel site within the Wyre Forest.

Fig. 30 – wing of Ormosia albitibia

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ormosia albitibia

Ormosia depilata Edwards, 1938 Local

This small cranefly is widespread but highly localised within wet woodland and carr. It is mentioned as being recorded from Shropshire in Edwards 1938, however no other details of the record location or the recorder are known. It might have been presumed to have been recorded by Cyril Pugh; however the record is not listed within his field notebooks which were inspected at Manchester Museum during 2005 and so no distribution map can be displayed for this species.

Ormosia hederae (Curtis, 1835) Common

A common cranefly of wet woodland and carr, this is a species that probably has two generations in our region. Records from late April and May include those from Oswestry by Cyril Pugh, Preston Montford by Ken and Rita Merrifield and Brown Moss by Mike Howe, whilst records from July to early October include Llawnt, again by Cyril Pugh, the Marl Allotments at Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR, Baveney Brook Malaise trap samples and Berwick Wharf near Attingham Park collected by the author.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ormosia hederae

Ormosia lineata (Meigen, 1804). Local

A small grey species found during early spring that can easily be overlooked. Searches carried


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out by the author in a number of habitats including fen (Sweeney Fen), carr (Marl Allotments), scrub on limestone (Llanymynech Rocks), damp woodland (Abbey Wood), and drier woodland (Bucknell Wood) in early April readily produced this species and suggest it is very widespread at this time of year until early May.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ormosia lineata

Ormosia nodulosa (Macquart, 1826) Common This is a cranefly that thrives in damp and wet woods. It is apparently prone to drought conditions that cause woods to dry out too much. Shropshire records are plentiful from many woodland locations between May and late July.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ormosia nodulosa

Ormosia pseudosimilis (Lundström, 1912). Local A small yellow species with very narrow wings, which makes this species of Ormosia different to most of the other genus, it is found on moorland and wet heath in association with heather. Most of the Shropshire records come from the Welsh Peatland Invertebrate Survey team who surveyed Wem Moss NNR. The cranefly was encountered throughout July and into early August of that year. Earlier records around the Oswestry area were made by Cyril Pugh in the 1920’s. Pugh’s specimens are in the Manchester Museum insect collection.

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Subgenus RHABDOMASTIX

Rhabdomastix edwardsi Tjeder, 1967. Local

A drab weak looking species that is found at water margins where there are small stones and some fine sediment, this species was for some time assumed to be uncommon in Britain. It is now known to be much more widespread but easily overlooked. Shropshire records are few and are represented by Andy Godfrey’s observations at Bannister’s Coppice and Whitwell Coppice (Godfrey 2000 & 2001). It should be noted that the Rhabdomastix genus of craneflies has very recently been revised and a new key to the genus has only just been circulated.


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Rhypholophus bifurcatus Goetghebeur, 1920 Local This small brown species is found in lowland calcareous woodlands during late summer and early autumn, especially near seepages and small streams. Shropshire records are reasonably few but widespread and are from Candy Wood near Oswestry by Cyril Pugh in 1927, Alan Stubbs from Ironbridge, Preston Montford and Bush Wood, from Poles Coppice by Tom Mawdsley (Judd 1998b), Baveney Brook (Malaise samples), the old limestone quarries at Alberbury, Harton Hollow and Roman Bank, and a small copse at Bicton near Preston Montford.

Fig. 31 – wing of Rhypholophus bifurcatus

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rhypholophus bifurcatus

Rhypholophus haemorrhoidalis (Zetterstedt, [1838]). Local

The largest and the palest of the genus, this cranefly apparently is only ever encountered in small numbers in moist to wet woodland sites with some calcareous influence. Shropshire records are few but widespread and were found by Cyril Pugh at Morda and Oswestry, both in September 1929, Alan Stubbs at Ironbridge, and by the author from two sites in mid‐September 2006.

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Rhypholophus varius (Meigen, 1818). Local This is the darkest member of the genus and different to the other two species as it prefers more acid substrates such as carr and seepages. The majority of records come from Cyril Pugh in the 1920’s from Llawnt and around the Oswestry area. Alan Stubbs recorded the fly from Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR in 1981. The 2006 records come from heathy birch woodland at Goldstone Common near Market Drayton, from a seepage within Maddox Coppice and from the bog at Wem Moss NNR. Records range from late August to early October. Recently some older records made by Alan Stubbs have come to light from the Catherton Common area of south Shropshire.

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Scleroprocta pentagonalis (Loew, 1873). RDB3 A small dark cranefly found in low numbers besides small woodland streams, this species has only been found once in Shropshire by Andy Godfrey at Loamhole Dingle at Ironbridge (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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Subgenus PSILOCONOPA

Symplecta stictica (Meigen, 1818). Local This is a cranefly of wet places that is found on moorland and in wet woodland. Both S. stictica and S. hybrida are easily identified as different by the sinuous curves of the anal vein (see S. hybrida Fig. 32). Shropshire locations are from wet, inundated habitats including some of the damper parts of the Ironbridge Gorge woodlands (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), the wet moorland at Rhos Fiddle (Boardman & Cheeseborough 2002), and a number of wet habitats by the author during 2005 and 2006.

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Subgenus SYMPLECTA

Symplecta hybrida (Meigen, 1804). Local This species is characteristic of wet meadows. Shropshire stations were the River Vyrnwy at Melverley by Cyril Pugh in 1929, a wet meadow adjacent to Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR by John Kramer in 1999, a meadow adjacent to the River Severn at Shrawardine and from wet ground at the side of a pond at Eardington Quarry near Highley. The Whixall Moss record is known to have been found at the marshy edge of a field where rushes Juncus sp. grew along with yellow flag Iris pseudacorus suggesting perfect conditions for the fly.

Fig. 32 – wing of Symplecta hybrida

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Tasiocera fuscescens (Lackschewitz, 1940) Common Tasiocera craneflies are on first glance not like craneflies at all. The first obvious thing of note is their remarkably small size, with a wing length of

only 3mm or so and then the next thing to consider is that the wings are completely obscured by hairs. This species is found in moist woodland during the spring / late spring where sweeping with a butterfly net near ferns is the best bet. Mike Howe found the fly at Chorley Covert and Loamhole Dingle in May 1994 during a Dipterists Forum field meeting, Andy Godfrey recorded it at Tick Wood (Godfrey 2000 & 2001) and the author identified it from the Baveney Brook Malaise Trap samples. Other localities were Underhill Quarry at Llanymynech, Preston Montford Field Centre, Wern‐ddu in the Oswestry Hills, and the Wyre Forest, all in 2006.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tasiocera fuscescens

Tasiocera murina (Meigen, 1818) Common Another tiny cranefly, this species can be found amongst bluebell Hyacinthoides non‐scripta and other woodland vegetation during the bluebell flowering season in moist woodlands. It is the most commonly encountered of the genus and has been recorded widely in Shropshire from dingle woodlands, woodlands on clay substrates and other wooded places around the county by several different recorders.


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Tasiocera murina

Tasiocera robusta (Bangerter, 1947) Nationally Scarce This species is very similar to T. murina and apparently is widespread within the west and Wales. Again wet or moist woodland seems to offer habitat and all Shropshire records were recorded from Andy Godfrey’s dingle woodland survey work (Godfrey 2000 & 2001) at sites around the Ironbridge Gorge.

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Trimicra pilipes (Fabricius, 1787) Local A truly world‐wide species, this cranefly occurs on every continent except Antarctica. It is a cranefly of wet water margins and in Shropshire

has been recorded from Crosemere and Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR within the Meres and Mosses area, from upland wet grassland at Rhos Fiddle (Boardman & Cheeseborough 2002), and from Venus Pool Shropshire Ornithological Society reserve near Shrewsbury (collected by Nigel Jones).

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DACTYLOLABINAE – ROCK CRANEFLIES

Dactylolabis sexmaculata (Macquart, 1826). Nationally Scarce A species associated with carboniferous limestone outcrops. Cyril Pugh recorded this species from Alberbury and in modern times a specimen was taken a few metres over on the Welsh side of Llanymynech Rocks nature reserve (VC 47), by Ian Cheeseborough and identified by the author.

