Part 2: Nematocera and Aschiza not dealt with by Falk (1991) - JNCC

Threats Habitat loss to agriculture and the mismanagement
of water levels. Pollution such as agricultural runoff could
also render sites unsuitable.
Management and conservation Avoid any drainage of
sites and maintain seasonal fluctuations in water levels in
pools and ditches. Use rotational pond or ditch management
where necessary to maintain a range of conditions.
Published sources Edwards (1939); Marshall (1938);
Mattingly (1950); Snow et al. (1998).
OCHLEROTATUS STICTICUS
A mosquito
Order DIPTERA
Ochlerotatus sticticus (Meigen, 1838)
DATA DEFICIENT
Family CULICIDAE
Identification Keyed by Snow (1990) as Aedes sticticus.
Distribution A few old widely scattered records: New
Forest, Hampshire (1830, 1899, 1910, 1930); Windermere
(1827), Wray and Haverthwaite (1938), Westmorland;
Aberfoyle, Perthshire (1905).
Habitat Usually associated with water of a temporary
nature in open or partly shaded situations. The Haverthwaite
site refers to a field near the coast that was evidently
flooded by leakage through a flood bank; water seeped in
when high tide banked up a river that flowed past the field.
Ecology The species overwinters as an egg and larvae
develop in spring and several generations can occur in
summer and autumn if areas become reflooded. Adults
recorded from May to September. Females are voracious
biters of man as well as animals and are said to travel some
distance from the breeding site to bite, usually preferring
open areas.
Status Not recorded since 1938 even in the New Forest,
where it was found on several occasions, and it may be
extinct in Britain. There was probably a decline through
habitat loss, although it may prove to persist at sites in the
north. It is found sporadically throughout the Holarctic.
Currently there is inadequate information to assess the risk
of extinction. Status revised from RDB 3 (Shirt 1987) and
RDB K (Falk 1991), where it was included as Aedes
sticticus.
Threats Habitat loss to agriculture and mismanagement of
water levels. Pollution such as agricultural runoff could also
render sites unsuitable.
Management and conservation Avoid any drainage of
sites, retaining any pools and marshy areas, and maintain
any seasonal fluctuations in water levels. Prevent any long
term drying out of sites.
Published sources Edwards (1939); Macan (1951);
Marshall (1938); Mattingly (1950); Snow et al. (1998).
ORTHOPODOMYIA PULCRIPALPIS
A mosquito LOWER RISK (Near Threatened)
Order DIPTERA
Family CULICIDAE
Orthopodomyia pulcripalpis (Rondani, 1872)
Identification Keyed by Snow (1990). The spelling
pulchripalpis was erroneous and was corrected by Snow
(1985).
Distribution Scattered localities in southern England with a
strong eastern bias: Poole (1965) and Brownsea Island
(1966), Dorset; Hayling Island, Hampshire (1933); Ripley
(1930), Epsom (pre 1955) and Brookwood (pre 1942),
Surrey; unspecified sites in Epping Forest (possibly several,
pre 1928), Wake Arms area (1979 to 1982) and High Beach
(1979 to 1982), Epping Forest, Essex; Kensington Gardens
(1926 to 1969), Buckingham Palace Garden (1926) and
unspecified sites in the London area (pre 1954), Middlesex;
Burnham Beeches NNR (1927) and unspecified information
(pre 1929), Buckinghamshire; Cambridge (1927, 1931,
1932) and Hardwick (1932), Cambridgeshire; a site in
Lincolnshire is shown on the map provided by Snow et al.
(1999).
Habitat Old broad-leaved woodland and parkland with a
requirement for old or diseased trees with water filled rot
holes.
Ecology A univoltine species with rather distinct pink
larvae developing in the water of rot holes. They seem to
require very specific conditions and on a survey of 50 holes
at Epping Forest, Essex (Snow & Fallis 1982), larvae were
only found in one, which was south-facing on a Beech
(Fagus) pollard and had a hole aperture of 14 x 6.5 cm,
angled at 45 degrees to the horizontal, 195 cm from the
ground and with water of depth 14 cm and dark brown in
colour. Previous records also include holes in Horse
Chestnut (Aesculus), Elm (Ulmus) and a record for a pool in
a Birch (Betula) wood (Classey 1942), which is unlikely to
be typical. Eggs appear to be laid on the walls of cavities at
the edge of the waterline, with larvae hatching and
descending into the water some time between June and
October. During this period a range of larval instars are
present, suggesting that delayed hatching and/or delayed
maturation of the first instar is occurring, although
overwintering occurs predominantly in the second instar.
the adults appear to fly during June and July but are very
elusive and may stay close to breeding sites. No information
on biting behaviour is available.
Status An elusive species with four known post 1960 sites,
the Epping Forest area having the longest continuity of
records. It is, however, possibly under-recorded to some
extent because of the apparently elusive adults and
inaccessible breeding sites. Searching for the larvae may be
the most productive way of recording. This species may
only occur at sites which can provide a reasonably high
number and good range of rot holes over long periods.
Abroad it is recorded from southern Europe and Asia Minor
with infrequent records for northern France. Not listed in
Shirt (1987).
Threats Clearance of old broad-leaved woodland and
parkland, including the removal of old or diseased trees
with rot holes. At Epping Forest, many of the Beech
pollards are top heavy, making them susceptible to splitting
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