5
This was rather unusual as pines promote acid
soils beneath them which is unfavourable for
the calcium requiring snails on which the
larvae feed.
I returned to the spot at night but never saw
any more - nor did any males fly into my
mercury vapour lamp trap which I ran for years
in Ingrave near Thorndon Park. The beetle is
fortunately common in Gray's Chalk Pit.
The Thorndon Park larva fed on snails, pupated
briefly and emerged as a female, creating a
steady stream of friends (human) who wanted to
see such a rarity! I asked a number of
middle—aged and older Essex people if they had
seen a glow—worm before. Many had, but not
for a number of years.
Do all the males ignore the faint females' glow
for brighter lights?
It would be very interesting if readers could
inform the Editor of sightings of the glow—worm
in Essex and the year of the sighting. Is
this unusual beetle really much less common
today than 30-40 years ago?
IAN McCLENAGHAN
ESSEX BADGERS
If you know of an active badger sett in Essex
then you are very lucky: 15 year ago 54% of
all recorded setts were considered occupied by