Fig. 33 – wing of Dactylolabis sexmaculata


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Dactylolabis transversa (Meigen, 1804). Nationally Scarce

Whilst D. sexmaculata has a strong association with carboniferous limestone it is generally unusual to find this cranefly in that habitat. This species seems to prefer a range of other influences and as a result can be found across a wider range, though rather surprisingly it does occur at seepages on one former limestone quarry and other Shropshire records come from the Silurian limestone of the Wenlock Edge woodlands (Gibbs 1992 and Mike Howe in 1994). Other sites include a number of the Ironbridge Gorge woodlands (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), and a specimen was identified by the author from the Baveney Brook Malaise trap samples collected by the Wyre Forest Study Group in 2004.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dactylolabis transversa

LIMNOPHILINAE – LONG-TAILED CRANEFLIES

Austrolimnophila ochracea (Meigen, 1804) Common

A smallish cranefly that could be deemed non‐descript, however the combination of a character within the wing venation (Fig. 34), and the rather longish brown abdomen with a black ring at the end, ease identification from similar looking species. It has been recorded from a number of different types of woodland habitat, as well as scrub and is very widespread in Shropshire.

Fig. 34 – wing vein of A. ochracea

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Austrolimnophila ochracea

This right‐angled vein is unique in British species


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Eloeophila maculata (Meigen, 1804) Common This is a smallish cranefly with well marked wings and is probably the most frequently encountered of the genus. It is found in shaded woodland and dingle woodlands and has been recorded from Poles Coppice and The Ercall by Tom Mawdsley (Judd 1998 & Judd 1999), the Ironbridge Gorge woodlands (Godfrey 2000 & 2001) the Baveney Brook Malaise trap samples from 2004 and from a tufa seepage at Much Wenlock (collected by Dave Pryce). Alan Stubbs recorded it with E. mundata on the Shropshire side of the River Teme at Beguildy in 1975. The two species can apparent be found flying together at the same sites.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Eloeophila maculata

Eloeophila mundata (Loew, 1871) Nationally Scarce This cranefly is encountered in similar habitats to the previous one and the subsequent species, although it is unclear what separates the autecological differences from other members of the genus. Andy Godfrey recorded the most recent Shropshire record from Hope Valley in 2000 (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), whilst Alan Stubbs recorded the fly at its first county location on the Shropshire side of the River Teme near Beguildy in 1975.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Eloeophila mundata

Eloeophila submarmorata (Verrall, 1887) Local Another member of the genus with well marked wings (Fig. 35) this species is mostly associated with seepages. It is found in shaded woodland and dingle woodlands and has been recorded from Poles Coppice and The Ercall by Tom Mawdsley (Judd 1998 & Judd 1999), the Ironbridge Gorge woodlands (Godfrey 2000 & 2001) and by the author from the Baveney Brook Malaise trap samples during 2004 and another site in the Wyre Forest in 2006.

Fig. 35 – wing of Eloeophila submarmorata


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Eloeophila submarmorata

Eloeophila trimaculata (Zetterstedt [1838]) Nationally Scarce This cranefly has many fewer wing markings that the previous three members of the genus and can therefore easily be assumed to belong to a different genus altogether. It is found on acid peaty areas on moorland. Shropshire records come from Cardingmill Valley by Rita and Ken Merrifield in 1994 and from Chermes Dingle by Andy Godfrey (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Eloeophila trimaculata

Eloeophila verralli (Bergroth, 1912) Nationally Scarce This cranefly is widespread but seemingly confined to small wooded streams on sandy

sediments. Shropshire records come from Morda by Cyril Pugh during 1940 and from the Baveney Brook Malaise trap samples during 2004, where there is a clay substrate.

Fig. 36 – wing of Eloeophila verralli

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Epiphragma ocellare (Linnaeus, 1761) Common

A very attractive species found in established woodlands. Records are widespread around the county and include Wenlock Edge (Gibbs 1992), several of the Ironbridge Gorge woodland sites from a number of recorders, Poles Coppice by Tom Mawdsley (Judd 1998), and the Roxel site in the Wyre Forest by the author.

Fig. 37 – wing of Epiphragma ocellare.


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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Epiphragma ocellare

Euphylidorea aperta (Verrall, 1887) Local

This is the only medium sized yellow cranefly without a discal wing cell and so it is fairly easy to arrive at an identification using the key circulated by the National Cranefly Recording Scheme. It is found in woodlands with tiny streams and at seepages on largely acid soils. A single Shropshire locality of Short Wood is known from Andy Godfrey (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Euphylidorea aperta

Euphylidorea dispar (Meigen, 1818) Local

This medium‐sized orange and brown cranefly is found on clay soils such as those at Baveney Brook in the Wyre Forest. Other locations include

Holbrook Coppice (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), Jigger’s Bank Meadow and Wern‐ddu by the author. Shropshire records cover the period May to early July with most records from May.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Euphylidorea dispar

Euphylidorea lineola (Meigen, 1804) Common

Quite similar to the previous species in appearance and habitat preference, E. lineola is more orange coloured with even the wings tinted orange. Records are more widespread and include a number of habitats including the upland acid grassland of Rhos Fiddle (Boardman & Cheeseborough 2002), the old limestone quarry at Dolgoch by Ken and Rita Merrifield, and on the clay at Baveney Brook. Records range from May until late August.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Euphylidorea lineola


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Euphylidorea meigenii (Verrall, 1886) Local This cranefly is associated with boggy habitats and the bulk of records come from the Mosses of North Shropshire, the earliest being 1925 by Cyril Pugh, up to the present time. Pugh also recorded it from the Oswestry Uplands and the author recorded it from Sphagnum moss at Mount Wood near Selattyn. In the south of the county it has been recorded from boggy flushes on Catherton Common and Clee Hill.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Euphylidorea meigenii

Euphylidorea phaeostigma (Schummel, 1829) Local This species is very similar to the previous one and differences can only really be discerned using a microscope. It is apparently a northern and western species occurring on boggy ground with cotton sedges but within less acidic habitat than might be expected for E. meigenii. A single Shropshire record from Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR is known from the author. The species is known from neighbouring Montgomeryshire (Mike Howe pers. comm).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Euphylidorea phaeostigma

Hexatoma fuscipennis (Curtis, 1836). Local

A cranefly of river systems, this species can be found crawling around on bank side vegetation and generally flies little. It is a dark species with dark legs. Cyril Pugh recorded it from the River Vyrnwy at Melverley during 1929.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hexatoma fuscipennis

Idioptera linnei Oosterbroek, 1992. RDB1 A rare species of peat bog and acidic lake margin that is restricted to the north and west of Britain (with Shropshire at the southern limit of distribution). Found on Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR in late April to May, and


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then again in late August to September. It was first noted from the site by Harry Britten in 1938 (specimen in Liverpool Museum), then Cedric Colyer in 1954 (specimen in Natural History Museum). It had then been assumed to have been a casualty of the large scale commercial peat cutting that nearly destroyed the Mosses during the 1980’s but was rediscovered by John Kramer in 1999. The first ever larval records of the species were found by the author in 2004 from the site, and were successfully bred out from Sphagnum cuspidatum bogmoss to confirm identification (Boardman 2004). The cranefly appears to be colonising restored peat cuttings around the bog and can be found fairly easily at suitable habitat on the site. At more northerly sites in Cumbria and Scotland the species is univoltine (flies over a single generation) whilst in Shropshire, Cheshire and Yorkshire it is bivoltine (two generations) (Boardman 2005d).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Idioptera linnei

Idioptera pulchella (Meigen, 1830). Nationally Scarce Similar to I. linnei in appearance, but a little smaller and the wings of the male are less marked (Fig. 38), the main difference between the two species is that the female has reduced wings and therefore cannot fly. Despite this the national range of the cranefly, compared to I. linnei, is more widespread. It is found on peat bogs, acidic lake margins, moorland, fens and wet heathland. In Shropshire it can be found on Fennʹs, Whixall

& Bettisfield Mosses NNR in good numbers, and Wem Moss NNR, with an old record from Fenemere SSSI. During 2006 the species was rediscovered at The Moors by Ellesmere Lake.

