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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.

Acanthoxyla geisovii - Prickly Stick-insect



Range & Status

Apart from Cornwall, the only other UK location for this New Zealand phasmid is in Devon, principally around Torbay where the first UK record was made in 1909 at Paignton. Also at Plympton, Ermington and Abbotskerswell. As at the end of March 2008, this species has now been found in sixteen 10 km squares in the UK.

Regional Distribution

The first Cornish record was in the Abbey Gardens, Tresco in 1943, but these phasmids must have arrived pre-war, and may have been contemporaneous with the Paignton record. It is now found throughout Tresco, and also on the adjacent islands of St. Mary' s and Bryher. On the mainland, Tresco insects were introduced into a St. Mawes garden c.1959, and there are now several sites in and around St. Mawes in VC2. Elsewhere in Cornwall it has been recorded in a handful of gardens, all of which are in VC1.

Habitat & Ecology

Invariably found in gardens, typically having arrived on plant material. Being polyphagous, it has no preference for type of plant, although Bramble and other Rubus species are the most commonly recorded foodplants. It is quite at home in our equitable climate, so similar to its native lands.

Threats

None known.

Conservation

None known.

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.