elongatus, Cerylon ferrugineum Steph,, Cicones variegatus, Bitoma crenata,
Mycetophagus multipunctatus F., Melandrya caraboides (L.), Prionus coriarius
and Taphrorychus bicolor. At a more local level, a number of species which are
generally distributed and abundant in Epping Forest, e.g. Agonum assimile
(Payk.) and Notiophilus rufipes Curtis, although of fairly general distribution in
southern England are extremely local in occurrence in Essex outside of the
Epping Forest area.
Although attention is naturally drawn to the Old Forest and other
woodland beetle species to be found in Epping Forest, it should be borne in
mind that the Forest includes a number of interesting types of habitat, not all of
them directly related to the presence of mature or overmature trees. Of these,
perhaps two are deserving of special mention. Firstly, some of the open and
often heath-like areas support a number of species (see Table 6) which,
although mostly of fairly general distribution in lowland areas of heath, are not
known from Essex except from the area of Epping Forest. The Forest wetlands
constitute a second series of unusual habitats. The ponds and swampy areas
support a rich and interesting aquatic fauna, including several species (see
Table 6) otherwise unknown in Essex. The array of Donacia and Plateumaris
species (leaf-beetles associated with aquatic monocotyledonous plants) known
from the Forest (14 of 19 British species) is impressive. In addition to the
aquatic species, those such as Philonthus fumarius, P. nigrita and Tachyporus
transversalis, which are largely restricted (at least in SE England) to fens and
sphagnum swamps, are also to be found.
Plate IV., A male stag beetle. A fairly common and spectacular beetle
associated with old forests. Photo David Scott.