Fig. 38 – wings of male Idioptera pulchella (top) and Idioptera linnei (bottom) (Edwards, 1938)

The species is able to readily colonise relatively temporary features on bogs such as tractor wheel ruts that infil with water and shallow depressions (Boardman 2005d).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Idioptera pulchella

Limnophila schranki (Oosterbroek, 1992) Local A quite noticeable fly of shallow streams with fine sediment, this species can have quite a variable degree of wing markings. It can often be found perched on stream side vegetation akin to a demoiselle damselfly or chaser dragonfly. Records are fairly widespread around the county from stream sides and ditch sides over the period of late April to early June, though it can emerge much earlier in March.


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Fig. 39 – wing of Limnophila schranki

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Limnophila schranki

Subgenus BRACHYLIMNOPHILA The Neolimnomyia nemoralis aggregate group of craneflies has only recently been taxonomically resolved and so difficulties occur in the interpretation of many older records unless specimens are available to examine.

Neolimnomyia adjuncta (Walker, 1848) Common As the only member of the genus with wing markings, this species is perhaps the easiest of the group to resolve. Wet mineral and peaty soils provide breeding opportunities, with wet meadows perhaps offering the best chance of finding it. All Shropshire observations are from May and June, with a gap until September and October. Records are very widespread and come from a variety of sites including farmland, wet meadows, seepage edges, woodland, and wet pond edge.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Neolimnomyia adjuncta

Neolimnomyia brunneus (working name in Stubbs in prep.) Local This previously unrecognised species (‘Species A‘ in Stubbs test key) is said to be typically found at the transition between acid to calcareous wet soils, especially in scrub or at woodland edge. At this stage a single record is noted from Alberbury during 2006.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Neolimnomyia brunneus

Neolimnomyia nemoralis (Meigen, 1818) Common

This cranefly is perhaps the most widespread of the genus within the lowlands with a preference


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for mildly calcareous soils within wet wooded habitats. Shropshire records show it to be commonly encountered within the Ironbridge Gorge woodlands (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), and those along Wenlock Edge (Gibbs 1992), with scattered other records. Note: only modern records have been used in the distribution map for this species due to the taxonomic difficulties of the past.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Neolimnomyia nemoralis

Neolimnomyia separata Walker, 1848 Local This is mostly a species of upland northern and western locations and is found most typically on peaty moorland, though lower peaty soils and boggy ground also offer habitat. The single Shropshire record comes from a boggy seepage adjacent to a stream at Cleeton St Mary, on the downslope of Titterstone Clee Hill by the author during 2006. With more searches mid to late summer this species should be shown to be frequently encountered in the Shropshire Hills

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Neolimnomyia separata

Subgenus NEOLIMNOPHILA

Neolimnomyia batava (Edwards, 1938). Local A smallish pale brown species that is found where there are wet soils with a calcareous bias. This species has only been recorded from a few locations in Shropshire including four of Andy Godfrey’s dingle woodland sites (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), two sites around the Wyre Forest and wet woodland at Preston Montford. Rather surprisingly it has come from the Long Mynd and Hopesay Hill by Keith Alexander, both more acid in nature.

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Neolimnomyia filata (Walker, 1856) Common

Peaty seepage carr and wet woodland offer habitat for this slender black‐bodied cranefly. Shropshire records are few and come from the Oswestry area by Cyril Pugh, Walcot Park by Peter Skidmore in 1997 and Loamhole Dingle by Andy Godfrey (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Neolimnomyia filata

The Paradelphomyia group of craneflies are a difficult group to identify with certainty and Stubbs (in prep.) recommends checking genitalia to confirm identification. Taxonomically the group is not completely resolved. Detailed drawings of the genitalia of this group can be found in a recent publication that focusses upon the Limoniidae and Pediciidae of the Swiss cranefly fauna (Podenas et al 2006). Paradelphomyia dalei (Edwards 1939) Local

This small cranefly is mainly a southern species and is characteristic of calcareous wet woodland and seepages. It flies during July and August. Shropshire records come from Spout wood near Ellesmere and at the edge of the Wyre Forest. At both sites the fly was taken at shallow streams through woodland.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Paradelphomyia dalei

Paradelphomyia ecalcarata (Edwards, 1938). RDB2 A small brown cranefly that is thought to be associated with calcareous habitats, this species has been recorded from Shropshire on three occasions. Firstly Cyril Pugh took the fly from Llanforda in 1939, and then Andy Godfrey recorded it from Chermes Dingle and Whitwell Coppice (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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Paradelphomyia fuscula (Loew, 1873). Nationally Scarce

A small cranefly with a widespread distribution, acid seepages in woodland are said to be the habitat. Shropshire records suggest a slightly wider tolerance of influences with Cyril Pugh recording the species from habitats around Oswestry, some of which are likely to have been of calcareous influence. Andy Godfrey recorded it from Whitwell Coppice (Godfrey 2000 & 2001) (from the same site as the previous species which a known limestone specialist (Stubbs in prep.), and the author recorded it from the calcareous clays of the Baveney Brook. Dates range from August to mid‐October.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Paradelphomyia fuscula

Paradelphomyia nielseni (Kuntze, 1919). Nationally Scarce

Another small cranefly, this species is confined to acid seepages in wet woodland. The only Shropshire station is Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR where it was recorded by Cyril Pugh in 1930.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Paradelphomyia nielseni

Paradelphomyia senilis (Haliday, 1833). Common There is some doubt regarding the identification of this species due to a recent re‐evaluation of the taxonomy of this group, with the possibility that further species may occur in the UK. However it is still likely that P. senilis is the most frequently encountered and most flexible with its habitat requirements. Shropshire records are widespread but are all from dingle or wet woodland sites by a number of recorders and range from May to early October.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Paradelphomyia senilis

Subgenus PARAPHYLIDOREA


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Phylidorea fulvonervosa (Schummel, 1829). Common

A widespread cranefly over much of Britain, this species would be expected at boggy sites, wet woodland, acid carr and seepages. Shropshire records are widespread and include marsh at Rhos Fiddle (Boardman & Cheeseborough 2002), Holbrook Coppice (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), the Wyre Forest, Brook Vessons the Long Mynd, Brownheath Moss, Clee Hill and Alberbury (all 2006).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Phylidorea fulvonervosa

Subgenus PHYLIDOREA

Phylidorea ferruginea (Meigen, 1818). Common Lush vegetation on wet ground offers habitat for this rusty orange coloured cranefly. It is generally very common and has a widespread distribution in Shropshire occurring in a mix of wet habitats including lake and pond edge, fen, mire, upland moorland and wet Juncus grassland.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Phylidorea ferruginea

Phylidorea heterogyna (Bergroth, 1913). RDB1

This rare cranefly was first discovered from Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR (1st British record) by Cyril Pugh in 1936 (specimens in Manchester Museum and Natural History Museum). Subsequently it has only been recorded on a further three occasions nationally, including Wybunbury Moss NNR in Cheshire by the author (Boardman 2005b). It is a species of late summer through to early autumn and very easy to overlook due to its tiny size. It has not been recorded since at Whixall Moss although some targeted recording has taken place. More searches are planned.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Phylidorea heterogyna


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Phylidorea squalens (Zetterstedt, [1838]). Local

A small cranefly found on Sphagnum bogmoss, schwingmoor, boggy ditches on peat bogs, and wet boggy moorland. The species has frequently been encountered upon Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR and Wem Moss NNR. In 2006 Caroline Uff of the National Trust reported a record of the fly from the Long Mynd.

Fig. 40 – wing of Phylidorea squalens

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Pilaria decolor (Zetterstedt, 1851). Local A widespread cranefly associated with lakeside and seepage carr. This species is said to be easily overlooked as its flight period is very short in late July to mid‐August. The single Shropshire station of Holbrook Coppice was noted by Andy Godfrey (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pilaria decolor

Pilaria discicollis (Meigen, 1818). Common In lowland situations this orange / brown coloured cranefly with clear wings is common from marsh and swamp carr in summer. Shropshire records are pretty widespread around the county from habitats close to watercourses.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pilaria discicollis

Pilaria fuscipennis (Meigen, 1818). Nationally Scarce

Records are widespread within southern England, but decidedly local for this species of seepages in carr and wet woodland. Shropshire records come from Hopesay Hill by Keith Alexander in 1996, Holbrook Coppice (Godfrey


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2000 & 2001) and from the Baveney Brook Malaise trap samples from 2004 identified by the author.

