Post by nomad on Jun 29, 2016 18:03:20 GMT
A rare Longhorn Beetle Anoplodera sexguttata.
One of my favourite areas to look for insects is a very old forest in North Wiltshire. Although there has been habitat change here, the forest with its many oak trees, the largest being around 1200 years old and the numerous veteran beeches, holds a wealth of rare insect species. Much of the wood pasture has been replaced with beech, oak and fir plantations but along the valleys bottoms the latter still exists and these areas are especially rich in insects. The Forest lies on a chalk plateau that is covered with clay with flints that results in a flora of acidic soils but in the valley bottoms the rich plant species which grow there, show that the soil to be of more calcareous nature. The valley bottoms contain grassland with both shorter and longer sward areas that have been invaded by bracken and scrub. Cutting through one valley bottom there is an old Roman Road, which is now a rather overgrown forest ride that enters an area of old beech and oak trees.
The Roman Road where the legions once marched is today a good place to search for Longhorn beetles that visit the June wild Dog Roses (Rosa species), which in a few places clamber over the other shrubs that line this ride. Searching here recently, I noticed a pair of Longhorns quite high up feeding at a wild rose and managed to get reasonable images of them and they proved to be a rare British species, Anoplodera sexguttata of the Cerambycidae family. In the UK, this Longhorn Beetle is confined to a few Ancient Woodlands in England, such as here and the New Forest further to the south in Hampshire. The larvae feed and live in rotten Wood.
Anoplodera sexguttata feeding at Wild Roses. The pair of beetles disturbed an unknown Geometridae larva feeding on the rose petals.
The Forest habitat of Anoplodera sexguttata. The old Roman Road with nectar source and old oak woodland, Wiltshire.
One of my favourite areas to look for insects is a very old forest in North Wiltshire. Although there has been habitat change here, the forest with its many oak trees, the largest being around 1200 years old and the numerous veteran beeches, holds a wealth of rare insect species. Much of the wood pasture has been replaced with beech, oak and fir plantations but along the valleys bottoms the latter still exists and these areas are especially rich in insects. The Forest lies on a chalk plateau that is covered with clay with flints that results in a flora of acidic soils but in the valley bottoms the rich plant species which grow there, show that the soil to be of more calcareous nature. The valley bottoms contain grassland with both shorter and longer sward areas that have been invaded by bracken and scrub. Cutting through one valley bottom there is an old Roman Road, which is now a rather overgrown forest ride that enters an area of old beech and oak trees.
The Roman Road where the legions once marched is today a good place to search for Longhorn beetles that visit the June wild Dog Roses (Rosa species), which in a few places clamber over the other shrubs that line this ride. Searching here recently, I noticed a pair of Longhorns quite high up feeding at a wild rose and managed to get reasonable images of them and they proved to be a rare British species, Anoplodera sexguttata of the Cerambycidae family. In the UK, this Longhorn Beetle is confined to a few Ancient Woodlands in England, such as here and the New Forest further to the south in Hampshire. The larvae feed and live in rotten Wood.
Anoplodera sexguttata feeding at Wild Roses. The pair of beetles disturbed an unknown Geometridae larva feeding on the rose petals.
The Forest habitat of Anoplodera sexguttata. The old Roman Road with nectar source and old oak woodland, Wiltshire.
