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Cornish Red Data (2009)

The descriptive text, below the map, is from the Cornish Red Data Book (2009). The map on this web page depicts the organisms distribution and shows the records made pre-2000 and those made since.

Graptopeltus lynceus - A ground bug



Range & Status

Widespread in Europe, but in Britain confined to the south, especially the south-east. It never seems to have been particularly common and it appears to have become scarcer.

Regional Distribution

Widespread on Cornwall' s larger sand dune systems, and occasionally reported from other dry coastal situations.

Habitat & Ecology

A specialist bug of Boraginaceae, especially Viper' s-bugloss Echium vulgare , but also Forget-me-not Myosotis spp. It is found mostly in dry, open, sunny situations, most often on sand. Adults overwinter in grass tussocks. It feeds on flowers and the developing seeds of the host plants in warm weather, hiding amongst the basal leaves in poor weather.

Threats

Disturbance, creating open ground, favours the foodplant of the bug, and so the main threat is from the natural succession of plant communities. Myxomatosis is therefore a threat to the bug on sites where suitable habitat is maintained by rabbits.

Conservation

Rabbit populations should be encouraged. If rabbits are absent, stock grazing should be established/maintained. The dune system at Holywell is owned by The National Trust.

Source:

I.J. Bennallick, S. Board, C.N. French, P.A. Gainey, C. Neil, R. Parslow, A. Spalding and P.E. Tompsett. eds. 2009. Red Data Book for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 2nd Edition.Croceago Press.

The Cornish Red Data Book Project was led by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Federation for Biological Recorders (CISFBR). The full text and species accounts (minus the maps) are available on the CISFBR website.