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Pilaria meridiana (Staeger, 1840) Nationally Scarce This is a northern and western species of cranefly associated with bare saturated peat that is nutrient rich, such as might occur within alder carr or other wet woodland. The only Shropshire records come from Cyril Pugh who recorded the species from Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR in 1937 and again in 1940. Specimens reside in the Manchester Museum insect collection.

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Pilaria scutellata (Staeger, 1840) Nationally Scarce

A drab, darkish looking cranefly, this species is found on nutrient rich trampled peat and trampled peaty pond margins during high summer. Cyril Pugh recorded it from its only Shropshire station at Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR during 1930. Specimens are housed in the Manchester Museum insect collection.

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Pseudolimnophila lucorum (Meigen, 1818) Common

A medium sized predominantly grey cranefly of wet places, this species can be identified by wing venation and head characters. Shropshire records come largely from the Meres and Mosses, the Ironbridge Gorge woodlands and the Clee Hill area from June and early August.

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Pseudolimnophila sepium (Verrall, 1886) Local

This species occurs in many of the places where P. lucurom is found, however this cranefly is apparently more suited to calcareous conditions. It is smaller and brown in colour. Shropshire records are again widespread and come mostly from wet woodland. June to mid August seems to account for the flight period in the county.

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LIMONIINAE –

SIMPLE-VEINED CRANEFLIES

Achyrolimonia decemmaculata (Loew, 1873). Local

The taxonomic name refers to the 5 dark spots that sit over vein junctions on each wing, although it should be noted that there are more wing markings. This is a woodland species associated with fungi growing on logs. As such is has been found in woodland sites around the county, including the Ironbridge Gorge woodlands (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), Ifton Dingle near St. Martins by the author and from wooded parts of Brown Moss by Mike Howe. Numbers however are never high and its Shropshire distribution is widespread but quite local.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Achyrolimonia decemmaculata

Antocha vitripennis (Meigen, 1830). Local A small cranefly that is associated with rivers or wide streams, this species is easily identified by a combination of its milky wings and the extended anal wing lobe (Fig. 41). Shropshire records come from the Hawkbatch Valley by Alan Stubbs whilst the author took the cranefly at uncharacteristic habitat on willow carr at the Marl Allotments (on the edge of Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR) during 2005. This site is however adjacent to the Shropshire branch of the Llangollen Canal. 2006 records came from the River Tern at Attingham Park, the River Roden at Shawbury, Eardington Quarry (adjacent to the River Severn) and Nills Hill Quarry. The last site is not close to an obvious water course.

Fig. 41 – wing of Antocha vitriipennis


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Atypophthalmus inustus (Meigen, 1818). Nationally Scarce This is an easily overlooked species found in damp woodland during mid‐summer. It is only normally found in ones or twos. Shropshire records come from Wenlock Edge (Gibbs 1992), several from the dingle woodland sites surveyed by Andy Godfrey (Godfrey 2000 & 2001) and from Wollaston Farm near Halfway House (Boardman in prep).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Atypophthalmus inustus

Subgenus DICRANOMYIA “Rag bag” and “hotchpotch” are two of the terms used by Alan Stubbs in his introduction to the Dicranomyia group of craneflies. Like a few other

groups they have a history of some taxonomic difficulty. The three main identification features of the group depend upon detailed examination of the genitalia under the microscope, wing markings and shape of antennal segments. A couple of species can however be identified by site in the field with a little experience.

Dicranomyia affinis (Schummel, 1829). Local This cranefly is restricted to acid conditions and can be found in upland and lowland situations on sandy heathland, heathy rides in woodland, moorland gullies etc. A single Shropshire record was noted by Cyril Pugh who found the cranefly on Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR in July 1933.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dicranomyia affinis

Dicranomyia autumnalis (Staeger, 1840). Common

A yellow / orange coloured cranefly with a thick black central line down the middle of the thorax (when viewed from above), this species is found in a number of woodland and wet heathland locations around Shropshire.


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Dicranomyia chorea (Meigen, 1818). Common

A ubiquitous species found in most of lowland Britain in gardens, woodland, footpaths and grassland. The name chorea comes from the way in which males of the species are often seen to dance (as in choreography) in swarms during the last of the daylight hours. It can also be seen “dancing” whilst sat on a surface, such as a leaf or tree trunk etc. It can be found from April through to November with distinct peaks in spring and autumn.

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Dicranomyia didyma (Meigen, 1804). Local

Wooded, mossy streams seem to represent the habitat of this cranefly within the north and west of Britain. Shropshire records are from dingle woodland sites at Ironbridge by Mike Howe in 1994, and from Ironbridge and Cornbrook Dingle near Clee Hill (Godfrey 2000 & 2001). Alan Stubbs recorded the species from Cardingmill Valley at the Long Mynd.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dicranomyia didyma

Dicranomyia lucida de Meijere, 1918. Nationally Scarce Areas of wet woodland, particularly those with hemlock water‐dropwort Oenanthe crocata, with enriched mud offer habitat to this cranefly. It is an attractive species with an orange and black body pattern and well marked wings (Fig. 42). Cyril Pugh recorded it regularly at Morda near Oswestry several times within the 1930’s, suggesting it was locally common at that location, whilst Andy Godfrey recorded it once from Tick Wood (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).


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Fig. 42 – Dicranomyia lucida

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dicranomyia lucida

Dicranomyia lutea (Meigen, 1818). Common A fly of well‐drained, shaded, mainly calcareous soils, this insect is bright yellow (hence the species name). It is often found with D. mitis, however D. lutea is far more widespread within Britain. Shropshire records are widespread.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dicranomyia lutea

Dicranomyia mitis (Meigen, 1830). Common Mainly a woodland cranefly, D. mitis can also be found along woodland edge or hedgerows and amongst well established scrub. Shropshire records are very widespread and come from Alberbury and Oswestry by Cyril Pugh in the 1920’s and 1930’s, Wenlock Edge (Gibbs 1992), Baveney Brook by Mike Howe in 1994, The Ercall by Tom Mawdsley (Judd 1999), several dingle woodland sites (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), Ruyton‐XI‐Towns churchyard (Boardman & Cheeseborough 2004) and the Roxel works in the Wyre Forest.

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Dicranomyia modesta (Meigen, 1818). Common This is one of the most widespread of the Dicranomyia craneflies, occurring virtually anywhere that wet soils are present. Shropshire records are commonplace from the Meres and Mosses area, Wenlock Edge, and several other locations around the county.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dicranomyia modesta

Dicranomyia omissinervis de Meijere, 1918. RDB2 An uncommon species associated with exposed riverine sediment, this cranefly is easily identified by the combination of thoracic stripes and the lack of a discal wing cell. The only Shropshire record is from Holbrook Coppice, where Andy Godfrey took the fly during his survey of dingle woodlands for Lipsothrix craneflies (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dicranomyia omissinervis

Dicranomyia ornata (Meigen, 1818). Nationally Scarce This striking cranefly is associated with butterbur Petasites hybridus and as such is found on moist ground in river corridors. Adults are known from butterbur beds where they can be found amongst leaves for a short period around May to mid‐June. Larvae have been found from the outermost petioles of the plant which have collapsed onto moist ground (Stubbs 1980). Shropshire records are at a premium with the only record coming from Ken and Rita Merrifield who found the fly at Whitwell Coppice in late May 1994. So far searches for this species amongst butterbur around the Oswestry Hills area have been unsuccessful.

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Dicranomyia ornata


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Dicranomyia ventralis (Schummel, 1829). Nationally Scarce

A scarce species, this cranefly is associated with water margins of floodplain lakes, and other situations where the summer water levels expose a vegetated shore of mud or peat. Cyril Pugh recorded the only Shropshire records from Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR in August and September of 1936. Pugh’s specimens can be found in the Manchester Museum collection.

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Subgenus GLOCHINA

Dicranomyia sericata (Meigen, 1830). Local A cranefly of calcareous soils that appears to have a southern bias within Britain, this species is best found by sweep‐netting shrubs at suitable sites during May to early June. As Dicranomyia craneflies go this is species is one of the least recognisable of the genus. The three shining brown stripes on top of the thorax with the rest of the body greyish and clear wings identify it as something different. Records from Shropshire are few. Cyril Pugh recorded the cranefly from Oswestry and Llanymynech Rocks in the 1920’s, Mike Howe from Blakeway Coppice on Wenlock edge in 1994 and the author re‐discovered the fly at Llanymynech Rocks in 2005. In 2006 the author found it to be more widespread in the Oswestry Hills with 3 further sites, all on limestone soils. A

further record from Wenlock Edge was also made.

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Subgenus MELANOLIMONIA

Dicranomyia morio (Fabricius, 1787). Local

The use of an x20 hand lens or a microscope reveals a stunning glossy black insect with a shining silvery pubescence upon the side of the thorax. This fly is usually very elusive but it is widespread around Britain from habitats such as shaded hedgerows, woodland rides, marshy meadows and even grassy field margins. Two broods are suggested in April‐May and then August–September although all Shropshire records are from the spring. It was recorded from 6 of the 9 farm sites surveyed by the author during 2006 (Boardman in prep.).


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Subgenus NUMANTIA

Dicranomyia fusca (Meigen, 1804). Local This cranefly is widespread in woodland where the ground is wet. Andy Godfrey recorded this species from virtually every survey location during the Shropshire dingle woodlands project (Godfrey 2000 & 2001). Other records come from Peter Skidmore at Walcot Park in 1997, whilst the author recorded it from three dingle woodland sites during 2006.

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Subgenus SIVALIMNOBIA

Dicranomyia aquosa Verrall, 1886. Nationally Scarce An uncommon cranefly of shaded wet rock faces that are kept permanently damp, such as the splash zones at the sides of waterfalls, or seepages. The single Shropshire record comes from Andy Godfrey at Loamhole Dingle (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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Helius flavus (Walker, 1856). Local Helius craneflies all have an elongated, but blunt‐ended rostrum (snout) (Fig. 46) unlike any other species group likely to occur in Shropshire. H. flavus is classed as widespread but quite local. It is most associated with seepage carr, and carr around pools and lakes, though sometimes it can be recorded from more open conditions. Andy Godfrey recorded this species from Loamhole Dingle (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), Nigel Jones found the species at Berrington Moss and the author recorded it from Brownheath Moss.


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Helius longirostris (Meigen, 1818). Common

The commonest species of “pond snout” this cranefly is found at ditch, pond or lake margins over much of the lowlands. It is also found in carr or on marshy ground. Shropshire records are widespread from the Meres and Mosses area.

Fig. 43 – Helius longirostris “snout”.

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Helius pallirostris Edwards, 1921. Local

Mostly a coastal species, inland records of this cranefly come from the margins of ponds or lakes, with mineral or peat soils. The single Shropshire record was at Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR by John Kramer in 1999

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Limonia dilutior (Edwards, 1921). Local

An uncommon species or possibly more overlooked amongst more well marked species, this cranefly occurs on heathland and moorland during May and June. Cyril Pugh recorded the species around the Oswestry area in 1933 and these remain the only Shropshire records. Pugh’s specimens are housed in the Manchester Museum insect collection.


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Limonia flavipes (Fabricius, 1787). Common

This cranefly occurs in springtime in woodlands around Shropshire. It is a well‐marked species with a very noticeable wing patterning. A closer inspection of the thorax reveals a fingerprint‐like marking. Records range from early May to early July; however most records are from within the period of mid‐May to mid‐June.

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Limonia macrostigma (Schummel, 1829). Common This Limonia cranefly lacks wing markings, making it different from other species of the same genus. It is a common species that can be found in

areas of wet woodland, woodland dingles or other wet places. Shropshire records come from several of the Meres and Mosses sites, and many (if not all) of Andy Godfrey’s survey sites (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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Limonia maculipennis (Meigen, 1818). Local

An early spring cranefly of hedgerows, the distribution of this species is mostly associated with south‐eastern England. The Shropshire records both come from Cyril Pugh from the Oswestry area during the 1920’s and are at odds with the rest of the UK distribution of the fly. Identification is easy due to the front femora having a banded appearance with the top section orange, then a darkened brown section around the middle of the femora with another orange section below and finally a black section nearest the joint with the tibia.

Fig. 44 – front femora of Limonia maculipennis

One of Pugh’s specimens resides in the Manchester Museum collection.


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Limonia masoni (Edwards, 1921). RDB3 The taxonomy of this cranefly is not fully established and there appear to be different colour forms which can cause confusion between this and L. nigropunctata. The main national distribution is in areas of carboniferous limestone of Derbyshire and calcareous clays of the south‐east. Shropshire records came to light during Andy Godfrey’s dingle woodland surveys when specimens were discovered at Habberley Valley and Holbrook Coppice (Godfrey 2000 & 2001). Given that calcareous clays and carboniferous limestones occur elsewhere in Shropshire further searches may be rewarding.

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Limonia nigropunctata (Schummel, 1829). Local

This smart‐looking cranefly occurs in association with limestone influenced habitats at woodland edge or by seepages and small streams, though other less base‐rich habitats are suggested. Shropshire records include the Oswestry hills area from old quarries, Wenlock Edge by Cyril Pugh in 1949 and David Gibbs (Gibbs 1992), The Ercall by Tom Mawdsley (Judd 1999), and Haughmond Hill (collected by Dan Wrench).

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Limonia nubeculosa Meigen, 1804. Common A very common cranefly with speckled wings found in damp woodland and other wet and shady habitats. It is the only cranefly with three dark ring markings upon the femora (top leg segment) (see Fig. 2) and therefore easily identified in the field. Shropshire records come from many habitats however dark, mossy places are a good place to look. It can be found by sheltered, damp quarry faces, mine entrances, underneath river bridges and in allsorts of other dank places. Records cover the period from early April to mid‐November.


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Limonia phragmitidis (Shrank, 1981). Common

A commonly encountered species of woodland, this cranefly can be found in a range of sites from peat carr to well drained woods. It is the commonest yellow coloured species in woodland and it is characteristic of spring in Shropshire woods. The fly is on the wing from late April until early July.

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Limonia stigma (Meigen 1818) Local

A widespread but often elusive species this cranefly is said to occur on dry soils by hedgerows and woodland. A single Shropshire

record comes from Wollaston where it was identified in a Malaise trap sample (Boardman in prep.)

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Limonia trivittata (Schummel, 1829) Local

Wet, shady places close to flowing water are the most likely locations to find this cranefly. It is a yellow coloured species with three stripes on the top of the thorax and a grey head. It was another of the species that was almost ubiquitous when Andy Godfrey carried out his survey of dingle woodlands in Shropshire for Lipsothrix craneflies (Godfrey 2000 & 2001). Other records came from Cyril Pugh at Morda in the 1920’s and David Gibbs at Wenlock Edge (Gibbs 1992) whilst the author recorded the species widely during 2006.

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Lipsothrix errans Edwards, 1938. Nationally Scarce

An uncommon species of woodland dingle streams. It breeds in coarse woody debris in streams and seepages. All Shropshire records come from the dingle woodlands examined by Andy Godfrey (Godfrey 2000, 2001 & 2003). Further specimens were recorded by David Heaver, Mike Howe and Liz Howe from Loamhole Dingle at Ironbridge during 2000 and the author from Ledwyche Brook during 2006.

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Lipsothrix nervosa Edwards, 1938. Local Another species of dingle woodland, this cranefly is a little more widespread than the previous one. Larvae use a range of soaked timber around streams and seepages. Shropshire records largely come from Andy Godfrey (2000 & 2001), however Ken and Rita Merrifield also encountered the species at Trefonen near Oswestty during May 2001 and the author identified it from the Baveney Brook Malaise trap samples from 2004, and from Badger Dingle during 2006.

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Lipsothrix nobilis Loew, 1873. RDB1 The rarest of the dingle woodland craneflies (and known as L. nigristigma until very recently), this species was the focus for Andy Godfrey’s autecological studies in Shropshire and the Welsh borders. Larvae were found to use wet woody debris in dingle streams at Ironbridge and elsewhere in Shropshire (Godfrey 2000, 2001 & 2003). Other records came from Mike and Liz Howe in 1994, Alan Stubbs and Martin Drake in 1995 and the author from Ledwyche Brook in 2006.

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Lipsothrix remota (Walker, 1848). Common

The only species of the Lipsothrix genus that is reasonably widespread and common, this pale yellow coloured cranefly can be found by woodland streams and seepages where saturated dead wood occurs. Shropshire records show a widespread distribution in dingle and wet woodlands.

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Metalimnobia bifasciata (Shrank, 1781). Local Quite a distinctive cranefly with broad wings (Fig. 45) and an orange‐yellow body, this species is a woodland specialist. Sweep netting over bracken in late summer is advocated as the best method of searching for this insect. Shropshire records are few with only a couple of records by Cyril Pugh from Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR during 1928. Specimens are housed in the Manchester Museum collection.

Fig. 45 – wing of Metalimnobia bifasciata

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Metalimnobia quadrinotata (Meigen, 1818). Local Another distinctive cranefly of woodland, this species is said to be a little more frequently encountered than the previous one. Both breed upon fungi. Shropshire records come from Wenlock Edge (Gibbs 1992), Catherton Common by Alan Stubbs and David Heaver in 1993, and Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR by E.G. Hancock, but it is probably more widespread. Hancock’s specimen is in the Liverpool Museum insect collection.

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Neolimonia dumetorum (Meigen, 1804). Common This is a very distinctive species of cranefly. It has an orange coloured thorax and an obvious dark side stripe along the pleura (side of thorax). The cranefly (Fig. 46) is common in woodland locations in both wet and dry situations. Larvae are known from decaying wood. In Shropshire records are widespread from such locations as Wenlock Edge (Gibbs 1992), The Ercall (Judd 1999), and several of the dingle woodlands investigated by Andy Godfrey (2000 & 2001).

Fig. 46 – Neolimonia dumetorum

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Rhipidia maculata Meigen, 1818. Common

A small cranefly with “peppered” wing markings commonly found in damp places. It is easily identifiable by the combination of the wing markings and the highly serrate antennae. It is very common in Shropshire and one of the first species of small cranefly that one gets to know, along with Cheilotrichia cinerascens and Dicranomyia chorea. It was recorded from 8 of the 9 farms sites during 2006 by the author (Boardman in prep.)

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Thaumastoptera calceata Mik, 1866. Nationally Scarce

An uncommon cranefly with a pale yellow body and black tips to the femora (upper leg section), this species is small and very fragile in appearance and another that is easy to overlook in a white butterfly net. It is associated with mud around limestone seepages. There are only a small number of Shropshire records, Lydebrook Dingle (Godfrey 2000 & 2001), Baveney Brook in the Wyre Forest where three individuals were identified by the author from Malaise Trap samples, and from Alberbury, where one individual was taken at a moth trap by the author and Ian Cheeseborough during 2006.


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TRICHOCERIDAE: WINTER GNATS UK 10 species

Winter gnats differ from true craneflies in that they have ocelli (simple eyes) on top of the head, whereas ocelli are absent from craneflies. Ocelli are light‐sensitive organs but cannot determine the direction from where the light comes. Other than the ocelli, winter gnats are very similar to smaller craneflies but a good quick separating factor is to check the first anal vein, as it dips quickly into the wing edge (see Fig. 47)

Diazosma hirtipenne (Siebke, 1863). Nationally Scarce Nature is full of contradictions (or rather our interpretation of it is!) as despite the name ‘Winter Gnat’ this is a mid‐summer‐flying species! It is uncommon but widely scattered and appears to have a preference for woodland. No information is currently known about its life history. The only known record from Shropshire is from Whitwell Coppice south of Ironbridge where Andy Godfrey found the insect whilst carrying out a project on Lipsothrix craneflies in dingle woodlands (Godfrey 2000 & 2001).

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Subgenus SALTRICHOCERA

Trichocera annulata Meigen, 1818. Common A frequently encountered winter gnat found in a number of habitats including woodland and gardens from autumn until spring. Adults have a yellow and black banded abdomen which makes it easy to identify in the field, though a hand lens is sometimes needed to check this due to the small size of the fly.

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Trichocera parva Meigen, 1804. Local This is a small species and as such stands out against the commoner but larger T. regelationis and T. hiemalis. It is found in woodland and by mature hedgerows in autumn. It is reasonably widespread throughout Britain. Shropshire records are few but well scattered, suggesting it is under‐recorded and habitats represented are woodland and woodland edge. This habitat is seemingly represented by churchyard yew trees in which one specimen was found by the author in 2006.

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Trichocera regelationis (Linnaeus, 1758). Common This is probably the commonest of the winter gnats. Males can be seen swarming in sheltered spots along footpaths, in woodland clearings and gardens. A brownish wing spot (which can sometimes be faint) on vein r‐m is generally the first indication that one has come across this species. Shropshire records are widespread and cover the period from the end of October to mid‐April.

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Trichocera saltator (Harris, [1776]). Common

Another of the very common winter gnats, this species is potentially ubiquitous from gardens, farmland and woodland around the county and can be found from autumn to spring. More recording effort should show a much more frequent distribution.

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Subgenus TRICHOCERA

Trichocera hiemalis (De Geer, 1776). Common This is a very common winter gnat occuring throughout Shropshire. Records cover the period


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from the end of October to the middle of April. Woodland, heathland, grassland and gardens offer habitat for this ubiquitous winter gnat. One of the more unusual habitats was an old mine at Huglith where individuals were encountered in the darkness of a mine tunnel.

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Trichocera major Edwards, 1921. Local

The largest of the genus this species of winter gnat is uncommon and observations are nearly always based upon single records. It is assumed that deciduous woodland is the preferred habitat, but also hedgerows in farmed environments are suggested. In Shropshire a single record is noted from Wem Moss during 1988.

Fig. 47 - Trichocera major

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PTYCOPTERIDAE: FOLD‐WING CRANEFLIES

UK 7 species Adult fold‐wing craneflies are easily recognised through a combination of shape, colour and wing markings. They resemble true craneflies; however the evolutionary relationship between the two groups is apparently not close. Most species are good indicators of habitat quality. Larvae of fold‐winged craneflies are also easily recognised as they have a long, retractable breathing tube which extends from the hind end of the abdomen (Stubbs 1993).

Ptychoptera albimana (Fabricius, 1787) Common Females of this species are easily to identify in the field as they have silvery‐white tarsi (lower leg parts) which are generally easy to see with the naked eye. This is the most widespread of the fold‐wing craneflies. It occurs along woodland rides, at woodland edge, wet fields and seepages. Muddy puddles and mud at seepages provide breeding habitat. Indeed it is likely to occur in all but the most acid or bleak upland sites. The species is common in Shropshire and can be found from mid‐April to June, then again from August to September.


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Ptychoptera contaminata (Linnaeus, 1758) Common Another widespread species, this fold‐wing cranefly can be found around the margins of water bodies where tall emergent vegetation is present, slow‐flowing rivers and streams, canal banks etc. Again it is widespread in Shropshire. Mid‐May marks the emergence of this species with records noted until mid or late September with no obvious peak emergence.

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Ptychoptera lacustris Meigen, 1830. Local This species is mostly associated with lightly shaded woodland streams and sometimes marshy seepages. In woodland though, it is likely to be found away from the more densely shaded areas. Shropshire records range from May to early October and come from a variety of sites around the county.

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Ptychoptera longicauda (Tonnoir, 1919). Nationally Scarce The most uncommon of the fold‐winged craneflies, this species is associated with woodland streams with silted areas, many with some calcareous influence (Falk & Chandler 2005). The single Shropshire record came from the Baveney Brook Malaise trap samples within the Wyre Forest on calcareous clays from August 2004, identified by the author and checked by Alan Stubbs.


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Ptychoptera minuta Tonnoir, 1919. Local An association with standing water signals likely habitat for this species, particularly eutrophic ponds, marshes, carr, mires and other places where organically rich mud occurs at the water surface. Thus the Meres and Mosses have been a successful hunting ground for this species in Shropshire with records from several sites including The Moors at Ellesmere (Lockton & Whild 1998). Mid‐May until early July is the peak time for records with a few lingering towards late July. This species can occur with P. albimana and P. contaminata but distinct differences occur in habitat preferences.

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Ptychoptera paludosa Meigen, 1804 Local This fold‐wing cranefly apparently is quite closely allied to P. lacustris. Habitat is said to be represented by more densely shaded locations than those that suit P. lacustris. Most Shropshire records come from dingle woodland sites visited by Andy Godfrey (2000), with additional records by Ken and Rita Merrifield from a Dipterists Forum field meeting during 1994 and the author in 2006 from similar habitats. Old records come from Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR by Cyril Pugh in the 1920’s.

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REFERENCES BLUNT, A.G., DERRY, C., MASON J., & THOMPSPON I. 2002. Shropshire Invertebrate Group – Annual report. published at www.insectpix.net/SIG BLUNT, A.G., THOMPSON, I., JONES, N., & MASON J. 2005. Shropshire Invertebrate Group – Annual report. published at www.insectpix.net/SIG BOARDMAN, P. 2004. Notes on the autecology of the cranefly Idioptera linnei Oosterbroek, 1992 (Diptera, Limoniidae). Dipterists Digest Volume 11, No.2 p167‐170 BOARDMAN, P.J. 2005a. The Red Data Book invertebrates of Shropshire, a compilation and review of data. Unpublished report for the Shropshire Biodiversity Partnership. BOARDMAN, P. 2005b. A review of the known records of Phylidorea heterogyna (Bergroth, 1913) (Diptera, Limoniidae) from Great Britain. Dipterists Digest Volume 12, No.1 p83‐86 BOARDMAN, P. 2005c. Invertebrate Monitoring at Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR during 2005. Unpublished report for English Nature. BOARDMAN, P. 2005d. The Autecology and Distribution of the Craneflies Idioptera linnei Oosterbroek, 1992 and Idioptera pulchella (Meigen, 1830) (Diptera: Limoniidae) in Britain. A dissertation submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degreee of Master of Science. Department of Biosciences. University of Birmingham. BOARDMAN, P. in prep. Invertebrate monitoring at selected farms in Shropshire. Unpublished report. BOARDMAN, P.J. & CHEESEBOROUGH, I.P. 2002 – An invertebrate survey of Rhos Fiddle Nature Reserve (2001‐2002). Unpublished report to The Shropshire Wildlife Trust. BOARDMAN, P.J. & CHEESEBOROUGH, I.P. 2003. An invertebrate survey of The Cliffe (2001‐2003). Unpublished report to The Friends of the Cliffe.

BOARDMAN, P.J. & CHEESEBOROUGH, I.P. 2004. An invertebrate survey of the churchyard at St. John The Baptist Church, Ruyton‐XI‐Towns (2003‐2004). Unpublished report for the Ruyton‐XI‐Towns Heritage Group. BRINDLE, A. & BRYCE, D. 1960. The larvae of the British Hexatomini (Dipt., Tipulidae). Entomologist’s Gazette. 11: 207‐ 217. BRINDLE, A. 1960. The larvae and pupae of the British Tipulinae (Diptera: Tipulidae). Transcripts Society of British Entomology 14 (3): 63‐114. BRINDLE, A. 1967. The larvae and pupae of the British Cylindrotominae. Transcripts Society of British Entomology 17 (7): p149. BRINDLE, A. 1974. Obituary of C.H.W. Pugh. Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine 136, 29‐30. CHANDLER, P. 1998. Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects. Volume 12. Checklists of Insects of the British Isles (New Series) Part 1: Diptera. London. Royal Entomological Society. EDWARDS, F.W. 1938. British Short‐palped Craneflies. Taxonomy of Adults. Transactions of the Society for British Entomology. Vol.5, Part.1 FALK, S.J. 1991. Research and survey in nature conservation. No. 39 A review of the scarce and threatened flies of Great Britain (part 1). Peterborough. JNCC. FALK, S.J. & CHANDLER, P.J. 2005. Species Status No.2 A review of the scarce and threatened flies of Great Britain (part 2): Nematocera and Aschiza not dealt with by Falk (1991).Peterborough. JNCC. HEAVER, D. 2006. The ecology of Ellipteroides alboscutellatus (von Roser, 1840) (Diptera, Limoniidae) in England. Dipterist Digest Volume 13, No. 1 p67‐86 HOLMES, P., BOYCE, D.C. & REED, D.K. 1995. The Welsh Peatland Invertebrate Survey. Caernarvon. Unpublished report for The Countryside Council for Wales.


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GODFREY, A. 2000. English Nature Research Reports. No. 351. Species Recovery Programme. Survey for the cranefly Lipsothrix nigristigma. Peterborough. GIBBS, D. 1992. Invertebrate Survey at sites along Wenlock Edge. Unbuplished report for The National Trust. GODFREY, A. 2001. English Nature Research Reports. No. 410. Species Recovery Programme. Survey for the cranefly Lipsothrix nigristigma in 2000. Peterborough. GODFREY, A. 2003. English Nature Research Reports. No. 513. A review of the invertebrate interest of coarse woody debris in England. Peterborough. JUDD, S., 1993. Liverpool Museum 1992‐1993 Invertebrate survey of Fennʹs, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR. Unpublished report for English Nature and The Countryside Council for Wales. NMGM. JUDD, S. (ed) 1998a. Liverpool Museum Invertebrate Survey at Melverley Farm, Nr. Whitchurch, Shropshire (SJ585408). Unpublished report for the Shropshire Wildlife Trust. JUDD, S (ed) 1998b. Liverpool Museum Invertebrate Survey at Poles Coppice, Nr Minsterley, Shropshire. Unpublished report for Shropshire County Council. JUDD, S. (ed) 1999. Liverpool Museum Invertebrate Survey at The Ercall, Nr. Telford, Shropshire (SJ6409). Unpublished report for the Shropshire Wildlife Trust. LOCKTON, A.J. & WHILD, S.J. 1998. An Ecological Review of The Moors, Ellesmere. Unpublished report for The Countryside Service, Shropshire County Council. LOCKTON, A.J. & WHILD, S.J. 2005. Rare Plants of Shropshire (3rd Edition). Shrewsbury. Shropshire Botanical Society. McBEAN, S. 2006. Creatures in the news: journalism or journalese? Biologist Vol.53 No.2 p 59‐60 OOSTERBROEK, P., BYGEBJBERG, R., & MUNK, T., 2006. The West Palearctic species of Ctenophorinae (Diptera: Tipulidae):, key, distribution and references. Entomologische Berichten 66(5): 138‐149.

PIERRE, C., 1924. Faune de France. No.8: Dipteres; Tipulidae. LeChevalier, Paris. PODENAS, S., GEIGER, W, HAENNI J‐P & GONSETH Y. 2006. Fauna Helvetica 14; Limoniidae & Pediciidae De Suisse. Centre Suisse de cartographie de la faune Schweizerische Entomologische Gesellschaft. SHIRT, D.B. (ed) 1987. British Red Data Books (2): Insects. NERC/IUCN/JNCC/RSNC. SKINGSLEY, D. 1999. Staffordshire Tipulidae – a provisional atlas. Staffordshire University Press. SMART, M.J. & WINNALL, R.A., 2006. English Nature Research Reports. No.707. The biodiversity of three traditional orchards within the Wyre Forest SSSI in Worcestershire: a survey by the Wyre Forest Study Group. Peterborough. STUBBS, A.E. 1980. Exhibit, 22 May 1980. Proceedings of the British Entomology and Natural History Society. 13:133 STUBBS, A.E. 1992. Provisional Atlas of the long‐palped craneflies (Diptera: Tipulidae) of Britain and Ireland. Monks Wood. Biological Records Centre STUBBS, A.E. 1993. Provisional Atlas of the ptychopterid craneflies (Diptera: Ptychopteridae) of Britain and Ireland, edited for the Biological Records Centre by P.T. Harding & J.C.M. Dring. Huntingdon: Biological Records Centre. STUBBS, A.E. in prep. British Craneflies draft text. THEOWALD, B. 1967. Bestimmungsbücher zur Bodenfauna Europas. Familie Tipulidae (Diptera, Nematocera). Larven und Puppen. Akademie‐Verlag. Berlin. Websites www.buglife.org.uk – Buglife www.ip30.eti.uva.nl/ccw ‐ Catalogue of the craneflies of the world


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INDEX

Taxa Page Achyrolimonia decemmaculata 74 Antocha vitripennis 74 Atypophthalmus inustus 75 Austrolimnophila ochracea 61 Cheilotrichia cinerascens 40 Cheilotrichia imbuta 40 Crypteria limnophiloides 40 Ctenophora pectinicornis 12 Cylindrotoma distinctissima 33 Dactylolabis sexmaculata 60 Dactylolabis transversa 61 Diazosoma hirtipenne 88 Dicranomyia affinis 75 Dicranomyia aquosa 80 Dicranomyia autumnalis 75 Dicranomyia chorea 76 Dicranomyia didyma 76 Dicranomyia fusca 80 Dicranomyia lucida 76 Dicranomyia lutea 77 Dicranomyia mitis 77 Dicranomyia modesta 78 Dicranomyia morio 79 Dicranomyia omissinervis 78 Dicranomyia ornata 78 Dicranomyia sericata 7,79 Dicranomyia ventralis 79 Dicranota bimaculata 35 Dicranota claripennis 35 Dicranota exclusa 36 Dicranota gracilipes 35 Dicranota pavida 36 Dicranota subtilis 36 Dictenidia bimaculata 12 Diogma glabrata 34 Dolichopeza albipes 14 Ellipteroides alboscutellatus 10 Ellipteroides lateralis 41 Eloeophila maculata 62 Eloeophila mundata 62 Eloeophila submarmorata 62 Eloeophila trimaculata 63 Eloeophila verralli 63 Epiphragma ocellare 63 Erioconopa diuturna 41 Erioconopa trivialis 42 Erioptera divisa 42 Erioptera flavata 42 Erioptera fuscipennis 43 Erioptera fusculenta 43 Erioptera griseipennis 43 Erioptera lutea 44 Erioptera meijerei 44 Erioptera nielseni 44 Erioptera squalida 45 Erioptera verralli 45 Euphylidorea aperta 64

Euphylidorea dispar 64 Euphylidorea lineola 64 Euphylidorea meigenii 65 Euphylidorea phaeostigma 65 Gnophomyia viridipennis 45 Gonempeda flava 46 Gonomyia abbreviata 48 Gonomyia abscondita 46 Gonomyia conoviensis 46 Gonomyia dentata 47 Gonomyia lucidula 47 Gonomyia recta 47 Gonomyia simplex 48 Helius flavus 80 Helius longirostris 81 Helius pallirostris 81 Hexatoma fuscipennis 65 Hoplolabis areolata 48 Idioptera linnei 9,65 Idioptera pulchella 66 Ilisia maculata 49 Ilisia occoecata 49 Limnophila schranki 66 Limonia dilutior 81 Limonia flavipes 82 Limonia macrostigma 82 Limonia maculipennis 82 Limonia masoni 83 Limonia nigropunctata 83 Limonia nubeculosa 6,83 Limonia phragmitidis 84 Limonia stigma 84 Limonia trivittata 84 Lipsothrix errans 85 Lipsothrix nervosa 85 Lipsothrix nobilis 85 Lipsothrix remota 86 Metalimnobia bifasciata 86 Metalimnobia quadrinotata 86 Molophilus appendiculatus 49 Molophilus ater 10 Molophilus bifidus 50 Molophilus cinereifrons 50 Molophilus corniger 50 Molophilus curvatus 51 Molophilus flavus 51 Molophilus griseus 51 Molophilus lackschewitzianus 52 Molophilus medius 52 Molophilus obscurus 52 Molophilus occultus 53 Molophilus ochraceus 53 Molophilus pleuralis 53 Molophilus pusillus 11 Molophilus serpentiger 53 Molophilus undulatus 54 Molophilus variispinus 54 Neolimnomyia adjuncta 67 Neolimnomyia batava 68 Neolimnomyia brunneus 67 Neolimnomyia filata 69


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Neolimnomyia nemoralis 68 Neolimnomyia separata 68 Neolimnophila carteri 54 Neolimonia dumetorum 87 Nephrotoma analis 15 Nephrotoma appendiculata 15 Nephrotoma cornicina 16 Nephrotoma crocata 16 Nephrotoma flavescens 17 Nephrotoma flavipalpis 17 Nephrotoma guestfalica 17 Nephrotoma lunulicornis 18 Nephrotoma quadrifaria 18 Nephrotoma scurra 18 Nephrotoma submaculosa 11 Nigrotipula nigra 19 Ormosia albitibia 55 Ormosia depilata 55 Ormosia hederae 55 Ormosia lineata 55 Ormosia nodulosa 56 Ormosia pseudosimilis 56 Ormosia staegeriana 11 Paradelphomyia dalei 69 Paradelphomyia ecalcarata 69 Paradelphomyia fuscula 70 Paradelphomyia nielseni 70 Paradelphomyia senilis 70 Pedicia littoralis 37 Pedicia occulta 37 Pedicia rivosa 38 Pedicia straminea 37 Phalacrocera replicata 34 Phylidorea ferruginea 71 Phylidorea fulvonervosa 71 Phylidorea heterogyna 71 Phylidorea squalens 72 Pilaria decolor 72 Pilaria discicollis 72 Pilaria fuscipennis 72 Pilaria meridiana 73 Pilaria scutellata 73 Prionocera pubescens 14 Prionocera subserricornis 14 Prionocera turcica 15 Pseudolimnophila lucorum 73 Pseudolimnophila sepium 74 Ptychoptera albimana 90 Ptychoptera contaminata 91 Ptychoptera lacustris 91 Ptychoptera longicauda 91 Ptychoptera minuta 92 Ptychoptera paludosa 92 Rhabdomastix edwardsi 56 Rhipidia maculata 87 Rhypholophus bifurcatus 57 Rhypholophus haemorrhoidalis 57 Rhypholophus varius 58 Scleroprocta pentagonalis 58 Symplecta hybrida 10,59 Symplecta stictica 58

Tanyptera atrata 13 Tanyptera nigricornis 13 Tasiocera fuscescens 59 Tasiocera murina 59 Tasiocera robusta 60 Thaumastoptera calceata 87 Tipula alpium 26 Tipula cava 21 Tipula cheethami 26 Tipula confusa 27 Tipula couckei 31 Tipula fascipennis 22 Tipula flavolineata 21 Tipula fulvipennis 19 Tipula grisescens 27 Tipula helvola 22 Tipula hortorum 31 Tipula irrorata 24 Tipula lateralis 32 Tipula luna 19 Tipula lunata 22 Tipula luteipennis 24 Tipula marginella 32 Tipula maxima 20 Tipula melanoceros 24 Tipula montium 32 Tipula obsoleta 27 Tipula oleracea 30 Tipula pabulina 25 Tipula pagana 27 Tipula paludosa 30 Tipula peliostigma 23 Tipula pierrei 33 Tipula pruinosa 33 Tipula pseudovariipennis 25 Tipula rufina 28 Tipula scripta 8,31 Tipula selene 23 Tipula signata 28 Tipula staegeri 28 Tipula subcunctans 30 Tipula submarmorata 25 Tipula subnodicornis 29 Tipula unca 21 Tipula variicornis 29 Tipula varipennis 26 Tipula vernalis 23 Tipula vittata 20 Trichocera annulata 88 Trichocera hiemalis 89 Trichocera major 9,90 Trichocera parva 89 Trichocera regelationis 89 Trichocera saltator 89 Tricyphona immaculata 38 Tricyphona schummeli 39 Trimicra pilipes 60 Ula mollissima 39 Ula sylvatica 39

craneflies of shropshire with columns

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